Hey Joe, Masbate, Bicol, Philippines
Balik Probinsiya[1]
February 1, 2014
|
o
Travel to Legazpi
City
|
|
February 2, 2014
|
o
To Taguilid,
Claveria, Masbate
|
o Aldea Family
|
February 3, 2014
|
o
To San Pedro, San
Pascual, Masbate
|
o Suader & Baguion Family
|
February 4, 2014
|
o
To Iniwaran, San
Pascual, Masbate
|
o Arpon/Arapoc Family
|
February 5, 2014
|
o
Travel back to San
Pascual then to Naga City
|
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February 6, 2014
|
o
Travel back to
Manila
|
"Hey Joe!" This is how some Filipino call out to us in the
street! It is familiar, friendly! ... I like it! I answer the same way:
"Hey Joe!" It makes them smile!
Trip No. 2 in the province: Masbate
Helen is a social worker. She’s in charge of the program
back-to-the-province. 31 families "living" in the dumpsite of Payatas
have chosen to return to their Provinces. They moved 7 years ago.
This was a very tiring journey, Helen does family visit once a year, and
she’s brave ... young:
- 2 nights in the bus,
- 2 nights we got up at 3 AM,
- Every night a different place.
While I was reading the website of VIRLANIE from France, I was very
interested in this program. So quickly, when I arrived in Manila, I asked Helen
if I can join her.
These destinations are not in any travel book.
Helen organized the visits from Manila. And during the journey, she
regularly uses her mobile phone (texts) to confirm a meeting, to book the
Jeepney, ask for the time departure of the boat, bus etc. . ...
David (my colleague from Pondicherry High-School) got the chance to be
with us!
It is very useful for the social-worker to visit those families. And for
the sponsorship-officer it’s really interesting:
- First, the
families were very shy, and quickly they show a great interest of our
presence,
- Local
authorities (that we do not fail to greet when possible) asked us about
VIRLANIE, street children, Payatas (slum) … etc..
- In schools, where
the children were enrolled, the principal also asked questions about
VIRLANIE and our engagement.
A Head-master will say at least one 10th times (speaking of
the children) : " they’re really lucky " ( they really are lucky ).
Transportation used: Walk, pedicab, tricycle, motorcycle, boat (Bangka
or Pumpboat), Jeepney, bus and minibus.
Walk
Pedicab
Tricycle
Motocycle
Jeepney
boat : Bangka ou Pumpboat
Minibus - van
bus
Starting Friday, January 31 - 3PM from the house.
This Friday was "Chinese New Year".
Helen lives in the North of Manila; our volunteer-home is in the South
so: we met in Cubao station which is located in the East. No question to ask
Helen for fetching us.
Manila is a huge city, but with David (and the cell phone) I 'm not
worried. However, watch out, it’s easy to be lost.
We walk to Guadalupe subway station on MRT line: 4 km. This will be one
hour walk.
Guadalupe:
Spanish and Portuguese name
Referring to Guadalope River
tributary of the Ebro in Spain
The name comes from the Arabic “al
- wad lub” black pebble river,
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the name
given to Virgin Mary when she appeared to the native in America in 1531.
Makati city, where the office of Virlanie is located is a quite nice
area[2]:
not too many people or buildings. We passed through this area, through the
marketplace. I begin to know the place. And David shows me 2 very nice street-food places.
We walked down Rizal Street (Rizal, is a National hero – during the
Spanish colonization). We arrive on Pasig River bank. Now this portion is not
fun: a lot of traffic, noise, pollution. Anyway we’ve reached the station.
MRT is the 2nd line, it was overcrowded, even on holiday, and it’s
pretty impressive. I have no recollection crowd of this magnitude in any
European country:
In Paris, at rush hour, the subway is the place where a dense crowd
moves ... it's awesome. But it seems to me that here it’s amplified!
This surprises me ... even in Tokyo or Cairo, even in India we have been
accustomed to this flow of people! Here it’s worst!
Guadalupe Metro Station. A Shop-Mall stands just before the line
access: we didn’t find the correct way and arrived … in the Shop-Mall! OK, we
go back ... we’ve found the platform ... but also wrong way, it’s the opposite
direction. And finally we end up to the right place. On the platform, a yellow
arrow on the ground indicates the location of the doors of the train ...
disciplined enough, the Filipino are lined up. Because of the pickpockets,
every backpack is on every one’s belly ... the subway arrives, the doors opens, the train is already full ...
