Friday, December 2, 2011

good people



I haven’t written in a while. I’m not sure why. I just haven’t felt like it. But, something in the last two days has made me want to write again.  I don’t have anything specific that inspired this nor do I have anything in particular to write, but I do have a few reflections that were inspired after reading another pcv’s most recent blog.

I’ve now been in the Philippines for a while.  I’ve still got a while to go, so my perceptions of the Philippines may change drastically in that time. With that in mind I’m going to start a thought and we’ll see where it takes me. I may or may not talk about the Philippines, but if this post finds itself there then just keep in mind I have no idea what I’m really talking about.

I was reading Rechael’s blog and realized something I rarely think about. I think a lot here, and for a while I thought my mind had flirted with every issue out there.  Luckily, Rachael’s words hit me with a topic I don’t think much about, which is strange because it’s something significant and something that seems obvious.
She recently went back to the U.S. and spent a day talking to high school students about her time here. She said in that moment she realized that she had taken for granted the fact that not everyone does the Peace Corps.    My life here has become my life.  Often the days seem mundane and predictable.  The food here has become normal, the weather has become normal, the languages have become normal, my work has become normal, cultural differences have become normal…things that may seem exciting to someone who isn’t here have become normal to me, which makes me forget not everyone knows about life here and not everyone gets the chance to live in another country for two years. 

By no means has this been an easy time or a time that has left me completely happy or with feelings of fulfillment, but it is a time I am very grateful for.  It is a time I have been taken into a stranger’s home and have been made family.  It is a time I have learned to depend on myself, forgive myself, and realize I don’t want to be by myself throughout future journeys. It is a time God and I have been in tension, a time when I have found peace with the universe, and a time I have felt both completely hopeless and ecstatic for the future and the good humanity can do for each other.  It is a time I have had to learn to show respect and hold my tongue, as well as a time I have learned it’s important not to compromise myself and continue to fight for what is right.  It is a time I have tried to help. A time I have tried to listen and learn and love.  It has been a time filled with a lifetime of experiences. 

I will introduce you to a few of my favorite over these past several months.
First, my host family. Something was looking out for me when they brought me to this family. I don’t know how to describe them in a way that would do them justice. I will start with my host sisters. Rachel is shy when you first meet her, but once she warms up to you you see her personality is filled with strength, love, beauty and humor.  She is one of the funniest people I have ever met. She is humble and smart.  No matter how bad my day was or how frustrated I am about something, when I talk to her or when she smiles I feel so much better. It’s as if the day was looking out for me and knew I needed something bright. As I said she is very smart as well as incredibly artistic, however she doesn’t see these things about herself.  She loves ghost stories and adventure movies. She likes to read and when she reads she takes notes about everything she has read.  She just finished reading a book on how to become successful. One of the steps said to smile when you wake up, so now she smiles every morning when she wakes up. I hope success finds her.  She is a great cook and dreams of opening a restaurant. She is full of dreams and holds onto those dreams. Currently she runs a little store that sells school supplies and spends her Sunday mornings teaching Sunday school.  She is open minded and progressive and keeps me from being lonely. We can talk about anything without judgment, and while we might be different we understand each other without any effort. 

Marife, or Ping, is full of life and energy.  She is currently at college studying elementary education, and I have no doubt she will make an incredible teacher. She is creative and patient. She is always willing to try something new and embraces life without fear.  She hears of something and she tries it and she does it.  Things come natural for her, but she is a perfectionist and never underappreciates the time and work someone has put into something.  She loves telling jokes, and always has very animated stories to share.  She is eager to learn anything and everything she can. She listens closely and puts a lot of consideration into what others have told her.  She enjoys plants vs zombies and swimming.  She is resourceful and can make art out of anything.  She will be able to achieve anything she tries, and luckily has many interests so will try many things.  She is also very open minded and responds to me without critique.

My host mom, Gine, is very kinds and very loving.  I remember one Saturday afternoon both my host sisters were doing something else so it was just my host parents and I. I told my host mom a story about something that happened to me and she started to cry and just told me she was so sorry that that thing happened.  I knew in that moment that she looked at me as if I were her own daughter.  She is hard working and loves her daughters. She likes to laugh at her daughters and is the reason her daughters don’t judge. My host mom doesn’t participate in the typical chika, rather she listens to all sides of any story and only takes something seriously if it comes from a credible source (I write this because it is rare here). She accepts my oddities, and seems to even find them entertaining. She helps anyone and everyone she can with anything they need.  She laughs and talks a lot, and finds great joy in her flowers. 

