So, you'd think that after nearly 100 days, I'd be running out of interesting things to discover over here. Well, at least the things I write about are interesting to me. I hope they are interesting to you as well. But it seems that nearly every day, I bump into something that surprises me. Here's todays find (and its only 8a in the morning)...
As you know, Halloween is upon us... Of course, its not referred to that way over here... its called All Souls Day. You remember from catechism: All Souls Day, October 31 followed by All Saints Day, November 1. Well, as I understand it, some of the children do have fun with masks and costumes and all that. But what I find interesting is that the adults take All Souls Day very seriously. As you recall, I have written about the importance of family in this culture. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that All Souls Day traditions here involve "pilgrimage" activities. That is, it is a custom on this day to, as much as you are able, travel to the town that your family calls home. Here you gather to honor those that have passed. Apparently, officials are expecting traffic around the country this weekend to rise 15-20% as folk head back to their roots. (This statistic coming from the daily Manila newspaper that I read religiously). The mayor has family here who I met the other day that hail from San Francisco, Ca. They arrived for the holiday.
Where filipinos are gathered there is sure to be music, singing, drinking and dancing. I am told that to celebrate All Souls Day, many choose to fiesta (if you're following this you can guess where).... at of course, the cemetery!! In fact, apparently on All Souls Day the cemetery becomes the Dead Center of Town!! (Sorry I couldn't resist!)
There is a cemetery here in Lagonoy and I will take a stroll through there tomorrow night to see if in fact, there are folks dancing on graves... if that proves true, I will be sure to provide full report....
Yours in the field
Dann-O
ps. In all seriousness, I do believe this tradition closely resembles the Dia de Los Muertos celebrations that occur in Mexico, also a country that remains very Catholic. And that is interesting too.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
to work I go
Today, after my weekly weigh in at the local health center (down 20 since arrival), I took a padjak to the municipal building. I noticed something was odd about 3 blocks from destination. The main road was clogged with people! As we got closer, I realized that there was a giant flea market scene going on. Half of the main road and all of the road in front of where I worked was filled with women. There were piles and piles of clothes on the ground that they were sifting through, there were carts with women selling food, stalls with shoes, lots of toys, even jewelry. Did this just pop up over night? I mean, last night I left work and the street looked like it always did! Something is going on!
So, I purchase a hot pancake (coated with butter and sugar and then wrapped in a banana leaf) and went in to ask some friends about the goings on. Well, it turns out that the government is giving away money today! Its only for those who don't have a lot and you have to be on a list to receive it, but there it is... a sort of welfare program! Of course, where there is money being handed out, there has got to be a market right? When the government does these handouts, apparently these overnight markets just seem to pop up! How efficient capitalism is! Keynes would be proud of the filipino!
Anyway my last post was about food and I almost forgot an interesting conversation I had with Carlos and Brix the other day. Warning, if you are the quesy type you might not want to read further. Anyway, we were talking about the sorts of things that I just can't get myself to eat... and of course, the pig blood soup came up. They just think that is so funny. This started us down the road to topics related to odd food. Frogs? of course! Lizards? you bet! They told me about how there is this town north of Manila that is well know as the "place to go" if you want to eat snake. I told them that I had tried snake (thank you Rustler's Roost!) and didn't prefer it. They wondered if I had ever tried snake blood? "Your kidding", says I! Apparently, in this part of the world (tradition comes from Japan they say) snake and snake blood are quite the delicacy. The blood is considered a tonic actually that has medicinal properties. When in this town, you go to a shop and choose the snake you would like to eat based upon the ailment you have. Fever? then go for the black snake. Sore muscles? must try the king snake! To begin the preparation, they chop off the head of the snake and pick it up by its tail so the blood can fill a glass. This you drink immediately. The snake is then cooked and then you eat that. Good for what ails you!