The first passengers do not want to get off the train to let other
getting out ... so everyone pushes: those who want to go off, those who want to
get in ... this crush is not nice but we have to manage with!
So after pushing, and pushing, we end up!
We will get off at the 5th station ... my phone rings. I do not want to answer.
But again ... again it rings ... I had
taken the precaution of putting my mobile-phone in the top pocket of the bag
... I mean, I can easily take it ... it's Helen who told me she already joined
the meeting-point and is expecting us.
She was worried because our meeting-point was by the door of a Jolibee
restaurant, just at the exit of the station, but she just noticed there are 2
Jolibee...
We go off and easily ... find Helen smiling at us despite the crowd!
The bus was not yet there.....
At 5 PM, we leaved which was exactly the pick-time-traffic ... this was
not very smart. Luckily I do not drive in this jam ..., this High-way is 6
lanes wide in each direction.... The traffic is chaotic ... anyway, patience.
Fortunately we were in air-conditioned bus! Makati is so modern, the dimensions
are so impressive that I feel being in the States.
Manila is 15 million inhabitants. The traffic is a huge problem ... only
2 metro lines, a train line completely obsolete...
No comments...
Saturday February 1st: 5 AM morning arriving Legazpi
When the bus arrived at Legazpi, I'm still asleep. Helen was in control:
we go to the hotel, we left one or 2 luggage and here we you go to Donsol.
The volcano Isarog "perfect volcano" is clearly visible.
We arrived at the harbor of Pilar:
The weather was grey; we have a very nice breakfast facing the sea ...
but bad news: a warning of typhoon strength 1 (the scale goes up to 5). It is
true that it rained most of the night. This is probably the explanation of the
actual grey-weather ... because of this forecast all the shuttle boats linking
the islands were cancelled.
To me, the weather doesn’t seems so terrible..
We hired a tricycle to go to Donsol...
Arriving at the Visitor-Centre somehow 30 tourists were already wearing
their bathing-suit and wait....
Why are we there?
Whale-Sharks are swimming in this special area -
Butanding (the local name) - we might see here the biggest fish in the world:
about 18m long.
As you can see ... the whale-shark didn’t swallow us ... but we ate the
smallest-fish-in-the-world..... they are not far from here just in Lake Buhi.
Lake Buhi is where luzonensis of Mistichthys (the smallest fish
in the world) are caught and sold to the local market of Buhi.
Back to Whale-shark-Butanding:
No danger, their mouth is huge but has no teeth: they feed on plankton.
This warning of typhoon prevents for any output. We were waiting for 2
hours.
Around 10:30 am, we sail off; on each boat we were 6 tourists plus the
captain, the driver, two sailors and one woman, the watcher! In Philippines the
boat has 1 “lever” on each side – in French we call them “bateau à balancier” (Bangka
or Pumpboat) ... more common is trimaran.
Finally, here I’m sailing on this mythical boat! They are beautiful,
lovely!
I've had the great chance to sail one of them (much smaller but very stylish too) it was in Indonesia, north of the island of Bali in Amed. And it was a sail-boat. We were sailing with twenty other ones ... we were 3 onboard: Flora, the captain and me.
The captain quickly realized that I’m a sailor, he let me sailed his boat - he was sitting outside of it on the lever (bamboo-branch), handling the sheet-sail-rope (in French l’écoute de voile). Unfortunately 3 persons onboard is too loud, it was not possible to sail fast, pass and be at the head of fleet! Great souvenir!
The captain quickly realized that I’m a sailor, he let me sailed his boat - he was sitting outside of it on the lever (bamboo-branch), handling the sheet-sail-rope (in French l’écoute de voile). Unfortunately 3 persons onboard is too loud, it was not possible to sail fast, pass and be at the head of fleet! Great souvenir!
Here in Donsol, it's a bit like this: the boat is much bigger but
unfortunately without sail!, Phil, do not spoil your happiness!
I soon had the feeling that we will not see any shark this morning ...
these appointments with sea-giants are undoubtedly impressive. The implementation
of these visits was seriously supervised by the Ministry of Tourism. The high
season is from March to April ... we’re in February...
