Thursday, March 28, 2013
Cue Dagupan Adventure
I left Manila yesterday at 7 AM and arrived in Dagupan, the city where my mom was born in and where she lived while in the Philippines, around 12:45. I'm staying with my Papa's side of the family and will be here for the next week and a half. I'm sure there will be plenty to share as the days start rolling because its Holy Week and just about everyone here is Catholic. Woke up at 5:30 this morning to run (apparently by 7 it's already too hot...) so am now feeling ready for a nap. Check back soon!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Girl Matter by ChannelGood: Part II
After presenting the girls were given an opportunity to ask us any questions that they had or to share their thoughts on what we had to say. It was tough getting them to speak up at first because they were all very shy, but soon some started talking. All of the girls that did share expressed their gratitude towards us for taking the time to come visit them. Some of them told us what kind of work they hoped to do when they got older, but there was one girl who I can't stop thinking about.
I don't remember exactly how old she is, but she definitely falls between 18-20. Right now she thinks she wants to be either a teacher or social worker but is undecided between the two. The predicament she shared with us is not whether she should be A or B; instead, it's what to do about college. She realizes that she will most likely not be the one paying for her schooling and that it will come from a scholarship or outside donor. But she's afraid to go to college and not for the reasons that one taking this step typically fears. She's afraid that she won't be good enough. That she's not smart enough. And that the money given to fund her education will be a waste.
My heart broke as I listened to her share her fears of being inadequate. A girl who has overcome such horrors in her life...afraid of not being strong enough to finish studying? Each one of us had something to share with her. To remind her of how smart she is and how much potential she has. To encourage her to discover where her passion lies and to pursue whatever it may be. She listened intently to each piece of advice that we were more than happy to share, nodded her head at what we were saying, smiled, and thanked us when we were done. I'm curious to see which path she ends up taking. Note to self: check in with Chely in some time to see what this girl is up to.
The next activity planned required us to split up into small groups. We were instructed to draw a picture of what the girl sitting to our right would be doing in ten years and shared it to the group afterwards. Everyone had fun with this as we were completely free to design whatever future we desired for our neighbor. People's future occupations ranged from models to lawyers and almost always embarrassed the girl described- in a fun, lighthearted way of course. It was too cute.
Unfortunately, I am unable to post any photos of the girls because some of their traffickers are still looking for them. After exchanging phone numbers with the other speakers, we wrapped up our day in the Safehouse and said our goodbyes. They waved and smiled as they watched us pull out of the drive. Just looking at them, you'd never know what histories they have. I'm marveled by their strength and beauty.
Some notes about GirlMatter:
I don't remember exactly how old she is, but she definitely falls between 18-20. Right now she thinks she wants to be either a teacher or social worker but is undecided between the two. The predicament she shared with us is not whether she should be A or B; instead, it's what to do about college. She realizes that she will most likely not be the one paying for her schooling and that it will come from a scholarship or outside donor. But she's afraid to go to college and not for the reasons that one taking this step typically fears. She's afraid that she won't be good enough. That she's not smart enough. And that the money given to fund her education will be a waste.
My heart broke as I listened to her share her fears of being inadequate. A girl who has overcome such horrors in her life...afraid of not being strong enough to finish studying? Each one of us had something to share with her. To remind her of how smart she is and how much potential she has. To encourage her to discover where her passion lies and to pursue whatever it may be. She listened intently to each piece of advice that we were more than happy to share, nodded her head at what we were saying, smiled, and thanked us when we were done. I'm curious to see which path she ends up taking. Note to self: check in with Chely in some time to see what this girl is up to.
The next activity planned required us to split up into small groups. We were instructed to draw a picture of what the girl sitting to our right would be doing in ten years and shared it to the group afterwards. Everyone had fun with this as we were completely free to design whatever future we desired for our neighbor. People's future occupations ranged from models to lawyers and almost always embarrassed the girl described- in a fun, lighthearted way of course. It was too cute.