It is interesting though, for all the strange (to our standards) food eaten here, I hear a lot of talk about how horrible genetically modified food and pesticide/herbicide/hormone altering farming is. Quite the awareness of this issue. When at the market, you can spot "native" pig or chicken, or just pig or chicken. The native foods are guaranteed to be free of these additives. The cost is higher but there is a real market for these foods - just like home. There is a big market for herbicide free rice. Carlos, my counterpart, is a great advocate of native farming and can prove how dollar for dollar, native farming outpaces commercial farming from an economic perspective. For example, the native pig is smaller, requires less food and living space (allowing for more pigs per square acre). No expensive chemically modified feed to purchase, etc. He travels to rural areas on his Saturdays to talk with farmers about these issues. He is so passionate on the subject that he does this for no profit.. only for the educational benefit of the farmer!
So, it turns out Im learning a bit about farming here as well! Who would have guessed?
So, I purchase a hot pancake (coated with butter and sugar and then wrapped in a banana leaf) and went in to ask some friends about the goings on. Well, it turns out that the government is giving away money today! Its only for those who don't have a lot and you have to be on a list to receive it, but there it is... a sort of welfare program! Of course, where there is money being handed out, there has got to be a market right? When the government does these handouts, apparently these overnight markets just seem to pop up! How efficient capitalism is! Keynes would be proud of the filipino!
Anyway my last post was about food and I almost forgot an interesting conversation I had with Carlos and Brix the other day. Warning, if you are the quesy type you might not want to read further. Anyway, we were talking about the sorts of things that I just can't get myself to eat... and of course, the pig blood soup came up. They just think that is so funny. This started us down the road to topics related to odd food. Frogs? of course! Lizards? you bet! They told me about how there is this town north of Manila that is well know as the "place to go" if you want to eat snake. I told them that I had tried snake (thank you Rustler's Roost!) and didn't prefer it. They wondered if I had ever tried snake blood? "Your kidding", says I! Apparently, in this part of the world (tradition comes from Japan they say) snake and snake blood are quite the delicacy. The blood is considered a tonic actually that has medicinal properties. When in this town, you go to a shop and choose the snake you would like to eat based upon the ailment you have. Fever? then go for the black snake. Sore muscles? must try the king snake! To begin the preparation, they chop off the head of the snake and pick it up by its tail so the blood can fill a glass. This you drink immediately. The snake is then cooked and then you eat that. Good for what ails you!
It is interesting though, for all the strange (to our standards) food eaten here, I hear a lot of talk about how horrible genetically modified food and pesticide/herbicide/hormone altering farming is. Quite the awareness of this issue. When at the market, you can spot "native" pig or chicken, or just pig or chicken. The native foods are guaranteed to be free of these additives. The cost is higher but there is a real market for these foods - just like home. There is a big market for herbicide free rice. Carlos, my counterpart, is a great advocate of native farming and can prove how dollar for dollar, native farming outpaces commercial farming from an economic perspective. For example, the native pig is smaller, requires less food and living space (allowing for more pigs per square acre). No expensive chemically modified feed to purchase, etc. He travels to rural areas on his Saturdays to talk with farmers about these issues. He is so passionate on the subject that he does this for no profit.. only for the educational benefit of the farmer!
So, it turns out Im learning a bit about farming here as well! Who would have guessed?
BBQ options
so, there is this little lady who, every night, dutifully sets up shop in the corner next to my house. She brings charcoal, a little stand and a makeshift bbq apparatus plus food. she has these sauces in jars and, as I have observed, she will dip the cooked meat into whatever potion you wish. The meat is on skewers...
I have never approached her because of a few reasons.. one) it takes a while to cook the meat and I am a little worried that it might cause some discomfort with me being a foreigner and all, two) Im a bit troubled by the quality of the food, and three) I have no idea what the food is.
Anyway... tonight, after my nightly run to dispose of my trash, I stopped. I told the kind woman that I think I wanted to try her bbq... I mean, if smell is any indication.. the bbq is legit. Of course, she recognizes me because we pass nearly daily and she is excited that I have finally approached. There are three choices in meat skewers and she would like to know which one I would prefer.... As it turns out, my choices are skewered pig liver, chicken intestine or chicken heads on a stick.
