barangay elections and pamilya ko

So as the U.S. is preparing for elections that will surely result in some torn feelings and potential policy change, the Pilipinas are also gearing up for some election.  However, the elections here are for the Barangays, the smallest form of government here (think almost  neighborhood elections).  The elections are scheduled to take place on the 25^th and candidates are given two weeks to campaign, starting today.  You have never seen campaigning like this, unless of course you have been in the Philippines for election season.  It’s a blast.  Trucks roam the streets blaring mixed songs (think reggaetone meets American hip hop and Korean pop) from giant speakers tied to the roof with ropes as people wearing color coordinated shirts chase and jump onto the trucks to parade the streets.  Bubbles and flags are involved.  Lots of happy children shoot off some sort of noise making device that sounds like cap gun shots and groups of people begin their drinking circles hours before they normally do.  This all begins at 5:30 am and I’ll soon find out if it ever stops.  My guess is it doesn’t.  And then there are the celebrations for the victors that will take place after the elections.  It’s a good time.  However, I don’t get to wear anyone’s shirts or parade their flags or ride in the back of the trucks because the peace corps doesn’t want us to get mixed up in politics, which is probably a pretty good idea.

Also, Zaira is sitting here next to me and she is wonderful. We’re listening to some mason Jennings (“Fighter Girl”) and she’s playing games on my cellphone while listening to the ocean in a sea shell I brought back from my site visit in Anda.  We also took a little break to do some beat boxing.  And now hse is drawing “our” family in my tagalog notebook.  She also just named my smart bro Kayla (pronounced Ki-la).

I don’t know if I’ve described my host family here in Olongapo yet.  Actually I’m pretty sure I haven’t because I don’t know where to begin and I don’t feel I have accurate words or time to describe them.  Either way I’m going to attempt right now to give you a brief introduction. 

I’m very fortunate because I have a family that isn’t divided by a father with many families or girlfriends.  My host parents have a sari sari shop as well as anoodle stall that just today started also selling hot dogs and chicken sandwhiches. 

The girls have nick-named my host mom “tawa na tawa” which roughly translates “to be very glad all the time.”  She is.  Always smiling and laughing she cares for the entire neighborhood.  She speaks of a mother’s sacrifice often as she works in the shop from before sunrise to the late hours of the night to save php 100 (roughly two dollars) a day so my sisters can go to college. 

My host dad is a master chef, as he likes to call himself and true business entrepreneur.  He is proud of his three daughters and treats his family with great love and respect, also working non-stop to provide a future for his daughters. 

Zaira is the oldest daughter.  She is 9 years old and has been my biggest help in learning Tagalog (not that I’ve learned it but I would be even more lost without her).  She loves to dance, and definitely possesses the characteristics of an oldest sister always keeping the other two in line.  She has an artistic mind and never ceases coming up with things to create using any and every resource she finds.  Zaira is a true perfectionist and dreams of being a flight attendant so she can see the world.  She loves to look at my pictures and hear everyone’s stories.  Her mind never slows down as she is curious about everything and always has a question about something she wants to understand.

Francine is 7 (I think…maybe 8) and she has a great sense of humor.  She loves to laugh and will often laugh at her mistakes.  She is the girly girl of the bunch always dressed in her best with a pair of hello kitty plastic high heels on her feet.  She possess the happy go lucky personality that matches her bouncy pig tails.  She is also the most religious of the girls.  Respectful of her faith she will always cross her body and say a quick prayer anytime we pass a church.

Kikay (pronounced Key-ki) is the youngest of the girls 6 years old) and her personality is displayed as she is constantly caring for those around her.  The first person on her mind is never herself.  She is the one who wants to help her parents with chores, or asks to ake marienda (snack) to school for the kids who are hungry.  She bops through life hugging everyone she sees finding school work a waste of her time and energy when there are pictures to color, games to play, and friends to visit.

They are a great family and have been a true blessing to me since I’ve been here.  I can’t even describe how much I’ll miss them when I move to my permanent site but luckily I’m only a 9 hour bus ride away, so I’ll be able to visit every few months!