Unfortunately, I am unable to post any photos of the girls because some of their traffickers are still looking for them. After exchanging phone numbers with the other speakers, we wrapped up our day in the Safehouse and said our goodbyes. They waved and smiled as they watched us pull out of the drive. Just looking at them, you'd never know what histories they have. I'm marveled by their strength and beauty.
Some notes about GirlMatter:
- While some girls are sold into the trafficking business, often times they are tricked. For example, they may be told that there is work waiting for them in one of the big cities but are abducted once they leave their homes.
- The typical stay for a girl is around 6 months, but some of the girls living in the safehouse have already been there for a year or two.
- The girls have a caretaker living with them. Additionally, a social worker and psychiatrist make regular visits.
- Girls under 18 years old are not permitted to leave the house. 18 & above leave for work once collaborating with the social worker.
- Fun fact: The safehouse & property was donated by the creator & author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Girl Matter by ChannelGood: Part I
I don't even know where to begin about today. But I guess I can start by saying that Girl Matter is easily the coolest thing I've ever dipped my feet into. If you didn't click the link, here is the description used for the project:
So today, along with two other women, I presented my own Visioneering PowerPoint called "Rachael 2023." Following the format established, I created a 20-slide PP showing where I was "now" (2023) and gave a little background as to how I got "here." (For those interested, you can check put my PowerPoint here. The slides don't really have words on them because I was speaking so the order of the pictures may not make sense, but just thought I'd include it in case you wanted an idea of what the projects look like.) One other speaker was a 24 year old teacher name Isa who started a project called "The Good Story Project." She shared the idea that our lives are all stories and that we should work together in order to keep writing better stories. Isa works with girls during the workshops she sets up and they all focus on a topic to discuss and support each other as they work to create "better stories." The third speaker was a middle-aged woman who started a social enterprise called Rags2Riches.
A volunteer project of ChannelGood Advocacy Communications, Girl Matter is a 3-part program for young girls who have suffered a history of abuse. It aims to provide inspiration, restore faith in possibilities, and break the limitations imposed by their situations.Before leaving for the Philippines, I knew I'd be doing some work with Girl Matter. I was first introduced to the project by my mom's cousin living in California (thanks, Aunt Joy!). She knew I was looking to volunteer and referred me to Chely, one of the founders of ChannelGood & Girl Matter. After getting in touch with Chely, she told me a little bit more about Girl Matter and how I could get involved...
One of the projects the girls would soon be starting was part of their "Visioneering" theme. They are being asked to create their own "[Insert name here] 2023" presentations in order to help them establish goals for themselves and a hypothetical plan as means to achieving those goals.Just a bit of a background, there are 20 girls at the moment in the Safehouse, aged 12 to 21. They are all survivors of human trafficking, with most having been sold by their own parents. Tragic as it may be, these girls have shared UNBELIEVABLE BEAUTY by talking about forgiveness and moving on. We know that all these don’t come easy so Girl Matter aims to give a little push in terms of rebuilding their self-worth and planting seeds of entrepreneurship in their young minds and hearts.
So today, along with two other women, I presented my own Visioneering PowerPoint called "Rachael 2023." Following the format established, I created a 20-slide PP showing where I was "now" (2023) and gave a little background as to how I got "here." (For those interested, you can check put my PowerPoint here. The slides don't really have words on them because I was speaking so the order of the pictures may not make sense, but just thought I'd include it in case you wanted an idea of what the projects look like.) One other speaker was a 24 year old teacher name Isa who started a project called "The Good Story Project." She shared the idea that our lives are all stories and that we should work together in order to keep writing better stories. Isa works with girls during the workshops she sets up and they all focus on a topic to discuss and support each other as they work to create "better stories." The third speaker was a middle-aged woman who started a social enterprise called Rags2Riches.
