Gratitude

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I arrived in Manila this past Saturday and saw Aisa for the first time. The one that dreams cannot fathom and books try to beckon tourists with. The extremes between classes here are unmistakable. One minute my friend Chris and I were crashing a wedding in an opulent Chinese Catholic Chrurch and the next I was staring in disbelief at the scene layed out before me. My tear filled eyes were greeted by outstretched hands from the street children who lept off their rotting, curbside trash piles for the opportunity to beg for something, anything from me. Each time I said no and kept walking I think a part of my soul was left in each pile. Will they stumble upon it some day while brushing aside a plastic bag or over-turning a styrofoam plate? I can only hope so.

I started to understand Westernization and Globalization a bit more. I find it ironic that in the middle of an underground street mall, in the poorist district of Manila, that my thoughts would be so focused on those processes. It wasn't the whole, roasted, baby chicken looking snack on a stick or the balut (fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo) that I saw people gobbling up, it was a bottle of Sprite that got my mind racing. All of a sudden that cold bottle wasn't just a soft drink manufactured by the world's largest beverage corporation any more. Its a clean, cold liquid and for many people the words "clean" and "cold" are as preceous as any gem. As I walked through the Manila Airport I also saw my first drinking fountain in about 3 months. No joke I saw it across the room and was drawn to it. I drank my fill and without a second of hesitation I topped off my water bottle. For good measure I drank some more!

I'm here for two more days and then its off to Thailand. My emotions have been yo-yoing. Some days I will be in the kitchen with my "island mothers" laughing so hard I think I'll pee my pants. Then, I have a day like the one I had about two weeks ago. I was helping a class of students prep for their National Exams. Each class lasts 2 hours and I had them for 4 staight hours of English study. After already having them take practice tests the day before I decided to have them write a narrative essay. I used an example in order to explain what that type of essay was and so they all wrote basically the same thing...my example. After I read my essay they all jumped up and asked if they could re-write their essays...they understood now what I was hoping for. Who am I to tell a group of high school students no when they are excited about an assignment! They feverishly wrote for another hour until I called them back from the forest to gather in a circle. One by one the students stood and told their stories. Each student who spoke did so through cascading sobs. It was one of the most moving things I have ever witnessed in my life! I cried so much with them, with every story. When it was my turn, I got out of my seat and before any words came out of my mouth I was crying. There I was surrounded by a circle of high schoolers and all I could do was stand there with tears streaming down my face. I had to pull out an old encyclopedia and show them a map of Colorado in order to buy myself time to gain some assemblance of composure. It didn't last long though. Funny thing was my essay wasn't about some tramatic life event, just a portion of my life journey.

Tonight I moved to a dorm in a different part of town. It only took two Jeepney's (sorta a bus), a sardine like ride on the light rail and a lot of walking to find my new home. Oh and the help of 13 strangers, that's how many times I had to ask for directions/help. After unpacking a bit I set off to find dinner. I settled on a street vendor packed with Filipino's and not a foreigner in sight. The food was incredible and afterwards I was walking by a woman who was sitting alone at a table smoking a cigarette. I smiled and said good evening. Before I knew it we were sitting there swapping stories and come to find out for the last several years she has been living in the park that's just down the street. She's homeless and has no family here. In order to make a little money she does odd jobs and one of them is guiding foreigners around. When I asked how much she charges she just let out a huge Filipina laugh and said I pay from my heart. I wonder what adventures we will have tomorrow!?

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Photos

Goodbye
My best buddy Reyhian hanging with me as I pack up.

Learning to cook from the experts
Whenever I make it home I will cook this for everyone. Its called champorado and it will blow your mind :)

Students become teachers
The best language school in the world!

Water Buffalo
Malatapay weekly market

Multiple tricycle transport
You name it and I'm sure they've tied it to a cycle.

Panda Bay
My friend Chris and I rented an unlicensed motorbike from a guy. Luckily we found this bay and no check stations!

Hiking to different coves
So amazing! Only Chris, a small boat of fisherman and I were there.

Comments

[Stacey]

living
Hi - i'm so happy to read of your journeys; I see in your words (hear in your voice) that the greater wider bigger form of life is what you are living. Makes me happy to know you are seeing, feeling, touching, smelling, tasting, and truly experiencing the world. I experienced some similar things when I went to India- humbling and fulfilling at the same time. Thanks for the update. Be well

[hereandnow]

Thanks for the comments!
I was thinking of you and your trip to India when I was writing this past blog! For sure the same humbling and fulfilling emotions. It is a big world out there with so much to see :) Thank you for the comments and emails everyone. It makes me so happy when I login and see them. A wee bit of home right here at the internet cafe!