Passed 1:00 PM, the wind blows more; the sea-wave was at least 1 m high.
Facing the wind, the boat hit the top of the waves. The driver slowed
the boat when a wave arrived. For this he held a string attached to the
accelerator. This was not sufficient. Suddenly, the captain focused carefully
the bow (front) of his boat. I felt he has seen one of these fish we were
looking now for almost 2 hours. But not at all: Panic on board the watcher-girl
rushed on the lifejackets and distributed them quickly. I realized that water
flooded the hold. In less than a minute the boat sunk. Luckily we all had time
to wear the life-jacket. Fortunately the boat remained in the water. We were
not alone in this area; probably 10 minutes after the wreck, another boat came
to rescue us.
This is a piece of
luck: I’m in situation to improve my English vocabulary: raft, wreck, and
castaway.
(Obviously
immediately known, and fast forgotten ..... languages! )
We were not far from the harbor, 15 minutes later we
arrived here on the pier. Helen was all mixed up. She hesitated to come, she’s
happy not to go with us ... what an adventure!
I had been careful not to take my wallet, or my
glasses. But only dry clothes: this sunk with the boat!
This precipitates our back to Legazpi.
The “perfect volcano” is overlooking the city! Pretty
impressive!
Light meal and we visited two places:
- Cagsawa Ruins Park: The baroque church
of Cagsawa was built after 1724 by Franciscan monks under Fray Francisco Blanco
in the small town of Cagsawa - in ruins after the eruption of the volcano Mayon
in 1814. It replaced an older church built in 1636 which had been burned by
Dutch pirates.
This church has been built 1 century after the arrival
of Magellan.
The Franciscan Order had existed since 4 centuries...
I 'm having trouble when I tried to understand these
Franciscan monks sailing from Europe ...
to convert the indigenous people.. They must be really motivated for doing that
... Filipino is so far from Spain..
Reminder:
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese
explorer travelling on behalf of Spain, was the first European to land the
Philippines, on March 16, 1521.
The Order of Friars Minor
Franciscan monks is a Catholic religious order from Francis of Assisi born in
1210. In imitation of Christ, members try to live a life of poverty and
simplicity.
In 1212 he welcomes Claire
Offreduccio among his own and founded with her the Order of Poor Ladies later
called “Poor Clares”.
Quickly , such as the Franciscan
order had designed François is overwhelmed by his success and set (built) an
organization against the wishes of the founder : so that in 1220, François
resigned (humility does reject the very
principle of power, he uses this occasion the term resignare not renuntiare ,
the "waiver" that meet specific criteria according to canon law). He
wants more of a pure religious organization without institutional constraints;
this is close to the Hindu sadhus in India, homeless vagrants or sacred
ascetics who are the superiors of the Brahmans, as defined by the Laws of Manu. Wikipedia
- Lignon Hill Nature Park: A winding road takes visitors
to the observation station on top of a hill.
Back to the hotel around 18h , shower etc. . And quickly ... go to bed: tomorrow
we’ll get up at 3am.
Sunday, February 2
Why so early? In fact it is quite simple we’ll sail, crossing the channel to go to the Burias Island. There are only 2 boats per day. And they cruise in the morning. So we need to be at 7AM in the harbor!
We experienced that yesterday; around 13h, the wind blowed up forming
waves of 1m trough, and therefore, the boat broke apart!
Helen took an RV with Jeepney; this transport toured the city to get all
its customers and then direction Pio-Duran.
The harbor is nice. Like yesterday we ate our breakfast, the departure
will stand at 7AM.
I carefully avoid smoked fish and pork too fatty ... but David likes too
much fish no matter the time of day and its strong taste!
The boat is much bigger than yesterday; probably the pumpboat is loaded
with 50 people and several tons of cargo. The ship bottoms. The crew will move
backward one hundred kilograms of load and it’s enough to float again and
leave. At this time of the day, it’s fresh, the crossing is very nice and will
last 2 and half hours.
No worries: the sea doesn’t have any wave today: a glassy sea !
Burias island - Port Claveria.
Here, we visited 3 different places: South, North and further North to
another island.