By the time each of us had finished presenting, I noticed that all of our speeches were themed around dreaming big and not being afraid to just pursue our dreams. A good message, if you ask me.The eco-ethical business model originated in 2007 in Payatas, one of the Philippines’ largest dumpsites and home to 12,000 families. An informal cottage industry of rug-weavers grew from the many women who developed a means to earn a living by scavenging the waste to find and recycle scrap pieces of fabric so that they could participate in handicraft production like rug and rag weaving, while taking care of their children at home. Over time, the industry became exploited by a series of middlemen who controlled both the supply of scrap fabric and the women’s access to the market, which created an unfair value chain for the women who at the end of the day earned only pennies per finished product.Rags2Riches Inc. was created to provide these women with fair access to the market and the formal economy, as well as with additional skills-based, financial and health training so that they can maximize their career potential and take steps towards long-term financial and personal well-being.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Centex School
This past week/week and a half I had the opportunity to volunteer at a primary school called Centex, Center of Excellence in Public Education. It's part of a two-school project funded by Ayala Foundation, the corporate social responsibility sector of Ayala Corporation. Ayala Corporation is the most elite business in the Philippines and practically owns the country's entire business district, Makati City. There are two Centex schools: one in a rough neighborhood of Manila and another in the province of Batangas, which was the school I made the 2 hour drive to.
I woke up at 530 AM in order to be at the meeting spot in Makati City by 630 because of stupid traffic. ("SO traffic!" has become one of my favorite adopted Filipino phrases.) From there, the driver would pick me up along with another teacher and we would swing by three other locations to pick up three more teachers. Together the six of us would drive allll the way to Batangas and needless today, had enough hours to get in some solid bonding time.
The four teachers are all women and have an extremely close team since they work together so often. I think it's important I note that they're not your regular teachers. They are employed through Ayala Foundation rather than the Department of Education. Some days they're teaching at the two different schools, sometimes they're making home visits to interview applicants (I'll explain), or they might be in the office working with the rest of the Centex staff. They teach subjects like music and self-esteem and play an instrumental part in maintaining the values that Ayala Foundation hopes to instill in their schools.
What separates Centex from the rest of the crowd is that attendance fees do not exist and families must demonstrate financial need in order for their children to attend. Applications are filed, homes are visited, and interviews are conducted. There is a limited amount of space in the schools so it is imperative that each student is chosen carefully. Uniforms and meals are provided and sometimes even transportation is as well for kids that live far away from school.
The same way that Ayala Foundation welcomed my participation with open arms, so did the staff at Centex Batangas. Their warmth and kindness amazed me. I was introduced to each class and every teacher, given the option to participate anywhere I desired, and was met with genuine listeners (teachers and students alike) every time I spoke. I should also add that the volunteer parents working at Centex as a way of giving back to the school prepared both breakfast & lunch feasts for us every time we came!
I had the opportunity to observe a few of their "Integrated English Language Arts" classes (always interested in picking up on new techniques), teach a few of those classes, read stories to the kids, and work with a group of students practicing for their mini-musical about the magic of books (YAY!). Everyone there referred to me as "Teacher Rachael" and the students always stood up from their seats when answering my questions.
On my last day there, one student came up to me and said, "Teacher. Your skin is so nice and white!" I couldn't help but laugh at the irony. I marked this as the first moment someone complimented my "white" skin. She clearly had no clue as to why I found her statement so amusing so I told her: "Well thank you, but I can't wait to be as tan as you are!" She smiled at me before beaming at the girl sitting beside her.
I'm so grateful for the chance to see the work that Centex does and am so thankful for everything the teachers at Batangas & the Centex team did to help me make the most of my experience there. And who knows? Maybe someday I'll can take up the offer to return to Centex Batangas- but next time do it as a teacher...
I woke up at 530 AM in order to be at the meeting spot in Makati City by 630 because of stupid traffic. ("SO traffic!" has become one of my favorite adopted Filipino phrases.) From there, the driver would pick me up along with another teacher and we would swing by three other locations to pick up three more teachers. Together the six of us would drive allll the way to Batangas and needless today, had enough hours to get in some solid bonding time.