This choice selection created an awkward moment... In fact, I really don't think that any of these choices were on my anticipated menu list... I mean, where were the chicken wings???
Im sorry if this is boring to you (Ive spoken on this topic before), but it is clearly the most interesting thing that happened to me today... As I dive deeper into "food choice" vs/ "food necessity" I am reminded just how privileged I am to live in the US where in fact, I do have a choice as to what nutritional source will enter the temple of my body. As it turned out, I chose to pass and ended up making popcorn for dinner.
I have never approached her because of a few reasons.. one) it takes a while to cook the meat and I am a little worried that it might cause some discomfort with me being a foreigner and all, two) Im a bit troubled by the quality of the food, and three) I have no idea what the food is.
Anyway... tonight, after my nightly run to dispose of my trash, I stopped. I told the kind woman that I think I wanted to try her bbq... I mean, if smell is any indication.. the bbq is legit. Of course, she recognizes me because we pass nearly daily and she is excited that I have finally approached. There are three choices in meat skewers and she would like to know which one I would prefer.... As it turns out, my choices are skewered pig liver, chicken intestine or chicken heads on a stick.
This choice selection created an awkward moment... In fact, I really don't think that any of these choices were on my anticipated menu list... I mean, where were the chicken wings???
Im sorry if this is boring to you (Ive spoken on this topic before), but it is clearly the most interesting thing that happened to me today... As I dive deeper into "food choice" vs/ "food necessity" I am reminded just how privileged I am to live in the US where in fact, I do have a choice as to what nutritional source will enter the temple of my body. As it turned out, I chose to pass and ended up making popcorn for dinner.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
as an example of my reality....
ok... so here's a perfect example of what I mean by .... flexible. Its around 8pm, Sunday night, and Im getting ready, even at this early hour, to go to bed because there is nothing else to do after the sun sets. Anyway, I'm lying here and suddenly, I hear all these fireworks.. and some umpa music.. and Im thinking... "could it be, that at 8p on a Sunday night there is another parade???" So. I put on my shorts and a tshirt and jump outside my walls and lo and behold there IS a parade!!! A bunch of people are doing the rosary and there is an umpa band playing horns and drums and there is a... get ready... a transvestite Mary who is being carried along as s/he does the rosary! So, of course, I must jump into this parade because folks are already recognizing me....
What a freaking trip.... Life!
What a freaking trip.... Life!
Saturday, October 25, 2014
a bit on food
Ok.. I have this hypothesis that some may understand completely while others may deny absolutely... but it is proving true for me. The less one eats, the less one feels hunger... Now, I am sure there are limits to this, but I have to say, I am not eating a lot right now... and I haven't felt hungry in weeks! Today I had one egg, one roll, one pork chop, a bit of okra, pumpkin, rice curry... and thats it. As far as the curry goes... I could have done without it, but I figured I needed to eat to stay alive. Yesterday, I had a bowl of noodle soup. thats it.
I only say this to compare with how I often felt in the US.... Hungry with a capital H!
And by the way, my diet here is really simple. Lots of veggies, lots of rice, oatmeal and bananas.. chicken, the occasional pork chop and more fish than I have ever eaten.
So enough on that. Today (Saturday) was a quiet day. I did some shopping, but mostly, I was nursing my bruised rib, which hurts like hell. I think I must have fallen into the counter when I tripped over the bucket and smashed it into bits. That has to be what happened. Here's the problem: Two days ago, the light in my outside kitchen stopped working. At the same time, the light in my (wonderful) bathroom will not turn off. I mean, the switch does not turn off the light! So, something is fuggered with the wiring. At the same time, my landlord has been in Manila for the past week so there is no one talk to to fix the problem. So ok, I was a bit tipsy on Thursday night and in the darkness, I tripped over the freakin bucket and must have fallen into the counter, hurting my ribs. Anyway Jean, I am pretty sure that nothing isbroken since I have a sense that the pain is lessening over time. Don't worry, Be Happy, I say!!!