As for the families visited during our first trip, Virlanie built their
homes:
The family chooses its land; on it a 4x5 = 20m2 house is built.
For this trip, Helen warned us that everyone rode his own motorbike: the
road is in bad shape. We arrive in Port Claveria, we have to negotiate, bargain
with the driver’s bike and here we go to the south visiting the Aldea family.
In fact, at the first intersection we stopped. Helen noticed: her
friend’s house was open. We left our motorcycle about 30 minutes. We shared a
coffee and a snack, after discussion, they offered us to sleep here tonight!
2nd start...
This was a cyclocross journey (the road being only sporadic ... )
When we arrived, while Helen took care of the sponsored-child, we visited
the village: the school.... etc
2 people invited us to drink a "twisted gut" without doubt
distilled coconut wine: I soak my lips ... and my eyes are drawn to their guns:
It is a local-cunning-manufactured one. The gun is made with a one yard long
plumbing plastic pipe, a bottle is placed below an electric wire is connected
to the bottle.
It seems that this is an alcohol rifle. Some alcohol is poured into the
bottle, a piezoelectric-switch trigger fires plastic balls that clog the gun
are pushed away. This allows shooting birds ... I think.
At 16h we go back to the harbor, our motorcycle drivers are back!
It's Sunday, I go to Mass with Helen. At the end of the Mass our hostess
lingered with the priest that absolutely wished to introduce myself ... in fact
she invited him to dinner.
The priest came with his sacristan. A young man.
The priest spoke fluent English; during vacation he’s visiting European
countries. He has already been to Lourdes. This seems odd to me that passion
for Lourdes (I already remarked it).
David has the right idea to get the guitar. Everyone sung his little
song! Very nice.
Monday, February 3
Before leaving this place, we planned to visit school and hospital. In
fact we cancelled the visit. I rather regret.
Today: 2 hours Motorcycle to the north reaching the 2 next families.
The choice was: sail from Port Claveria to the north of the island, or
ride a motorcycle. Helen chose the bike.
You remember, we are on an island ... and, insularity complicates the
way of life: the island has electricity, but only at night, and water is also
quite sacred.
Let’s go to this new stop. Our two drivers: David and I end up not
having fun driving so they race ... it becomes dangerous. In fact they passed
the houses of our families ... the 3rd motorcycle leaves Helen and after
several kilometers of racing caught us.
2 families: Suader & Baguion.
- Ms. Baguion is a widow. She has
2 children, and now her daughters are students on the island on the other
side of the canal....
Back to the province – yes but it’s difficult to be alone (without husband without children) and without income ... in fact this lady does not often live here. She lives close to her children and works as cleaner.
- Ms. Suader has 6 children. Her
husband returned to Manila – where he works. The house built by Virlanie
has a small garden. I am surprised because it is not maintained. But the
well is dry ...
Nice breakfast, delicious lunch too.
After lunch: Mrs. Suader will go to fetching water. I ask to join her,
visiting this place.
It is not very far, only 200m from the house but still it’s a chore with
this every day task.
Before arriving at the source, we pass beside a group of 3 houses;
that’s Mrs. Baguion’s cousins’ houses. The place is very shaded nice, the
garden manicured, 2 carabaos are grazing.
Ms. Suader told me that one of the carabao is hers.... For fun, I ask if
I can ride it ... it is quite okay ... but it seems that these animals may have
sudden reactions ... she will not let the rope ... anyway it’s fun !
The fountain is a little further; it is quite bucolic except that the
wash-tank is empty. It would not take much work to restore. I'm a little sorry
to see it...
In the afternoon we visited the secondary school – in the Philippines,
some schools are called LYCEUM.
The Lyceum (Ancient Greek: Λύκειον
"Lykeion ") was a gymnasium and a meeting place before the public in
a grove of trees in Classical Athens. The grove was named in honor of its
patron Apollo Lyceus ("Apollo as a wolf" or "Apollo in the form
of a wolf ". Remains of the High School were discovered in modern Athens
in 1996 in a park behind the Hellenic Parliament.
The foundation is sponsoring one student in this school, and we wish to
introduce ourselves. She’s a brilliant child, but very shy (hiya).
Schools in the province are built on the same plane:
On a large land, the buildings (classes) are placed on U-shaped.
This school has surely more than 1000 kids.