The four teachers are all women and have an extremely close team since they work together so often. I think it's important I note that they're not your regular teachers. They are employed through Ayala Foundation rather than the Department of Education. Some days they're teaching at the two different schools, sometimes they're making home visits to interview applicants (I'll explain), or they might be in the office working with the rest of the Centex staff. They teach subjects like music and self-esteem and play an instrumental part in maintaining the values that Ayala Foundation hopes to instill in their schools.
What separates Centex from the rest of the crowd is that attendance fees do not exist and families must demonstrate financial need in order for their children to attend. Applications are filed, homes are visited, and interviews are conducted. There is a limited amount of space in the schools so it is imperative that each student is chosen carefully. Uniforms and meals are provided and sometimes even transportation is as well for kids that live far away from school.
The same way that Ayala Foundation welcomed my participation with open arms, so did the staff at Centex Batangas. Their warmth and kindness amazed me. I was introduced to each class and every teacher, given the option to participate anywhere I desired, and was met with genuine listeners (teachers and students alike) every time I spoke. I should also add that the volunteer parents working at Centex as a way of giving back to the school prepared both breakfast & lunch feasts for us every time we came!
I had the opportunity to observe a few of their "Integrated English Language Arts" classes (always interested in picking up on new techniques), teach a few of those classes, read stories to the kids, and work with a group of students practicing for their mini-musical about the magic of books (YAY!). Everyone there referred to me as "Teacher Rachael" and the students always stood up from their seats when answering my questions.
 |
| "IELA" class with the kindergartners. |
I'm so grateful for the chance to see the work that Centex does and am so thankful for everything the teachers at Batangas & the Centex team did to help me make the most of my experience there. And who knows? Maybe someday I'll can take up the offer to return to Centex Batangas- but next time do it as a teacher...
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Perception of Beauty
Left with an entire day to do nothing but chill on the beach, Resa and I had a few good conversations. One that I thought would be interesting to share was about the perception of beauty. I realize how cliche that sounds, but our talk wasn't so much philosophical as it was comparative...so don't get turned off just yet.
Beauty is a funny thing. There are some things that most people would agree are beautiful. Take Shakira, for example. However, we all know the truth behind the age old adage, "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." So when I tell my mom that I love Andy Samberg and can't wait to marry him, she wrinkles her nose. Ahh, beauty.
Here in the Philippines, I've noticed a few different things that surprised me when it comes to physical beauty.
First of all, straight hair is a must. All of the commercials, the girls on TV, the ones on billboards...hair straight as a pin and smooth as silk. Salons broadcast signs outside their doors advertising their latest and greatest solution for hair straighter than ever before. I've been told that messy hair invites people to assume that you're edgy. A rebel. And apparently another way to be perceived as so is to wear lipstick and eyeliner (oh my, so rebellious!) because "good" girls only wear lip gloss.
Second, white skin. Ohhh do people go crazy over this. So while back home people use tanning lotion and go to tanning beds, Filipinos (this includes men) use whitening soap (Dove makes a popular one), whitening lotion, and some even go to special skin therapy treatments to make their skin "milky white." I was reading through a nail salon's spa offerings and came across "Underarm Whitening." (Err...) When I learned of this I found it quite amusing...but was met with equal amusement from my cousins when they heard Americans go to tanning booths. "Tanning booths?" they asked. "What do you do there?" They told me that if someone is newly famous, it doesn't take long before they have much lighter skin than when they first emerged as a star. I've heard from several people that the reason for this is as a developing nation, people in the Philippines look up to the Western World. They're looking to emulate what they see from "successful" countries.
Lastly, body image. (This one appeals to me because I too am a foodie.) Unlike the stars back home, here the celebrities come in a range of body types. While there are some stick-skinny superstars here, many (if not most) have regular body types. Some even bigger than average. The Philippines is a country of food and life here revolves around it. (Rice, specifically. And lots of meat.) There is breakfast, lunch, merienda (3:00 snack...which always ends up being the size of a regular meal), dinner, and snacks inbetween. You walk into someone's home and are immediately greeted with the question: "What do you want to eat?" No one is shy about taking extra helpings. When I leave the Philippines, I won't ever forget the countless scenes of my laughing aunts pulling out the kitchen chairs as they look at me and say, "Let's eat."