I only say this to compare with how I often felt in the US.... Hungry with a capital H!
And by the way, my diet here is really simple. Lots of veggies, lots of rice, oatmeal and bananas.. chicken, the occasional pork chop and more fish than I have ever eaten.
So enough on that. Today (Saturday) was a quiet day. I did some shopping, but mostly, I was nursing my bruised rib, which hurts like hell. I think I must have fallen into the counter when I tripped over the bucket and smashed it into bits. That has to be what happened. Here's the problem: Two days ago, the light in my outside kitchen stopped working. At the same time, the light in my (wonderful) bathroom will not turn off. I mean, the switch does not turn off the light! So, something is fuggered with the wiring. At the same time, my landlord has been in Manila for the past week so there is no one talk to to fix the problem. So ok, I was a bit tipsy on Thursday night and in the darkness, I tripped over the freakin bucket and must have fallen into the counter, hurting my ribs. Anyway Jean, I am pretty sure that nothing isbroken since I have a sense that the pain is lessening over time. Don't worry, Be Happy, I say!!!
Friday, October 24, 2014
Wind Shift
Its been a busy week. Since there is nothing here resembling a photocopy machine, everything I produced for the presentation had to be printed from the computer printer. This was a slow process. Since we wanted and needed to save paper, we first printed everything on one side, flipped it around in the proper position and then printed off the backsides. I made some assessment forms, a typhoon tracking exercise, extra typhoon tracking maps, a very cool brochure that I had translated into Tagalog. A nice presentation.... But it was slow going on the prep side. This was compounded by the fact that everything I create is done on a mac and then has to be converted to Word, Excel or Powerpoint. And that can be a struggle. Sometimes the conversion works well, and other times it doesn't. Plus my mac is showing signs of age and sometimes doesn't do the things I want it to. I am down to only one USB port that has a mind of its own on when it wants to work, or not.
In the end, we had a great two days, meeting with barangay officials from all over Lagonoy and discussing disaster management topics. The way has been set now for the next round of work: namely getting my draft LGU Disaster Management Plan finalized and approved, and also to develop a template Local disaster plan, so that each barangay captain will have a plan to use for their communities. Im thinking at least one more official meeting, probably with the Disaster Management Council members at the LGU level. There is work to be done getting officials at our level to realize what their roles should be following an event.
Found out yesterday that the monsoon has officially changed course; this was confirmed yesterday. We have been experiencing a bit less rain overall and I thought I had noticed that temps had been cooling a touch as well. Seems i was right. For roughly half the year, the Philippines gets its monsoon from the Southwest bringing hot and muggy weather. When this monsoon meets up with the warm westerly winds coming off the Pacific we have a recipe for typhoons. Now, winds have shifted and are coming from the Northeast. This is an annual weather event, and apparently, we can now expect relatively cooler air with less rain overall. The Westerly Pacific winds still are out there... and a typhoon is never out of the question until the end of November, they say... but I am enjoying a bit more blue sky than I had in the last couple months. Welcome!
So, its 4:30am here (Saturday) and all I can hear outside is this child singing somewhere on some loudspeaker. A lonely, single note organist is in accompaniment. Someone must have had a party last night and didn't invite me!! No worries, Thursday night was a big night in town. Turns out, every year about this time the Mayor throws giant party at his house and the entire town is invited. So, of course I went to that! There were hundreds of people in his compound and hundreds more at the "battle of the bands" competition outside his walled off fortress. Of course, as soon as I arrived, I was ushered to the dinner table where I ate with the Mayor, his wife and two sons and other important Lagonoyian folk. (I was offered the pig blood soup, but in a sure show ignorance, I graciously declined - twice! I mean, I just can't do it.... it looks like... well it looks like pig blood soup! I am told it is very tasty but I think I will continue to pass. Anyway, after all that I headed outside where the real action was.... and sat down with a few of the guys. Soon, the Pilipil brothers (Mayors sons) were on either side of me and what lands in my lap but a liter of Jack Daniels! Oh dear, I had already been tuning up with the boys on some ginebra and now the Big Guns were being pulled out!