Our visit is not unnoticed ... we can hear: “Hey Joe!” said from some students,
We went to the headmaster’s office: it is a large room, also used as
teacher’s room.
The head-mistress was sitting. She greeted us with pleasure ... but
suddenly, she remembered a non-professional newspaper was open on her desk,
embarrassed, she quickly kept it, requested a colleague to answer our
questions...
She listened everything but a little away from us.
Obviously, the staffs in the room were impressed, because for only one
student, the social worker and the sponsorship-officer of the foundation came
from Manila.
(I remind you that this is not quite true: Helen was sent by Virlanie,
but me, I just requested for joining her).
We presented the foundation.
But what paid attention to them was the back to the province program.
Here in the Philippines everyone knows the slums of Payatas (see my previous
pages) ... and :
·
taking care of the families,
·
offer them to return to their province,
·
accompany them,
·
sponsor the education of one child per family,
·
build a house, provide live hood assistance to the
family...
all that causes
attention, listening, and respect !
Gradually the teachers approached, asked questions ... this was nice!
Our sponsored child came in but seeing the headmistress, many teachers,
her mum ... this was too much for her with her excessive shyness ... she's
terrified.
Her mother and I came to her; we tried to put her at ease.
It’s now, more than 5:00 PM.
We walked back home. The carabao went to another prairie, the cousins
proposed us to drink wine coconut in the shade of coconut-tree.
No woman drinks (this surprises me, because in the mid-range restaurants
in Manila , there are mixed Filipino men and women , like men, women smoke and
drink beer ... I can even say that
drinking beer is sometimes enough awesome (empty bottles being at the foot of
the table). Yet this wine-coconut is not very high in alcohol.
Dinner at home and then David played guitar.
We all sleep together: David and me on the bed (without mattress) and 2
families on a mat. It was relatively simple; everyone brought his pillow and
lay down on the mat.
Tuesday, February 4
It was decided; the two women Mrs. Baguion and Mrs. Suader joined us for
the next steps in this trip.
For the next stop, we visited another family from Payatas, and then (on
the other side of the channel), we visited her 2 daughters in their student’s
house.
A tricycle we brought us to San Pascual’s town.
Because of its location: the harbor is well protected by its bay and
looks naturally deep (a cargo is docked), it’s an old city. I think, I’ve read
here is the oldest church of the Philippines it was built in 1560. But I
regret, I do not manage to learn more about its history...
We visited the police-station, the Mayor’s office where Helen had her
first job. A lady from the Mayor's office joined us to meet the Deputy Mayor
and brought us to the boat.
Once again, the Deputy Mayor listened carefully to the story of the
destitute people of Payatas which the Foundation serves. She ordered a nice
snack.
The Arpon family who lives on the island sailed this morning to come and greet
us.
So, this is another boat-trip for 1 hour crossing to Iniwaran Island.
The Port of San Pascual gave me lovely atmosphere ... very beautiful landscape. IMPRESSIVE!
The sea was calm: glassy sea.
We arrived around noon. The place seemed idyllic:
We moor at the beach.
These boats are really shrewdly done:
Trimaran: Cannot capsize + she is light + she
has low draft of water.
I think the tidal range (difference between high tide and low tide ) is
about 1m, unless I am mistaken , I presume that is this an average value all
around the world.
I noticed by the sea shore, there is virtually no wave – this is
unusual. The sea is flat, even arriving to the beach ... it surprises me. I
think the explanation is the existence of a large continental plateau (shelf):
all 7000 Philippines-islands are based on this plateau.
So the waves arriving from the Pacific Ocean decrease while they arrive
on the plateau ... and hundred miles away, the sea is calm when they reach the
coast.
Obviously as the Philippines cover a very large area, depending of the
latitudes, this must change...
Eg : power trade winds in some areas.
It seems to me, the wind regime is thermal (temperature difference
between land and sea during the day).
We moored at the beach.
On land, we were quickly welcomed by “official”: a man dressed up as
woman, he asked us to declare ourselves in the log-book; we do this each time
once leave and/or come to an island.
The harbor-office is quite simple.
I've noticed in several places in the Philippines that gay men are
openly declare and it seems they are quite respected - they are called bakla.