So I guess as always when one travels, I've stumbled across something new to be aware of about the world. The contrast between cultures has just reinforced what I already knew: everyone has the power to decide what is beautiful.
Beauty is a funny thing. There are some things that most people would agree are beautiful. Take Shakira, for example. However, we all know the truth behind the age old adage, "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." So when I tell my mom that I love Andy Samberg and can't wait to marry him, she wrinkles her nose. Ahh, beauty.
Here in the Philippines, I've noticed a few different things that surprised me when it comes to physical beauty.
First of all, straight hair is a must. All of the commercials, the girls on TV, the ones on billboards...hair straight as a pin and smooth as silk. Salons broadcast signs outside their doors advertising their latest and greatest solution for hair straighter than ever before. I've been told that messy hair invites people to assume that you're edgy. A rebel. And apparently another way to be perceived as so is to wear lipstick and eyeliner (oh my, so rebellious!) because "good" girls only wear lip gloss.
Second, white skin. Ohhh do people go crazy over this. So while back home people use tanning lotion and go to tanning beds, Filipinos (this includes men) use whitening soap (Dove makes a popular one), whitening lotion, and some even go to special skin therapy treatments to make their skin "milky white." I was reading through a nail salon's spa offerings and came across "Underarm Whitening." (Err...) When I learned of this I found it quite amusing...but was met with equal amusement from my cousins when they heard Americans go to tanning booths. "Tanning booths?" they asked. "What do you do there?" They told me that if someone is newly famous, it doesn't take long before they have much lighter skin than when they first emerged as a star. I've heard from several people that the reason for this is as a developing nation, people in the Philippines look up to the Western World. They're looking to emulate what they see from "successful" countries.
Lastly, body image. (This one appeals to me because I too am a foodie.) Unlike the stars back home, here the celebrities come in a range of body types. While there are some stick-skinny superstars here, many (if not most) have regular body types. Some even bigger than average. The Philippines is a country of food and life here revolves around it. (Rice, specifically. And lots of meat.) There is breakfast, lunch, merienda (3:00 snack...which always ends up being the size of a regular meal), dinner, and snacks inbetween. You walk into someone's home and are immediately greeted with the question: "What do you want to eat?" No one is shy about taking extra helpings. When I leave the Philippines, I won't ever forget the countless scenes of my laughing aunts pulling out the kitchen chairs as they look at me and say, "Let's eat."
So I guess as always when one travels, I've stumbled across something new to be aware of about the world. The contrast between cultures has just reinforced what I already knew: everyone has the power to decide what is beautiful.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Malasimbo
We stayed at the beach allllll day Saturday and headed up for the music around 9 or so. We took a very crowded jeepney (the most used Filipino method of public transportation check out the "Pictures" page) up a very steep mountain and were greeted with beautiful scenery. We took a little hike down a steep, steep hill before approaching the venue. It was beautiful. Built like an amphitheater, the stage was at the bottom surrounded by different levels of grass. There were palm trees everywhere and amazing lights.
Among the performers were Jimmy Cliff. For those of you who don't know, some of his hits include "I Can See Clearly Now" and "Hakuna Matata" from the sequel album to the Lion King soundtrack.
The next day, Resa & Mike got massages on the beach. The masseuses must have worked their magic because immediately afterwards, Mike asked me if I'd want to stay an extra day. Since I'm not bound by any work commitments, I told him I'd do whatever they were looking to do. The food was cheap. The room was cheap. And we were able to score a free ride home from Mike's friend. Why not stay? So while Mike and his bff were catching up and enjoying some bro time, Resa & I laid out the blanket and settled down for another relaxing day at the beach.
Among the performers were Jimmy Cliff. For those of you who don't know, some of his hits include "I Can See Clearly Now" and "Hakuna Matata" from the sequel album to the Lion King soundtrack.