My host dad, Pio, is a very good person to be a part of my life here. Many of my interactions with men here are less than positive, but my host dad is one of the greatest men I have ever met.  He loves his family dearly, and treats his wife and daughters with great respect.  He is always working and making improvements to the house, trike, or fields.  He is more quiet than my host mom, but he is sarcastic which is a rare joy here. Despite not finishing high school he is very very intelligent and teaches me something new daily. He, as with the rest of my host family, has great patience with me. He is always looking out for me and ensures that I am okay. 

One girl who has shared many moments of laughter with me is a five year old girl in town. I don’t know her real name because every time I see her she tells me her name is something like “chocotops” (a popular snack here) or “skittles.”  Whenever I see her she sings the Scooby doo song in tagalog, searches my purse for gum, takes pictures with my camera. She cracks me up and no one ever seems to be worried that she’s alone in the town plaza. I haven’t ever met any of her family members, but she is a spunky little girl. I once saw her punch some boy about two times her size in the nose. I gave her another piece of gum.

My host mom’s grandma just recently turned 88. She’s the closest thing to an angel I’ve ever met.  She’s forgetful these days, but she never forgets me or my dog.  Her English is impeccable. She has shared stories with me about the occupation of the Japanese and the horrors she and her family endured. Looking at her you would never know the pain she suffered. She is always smiling. She is loved by everyone and possesses elegance only someone who gives that much love could have.  She admired a bracelet I was given in Jordan, so I gave it to her on her birthday. She was astounded and told me she would wear it then walk up and down the street saying “see this? This is from the American Kaitlin. Do you know America?” Then she laughed and said people would think she was crazy but she didn’t care cause she had a bracelet. She told me this maybe 20 + times and is now a joke among the entire family. 

I love my students. All of them.  They have opened up to me and accepted me and shared their lives with me.  I’m hoping to make a documentary about them because there is no way I could do them justice with my words. You need to see them and hear their words.  We have been able to challenge each other and help each other grow.  I hope that they are all able to achieve the lives they currently dream of.

My counterpart, Maryann, has been a blessing. Without her most of my work would never happen. She loves her students and really cares about their personal lives and how they are doing. She is a strong woman who has endured a lot.  The strength of her faith is astounding to me considering some of the things that are a part of her life.  She is forgiving and always willing to love.  She has given me the chance to get to know her beautiful daughters.

There are two boys who live on the street in alaminos (the city where I get internet). I once gave the apples and now every time they see me they ask me for apples instead of money. The oldest is 8 and the younger one is 4.  They are adorable and always laugh.  They really like when they ask me for apples but instead I give them chocolate snacks.  When I’m at the ATM they pretend to be my bodyguards. They think it’s hilarious. I think they just like the fact that when the guards yell at them to move away from the ATM I say it’s okay. It’s probably the only time they get to defy authority.  Even if I have no food to give them they will still run over to me just to talk and tell me a story.  I wish I could adopt them. 

Ma’am Emelda is my host dad’s sister. She is the pastor’s wife of the church my host family goes to. She symbolizes grace.  She is thoughtful and is always willing to give her time to others.  She takes anyone in no matter who they are or where they come from. She once brought me an orchid out of the blue just to say thank you for teaching her son and living here. She also shows great gratitude and really appreciates anything someone gives her no matter how small it may seem.  She listens to people and wants to help everyone she can. She is the only Filipina I’ve met who has adopted a child. 

Ma’am Jaina has invited me into her home numerous times and has allowed me to get close to her family.  She is the leader of the women who work for Beads For A Cause.  I met her through her daughter who is one of my students, and since then we have been working together to sell her products.  She is innovative, creative, and dedicated. Nothing stops her or gets in her way, which is proof of the love she has for her family. She wants her children to be healthy and have opportunities, and she is willing to work to ensure that happens no matter what that means. She is always happy. She is honest and she loves God. She has faith that God will provide for her family, but she understands that for the manifestation of that provision she needs to be proactive.  She is a leader. She is humble. She is giving many people hope. 

i'm grateful for good people