This person at the office described himself, as a man who wants to be a
woman! I do not take picture ... for me
this is the 2nd place in the world where I saw gay people openly declare. The
first time was in Tahiti Islands!
It was said to me, there is a difference between gay and bakla,
but I didn’t understand it.
I tried to talk about that with Filipino friends, and it seems what I
noticed was not true at all : a man must show to the other as a man and
being gay and/or bakla is not easy at all
most of the person make fun of them … So
I’m confused … what is the truth ?
In this Island, 2 families have benefited of the back to the province-program. So these 2 families have their houses built. Right now, only one is present in his house: Arpon family. The other is Arapoc family is on leave.
Lunch (obviously fish and rice) but does not hang out at 1PM, because we planned to sail to a further north tiny Island called Sombreros (it’s a turtle reserve ...)
In the Philippines, the national dish – ulam
- seems to be adobo:
It is a mixture of pork (or chicken, fish)
marinated in spices, then cooked in vinegar with garlic, oil and soy sauce.
This surprised me because most of the time we
eat fish and rice.
But, Lapu- lapu inihaw : fish grilled
with soy sauce and garlic - can be the 2nd national dish
When I live in The Senegal the national dish is
called: rice and fish, literally in
Wolof it is Tiep bou dien.
It was 1 PM when the boat leaved to Sombrero Island, for about 1 hour
sailing, we passed three sail-boats: there was little breeze..
Sombrero Island is one of a group
of six islands.
It’s situated at the western end
of Burias Island, where San Pascual and Claveria are the main towns. It is one
of the three major islands of Masbate province.
It’s a perfect place for swimming. ... Back to the
beach!
Suddenly, my phone rung ... I am surprised we were
really alone on this island ... how the phone-waves can reach here? Curious,
odd, I say this is Kathy!
I thought the connection was on because of the
monitoring centre turtle reserve ... anyway that phone call was really amazing!
Back and shower next to the well, we were the show!
... Dinner, and go to bed ...
I have difficulty to sleep ... in fact, there was no
electricity, so no fan.. And for the last 2 months, I do sleep with this item!
Wednesday,
February 5
We got up at 3 AM. We leaved this island at 3:30 .... Still at night!
And sailed to San Pascual. Then sailed again (other Pumpboat) to Pascao.
It should be 7AM when we arrived at Pascao.
Thanks to the cell-phone, Helen joined Michael: the son of the family
who hosted us last night, he is student....
a good student, the social worker is proud of him!
We ate our breakfast in a small restaurant in the harbor.
Michael is a lucky guy: for Christmas, from his sponsor, he
received: 220 Euros of different gifts
and a laptop-computer. From Manila, Helen carried him all the gifts!
We went to his dormitory room (the sponsor pays the rent), open the
parcels, take pictures.
(They will be sent to the sponsor!)
o tuition fees[3]
: sponsored children enrolled in public schools / university
o books,
o housing: dormitory room,
o transportation: university –
parents ‘home
Studies in the Philippines:
I 'll have to understand, then
write about scholarship in the Philippines –
we sponsor the education of
children (and everything around the school) Primary , secondary, university
And now, we hired a Minibus to Naga then a Jeepney to Pili University...
At the bus stop, the 2 sponsored-student-girls were waiting for us
We walked down to their dormitory room, 7 rooms for 14 students!
These 2 girls have their parents in the island where we came from, one
Mum is still with us : Mrs. Suader.
I am so happy to see these girls. They are exactly “like other
student-girls: studying like the others, smiling like the others ... etc ...”
Certainly without VIRLANIE, they would have been still in the slum of
Payatas.
These 18 or 19 years old girls
(still teenagers) would have been married and mothers of two children wandering
in the street.
It's nice to be with them, and be welcomed!
Nicely they fixed our lunch, the table is set: let us share the
welcome-drink - then lunch!
This is too
emotional!
This is exactly what Dominique
dreamed,
Obviously Helen asked their Virlanie-cards; she did the spell checking
etc...
One card must be redone.... but we have to go …. Discussion...
Helen will pick it up when we’ll go back to Manila: Helen will ask the
driver for stopping she will give us the new card!
We leaved them. Take a van for Buhi in Helen’ family-home!