"Hakuna Matata" by Jimmy Cliff
The next day, Resa & Mike got massages on the beach. The masseuses must have worked their magic because immediately afterwards, Mike asked me if I'd want to stay an extra day. Since I'm not bound by any work commitments, I told him I'd do whatever they were looking to do. The food was cheap. The room was cheap. And we were able to score a free ride home from Mike's friend. Why not stay? So while Mike and his bff were catching up and enjoying some bro time, Resa & I laid out the blanket and settled down for another relaxing day at the beach.
To Malasimbo We Go
I went out of town this weekend for a concert called Malasimbo. It's a three-day reggae festival up on a mountain that's located right off of a beach. I went with my cousin Resa, her boyfriend Mike, and a few of his friends for this vacation in a vacation trip.
We took a three-hour bus ride to a province called Batangas. From there, a one-hour ferry boat ride to the beach. When I first heard we were taking a ferry, the first thing that popped into my mind was not at all related to the ferry boat we took.
True to nature I fell asleep almost right away. (Thank you, Dramamine.) I'm not sure how much time had passed before I was abruptly awoken by a man shoving a life jacket in my face. "What the &#*%?" I thought as I looked around expecting to see a scene of panic. But instead I was met with 30 pairs of eyes...all focused on me. With absolutely no idea of what was happening, bleary-eyed & foggy-minded from having just woken up, I couldn't do anything but stare at the man.
Literally. I just stared. And everyone around just stared back at me.
I opened my mouth but had no idea what to say so all that came out was something like, "Uhhmmhhuhh..." I couldn't help but laugh after stuttering because I thought, "Of course. Of course whatever is happening right now is happening only to me." Thankfully, Resa saved me from the awkward attention. She grabbed the life jacket and gave it to me. "Here," she said. "The man is saying you might get wet so sit on this." I had no idea how a life jacket would help prevent any water damage (or why I was the only one who had the potential to get wet) but I accepted the offer so everyone would go back to whatever they were doing before staring at me.
No more than 10 minutes later was there about an inch of water at the floor of the boat as waves outside licked its roof- thank God for the plastic coverings over the windows! I understood why I had been given the life jacket as the people around me started standing up to reveal soggy shorts. Woop woop! Thank you guy who gave me the vest! I called him over for a few more and gave them to Resa & Mike so they could try to stay dry, too. Pretty soon afterwards we pulled up to White Beach at Puerto Galera.
We took a three-hour bus ride to a province called Batangas. From there, a one-hour ferry boat ride to the beach. When I first heard we were taking a ferry, the first thing that popped into my mind was not at all related to the ferry boat we took.
True to nature I fell asleep almost right away. (Thank you, Dramamine.) I'm not sure how much time had passed before I was abruptly awoken by a man shoving a life jacket in my face. "What the &#*%?" I thought as I looked around expecting to see a scene of panic. But instead I was met with 30 pairs of eyes...all focused on me. With absolutely no idea of what was happening, bleary-eyed & foggy-minded from having just woken up, I couldn't do anything but stare at the man.
Literally. I just stared. And everyone around just stared back at me.
I opened my mouth but had no idea what to say so all that came out was something like, "Uhhmmhhuhh..." I couldn't help but laugh after stuttering because I thought, "Of course. Of course whatever is happening right now is happening only to me." Thankfully, Resa saved me from the awkward attention. She grabbed the life jacket and gave it to me. "Here," she said. "The man is saying you might get wet so sit on this." I had no idea how a life jacket would help prevent any water damage (or why I was the only one who had the potential to get wet) but I accepted the offer so everyone would go back to whatever they were doing before staring at me.
No more than 10 minutes later was there about an inch of water at the floor of the boat as waves outside licked its roof- thank God for the plastic coverings over the windows! I understood why I had been given the life jacket as the people around me started standing up to reveal soggy shorts. Woop woop! Thank you guy who gave me the vest! I called him over for a few more and gave them to Resa & Mike so they could try to stay dry, too. Pretty soon afterwards we pulled up to White Beach at Puerto Galera.
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