All I can say is that I made it home all in one piece. When I awoke this morning at 11a or so, I saw that somehow I had kicked my plastic bucket somehow and it was broken in about 30 pieces... not sure how that happened. I also have a bruised rib... not sure about that either. Anyway... I checked in with the Administrator yesterday to see if I had done anything to embarrass myself and he assured me that the night was all in good fun and that everyone still loves me! Whew!
I do remember two distinct conversations I had last night though. One, was with the elder son of the mayor who lives in Manila but who is clearly pining to be the NEXT Mayor of Lagonoy once his fathers term is up in 2016. I was curious about his motivations.... Im sure he owns millions and has a successful company in Manila, a wife there, a family. Why would he want to take the gamble to become Mayor? His comments were very insightful. In short, he feels that since he is able, he is compelled to do his civic duty and give back to Lagonoy a little of what Lagonoy has given him.
Good stuff.
The other conversation was with the Administrator. He wanted to know under what circumstances I would stay on in Lagonoy working on this disaster project. He told me earnestly just how lucky they all felt to have me working with them and that I was a perfect fit! That felt really good, I have to say. I assured him that my stay will be for only 6 months due to the obligations and loved ones I have left in the US but I urged him to continue to work with Peace Corps because the next volunteer they bring in may very well be better than me!!! He is going to look into that.... so that is excellent news as well.
In the end, we had a great two days, meeting with barangay officials from all over Lagonoy and discussing disaster management topics. The way has been set now for the next round of work: namely getting my draft LGU Disaster Management Plan finalized and approved, and also to develop a template Local disaster plan, so that each barangay captain will have a plan to use for their communities. Im thinking at least one more official meeting, probably with the Disaster Management Council members at the LGU level. There is work to be done getting officials at our level to realize what their roles should be following an event.
Found out yesterday that the monsoon has officially changed course; this was confirmed yesterday. We have been experiencing a bit less rain overall and I thought I had noticed that temps had been cooling a touch as well. Seems i was right. For roughly half the year, the Philippines gets its monsoon from the Southwest bringing hot and muggy weather. When this monsoon meets up with the warm westerly winds coming off the Pacific we have a recipe for typhoons. Now, winds have shifted and are coming from the Northeast. This is an annual weather event, and apparently, we can now expect relatively cooler air with less rain overall. The Westerly Pacific winds still are out there... and a typhoon is never out of the question until the end of November, they say... but I am enjoying a bit more blue sky than I had in the last couple months. Welcome!
So, its 4:30am here (Saturday) and all I can hear outside is this child singing somewhere on some loudspeaker. A lonely, single note organist is in accompaniment. Someone must have had a party last night and didn't invite me!! No worries, Thursday night was a big night in town. Turns out, every year about this time the Mayor throws giant party at his house and the entire town is invited. So, of course I went to that! There were hundreds of people in his compound and hundreds more at the "battle of the bands" competition outside his walled off fortress. Of course, as soon as I arrived, I was ushered to the dinner table where I ate with the Mayor, his wife and two sons and other important Lagonoyian folk. (I was offered the pig blood soup, but in a sure show ignorance, I graciously declined - twice! I mean, I just can't do it.... it looks like... well it looks like pig blood soup! I am told it is very tasty but I think I will continue to pass. Anyway, after all that I headed outside where the real action was.... and sat down with a few of the guys. Soon, the Pilipil brothers (Mayors sons) were on either side of me and what lands in my lap but a liter of Jack Daniels! Oh dear, I had already been tuning up with the boys on some ginebra and now the Big Guns were being pulled out!
All I can say is that I made it home all in one piece. When I awoke this morning at 11a or so, I saw that somehow I had kicked my plastic bucket somehow and it was broken in about 30 pieces... not sure how that happened. I also have a bruised rib... not sure about that either. Anyway... I checked in with the Administrator yesterday to see if I had done anything to embarrass myself and he assured me that the night was all in good fun and that everyone still loves me! Whew!