And guess what? We ate a puree made with luzonensis of Mistichthys:
the smallest fish in the world! ... What taste has this? Fishy-fish (just
kidding ...)? Strongly-tasty-fish ... but this is good on toasted bread.
True Story : Going back to normal life ...., this is the 1st
challenge for the kids!
After
living several years in the street,
it’s
really difficult to join a house of the foundation,
and
follow the discipline rules of living with 20 children.
On the way back of the Visa Office in Manila,
just nearby Elizabeth
home[4] , we pass a young girl. She does
not attract my eyes.
Yet, two
days ago, I spent one whole day in Elizabeth home, setting up the
Virlanie-Easter card. The 1st cards of the year send to the
sponsors.
Jean –Pierre, a volunteer, is with me, he
recognizes her, and calls her:
- What are you doing in the street?... I bring you back to Elizabeth?
Christina just arrived from R.A.C. (few days
ago), she’s a girl of Elizabeth
Home. She has no
sponsor yet and is not yet registered at the school ... The girl speaks little
English ... just a few words.
She
refuses to return home ...
The next morning, at 7:15, I meet Christina ,
and of course I recognize her ... I believe she spent the night in the street
... so I spoke to her ... and try to attract her:
- Hello, how are you? What are you doing? Come
on, I take you back to Elizabeth ...
Somewhat it is the same problem than yesterday,
in addition with a real language problem. I realize that: she’s making efforts
to search for words in English ... and may be also a mix up of shyness and
shame: called Hiya (conferee to the next framed paragraph) ...I saw that many times as we were travelling
with Helen. But she definitively shows me she’s hungry!
But I failed..
At the office, I speak about her to a social
worker, I think I didn’t persuade her for pick her up ... I had a phone call with Nicole (she’s a
volunteer, for now, living in Elizabeth. She will join me, and, on the way to
the office, she meets Christina, and convinces her to come with ...So the SW was speaking with and she
decided to put Christina in the Drop In Center....
I think it will get better for it ... In any case; this is what I
wanted...
8 months later, she’s still in the Drop In Center house.. And she has a sponsor!
Hiya: Loosely translated as "shame" by
most Western psychologists. Hiya seems to correspond rather to the "sense
of propriety".
Filipinos are very sensitive to personal
affront. They try as much as possible, avoid feeling "Hiya".
It’s a painful emotion or deep shame resulting
of not having to live up to the norms of society as a violation of social
norms.
This is a kind of anxiety, a fear of being
exposed, unprotected and unaccepted. This is a fear of being rejected by
society, to be subjected to the humiliation of oneself.
Thursday, February 6
Let’s go back to our trip in Masbate …………….
This morning, we visited the Buhi market place, and, of course the
sellers of the “smallest-fish”.
It’s a lovely spot; the lake is close by, surrounded by the forest!
We purchased pasalubong: spoil gifts for the colleagues.
On 6 PM, we took the night-bus to Manila...
At Pili University, the bus stopped ... do you remember? : The redone
Virlanie-card!
Helen got up from her sit, us too.... by the door, the girls were with
their mother, they gave to Helen the redone-card and a lovely smile was
exchanged: reciprocal reminder, we’ve spent 3 days with Mrs. Suader! The bus
restarts.
Friday, February 6
At 5 AM, we arrived back home. We texted Helen, .. She also arrived
home!
SALAMAT ATE HELEN! This was a
great tour for us!
In the morning, I go back to the office ... I said hello to my colleagues
and gave them their small pasalubong.
After few hours of thinking of this wonderful journey, I wrote a
thank-you-letter to Dominique!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity
of such an amazing trip!
How lucky of sharing with these four
families their modest life.
But I must say what a beautiful place!
This blue doesn’t give the same
atmosphere as the slums of Payatas...
Yet it is actually not easy to live
without income.
[1] - Balik Probinsiya : http://www.virlanie.org/fr/what-we-do/program.aspx?id=RyJDMthk033%2fSgOqGkKxlp%2buHxxv6TvPTqURLnlXQRE%3d
[2] - In fact some colleagues told me it’s not a “good
area” … so, I do not know …
[4] - Elizabeth Home : http://www.virlanie.org/what-we-do/program.aspx?id=%2byIsrLxQbWMv0VWcPhLMwZ%2buHxxv6TvPTqURLnlXQRE%3d
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