I do remember two distinct conversations I had last night though. One, was with the elder son of the mayor who lives in Manila but who is clearly pining to be the NEXT Mayor of Lagonoy once his fathers term is up in 2016. I was curious about his motivations.... Im sure he owns millions and has a successful company in Manila, a wife there, a family. Why would he want to take the gamble to become Mayor? His comments were very insightful. In short, he feels that since he is able, he is compelled to do his civic duty and give back to Lagonoy a little of what Lagonoy has given him.
Good stuff.
The other conversation was with the Administrator. He wanted to know under what circumstances I would stay on in Lagonoy working on this disaster project. He told me earnestly just how lucky they all felt to have me working with them and that I was a perfect fit! That felt really good, I have to say. I assured him that my stay will be for only 6 months due to the obligations and loved ones I have left in the US but I urged him to continue to work with Peace Corps because the next volunteer they bring in may very well be better than me!!! He is going to look into that.... so that is excellent news as well.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Sir Daniel
Inexplicable but thats what everyone calls me... I can't get them to stop! Now, granted its not the mayor... he calls me something like 'Mr. Aryolotti', but then again I don't bring his hand to my forehead whenever we meet, so its cool! :) Seriously tho, I think I am going to miss having that title!!! Sir Daniel... imagine!!!??
So, I wanted to talk a little bit about how wonderful filipinos actually are... As you probably have gathered from my posts.. there is a lot of dancing going on here! Just about every weekend, somewhere in town there is some corner having some sort of 'fiesta'. That means music, dancing and ginebra. And filipinos are excellent dancers!!! I mean, on any street corner you might see some of the best dancing ever! You know, formal style dancing mixed in with a bit of casual dance too. And another thing... fiipinos just love to sing! can you imagine living in a culture where every few hours, in any setting, someone just breaks out in song?!! No fear!!! It is absolutely joyous!
I am blessed by my interactions with my friends here.
Yesterday, I surprised Choy by showing up at his humble abode unannounced. It took a bit of courage since I had no idea where he lived, but onward I went asking folks here and there... "Do you know Choy? Where does he live?" It took only a while... the trip was farther than I thought as he live in a pretty rural location. Anyway, he and his wife and family just couldn't have been more excited to see me. He gave me a great tour of his rural village, giving me an inside view of a rice harvest and of local living in general . He kept saying... "I hope you like my small condo unit!", as we sipped ginebra in his nipa hut. I don't know, but that was just so funny to the both of us!!!! Choy is great!
I must say... it was a wonderful time had by all and I shall do it again some time in the future!
So, I wanted to talk a little bit about how wonderful filipinos actually are... As you probably have gathered from my posts.. there is a lot of dancing going on here! Just about every weekend, somewhere in town there is some corner having some sort of 'fiesta'. That means music, dancing and ginebra. And filipinos are excellent dancers!!! I mean, on any street corner you might see some of the best dancing ever! You know, formal style dancing mixed in with a bit of casual dance too. And another thing... fiipinos just love to sing! can you imagine living in a culture where every few hours, in any setting, someone just breaks out in song?!! No fear!!! It is absolutely joyous!
I am blessed by my interactions with my friends here.
Yesterday, I surprised Choy by showing up at his humble abode unannounced. It took a bit of courage since I had no idea where he lived, but onward I went asking folks here and there... "Do you know Choy? Where does he live?" It took only a while... the trip was farther than I thought as he live in a pretty rural location. Anyway, he and his wife and family just couldn't have been more excited to see me. He gave me a great tour of his rural village, giving me an inside view of a rice harvest and of local living in general . He kept saying... "I hope you like my small condo unit!", as we sipped ginebra in his nipa hut. I don't know, but that was just so funny to the both of us!!!! Choy is great!
I must say... it was a wonderful time had by all and I shall do it again some time in the future!
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