Holiday Greetings - One and All

So, I had popcorn and an apple for dinner tonight.  Why, you ask?
Have you been paying attention friend?

Because I can.

Yesterday and today were rough days... spent anxiously waiting for my solo trip to the ends of the earth - Palawan.  My unexpected Skype from my adopted daughter Anika made me cry.  My expected Skype from my family made me,  I apologize, it made me proud.  I am so flipping lucky to be surrounded by such people!  I didnt earn it....  it is beauty beyond imagine!  

Tomorrow, I head off and won't be in communication for a week or so.  Pray for me and for fair weather.. it has been raining a ton and I am fearful that my plans might be thwarted by high seas and generally inclement weather... no matter, whatever was meant to be was meant to be.  I AM and I am ready!

so anyway...

 I got an email today from the President of the United States thanking me for my service in the Peace Corps.  Thats pretty awesome!

Salamat po, Mr. President, and a blessed New Year to you and yours!

An Achievement!

Somewhere around two years ago my wife had the following conversation with me:

“Dan, you have acquired diabetes, you have high blood pressure, your cholesterol is over the top and you are morbidly obese.  You have got to take control of your health or the odds are you will die sooner than you should.”

Yeah, no sugar coating there, eh?  Well, she was right (as per usual).  I could blame my condition on anything I wanted - business travel, age, genetics, you name it, but the fact is none of those excuses mattered.  What mattered was taking control of my health.  I’m pretty stubborn and it took a while for me to come around, but I am proud to say that I am now 50 pounds less than I was at that time and I’m at the lowest weight I’ve been in over 20 years - heck, probably longer.  I’ve hit my target goal for weight loss, and there is still more fat to burn!  My sugar levels are in check and my blood pressure is perfect.  I have no idea what the cholesterol looks like, but I am sure it is down as well.  I feel good about all that.  I know that coming back to the States will be a challenge - I have weaknesses for really really unhealthy food like chicken wings and salami, but hopefully, I will manage to keep the weight off and the health managed.  Hiking will help!

I’d like to publicly thank Jean, Rafe, Eric, my doctor (Dr Kevin Chan - a Great Doc in Ahwatukee in case you are looking!) and other people too… people like Steve Spinogle, Dad Penrose, Nancy and David, Amy and Jack, and Mary and Gary Smith - people who prove that just because we get older does not mean we have to slow down!

Anyway, it is Christmas Eve. I woke up today and went to work but was surprised to see that the office was closed.  Now, I checked yesterday… I specifically asked, is tomorrow a holiday?  Answer was ‘no’….  Dec 25, 26, Jan 1, Jan 2 are holidays.  The office is open tomorrow.  Well, I guess no one told the man who puts the giant padlock on the door to the building, then!  Flexibility is a key ingredient to success here in the Philippines, as I’ve said!  So, I went home and now have a free day on my hands.  Tomorrow - Christmas; who knows what I’ll do.  Then the 26th.  I’ll be packing and then boarding an evening bus to Manila that will take around 12 hours.  Jump a cab from the station to get to the airport and then a short flight to Puerta Princesa.  No idea where I’ll be sleeping once I get there, but it looks like there are a ton of hotels there.  Not worried.

Ok…here’s the itinerary after that:

12/28 - Travel to Sabang.  Nice beach and home of the ‘Underground River’, apparently a must see attraction that has been labeled one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.  Jeepney back to Puerta to sleep.

12/29 - Travel to Port Barton/ San Vicente where I have a room booked at a place called Cassadra’s Cottages.  Looks to be a nice place right on the beach.  I picked it because its about half way North to my ultimate destination - El Nido.  I have no idea how I will get there, but assume there will be Jeepney’s involved.

12/30 - I will probably engage in a tour of some of the islands off the coast of San Vicente.  With any luck, I will find some other travelers to split the cost of an banca (smaller filippine boat with outriggers). Night at the beach cottage.

12/31 - Travel to El Nido.  Room reservations at Double Gem hotel.  On the beach.  Looks nice.

1/1 - Engage in a tour off coast, snorkeling etc.  This is what I’ve been waiting for!  Night at the Double Gem.

1/2 - Another day in El Nido.  Maybe a different tour. This night is a bit up in the air.  I could stay here if it merits, or I could take a bus and spend the night in Puerta P.  It depends on if ‘I’ve seen it all'.  I mean, El Nido, albeit one of the most beautiful locations in the world, is really remote - limited electricity.. no town, per se.  anyway, this night is up in the air.

1/3 - Evening flight to Manila.  Arrive around 11p.  Take a cab to the Pension I know and love where I have a room booked in the dormitory (thanks Peace Corps!).

1/4 - hang in Manila. maybe night at Pension, maybe not.

1/5 - this is open… If Im bored in Manila (possible, since I just spent over a week there) I may just jump a night bus back to Lagonoy on 1/4.. or 1/5… we shall see.

1/6 - Back in my crib in Lagonoy and back to work…. for the homestretch!

Now, lets see if that is how it all unfolds!!!!!!!  oh, I do encourage you to do some googling on El Nido, the Underground River in Sabang, San Vicente.....    go ahead... they are beautiful places!!!

Music in the air!

So, children are just filling the streets... singing carols and laughing and running and just being beautiful children.  God, it is easy to love this place!  I just came back from my radio appearance... two songs tonight...  "Friends in Low Places', by Garth Brooks (Rafe, you would be proud!) and then a gem....  Day-O, by Harry Bellefonte.   I will have to do that one again in the future... what a fun song to sing!

Last night was a gift as well.  I heard some music in the street not far from me so I wandered over.   Turns out it was a group of women who were singing, drinking and having fun together.  I saw them do this totally hilarious game... I have a feeling its a secret game that women do together when no men are around.... anyway... I was witness.....  so, you get a bunch of empty soda bottles and you space them apart around the floor... then women tie a string around their waist.. and then tie a string to that.  This string is attached to a soda straw.... .then the music starts and the  gals sort of gyrate and wiggle on top of the soda bottles to see how fast they can dip their straw into the bottle!!!  The one who does it the fastest is the winner!!!!    OMG...     The ladies got the MOVES... and they know how to party! Who would have guessed?!

in case you're wondering... yes, it is still raining...

Back in July when I announced to those in my circles my plan to take a leave of absence from my Phoenix existence, a common question that came up was, 'Why would you choose to do such a thing?'  My answer was always the same, 'Because I believe that I can".   I now see that answer as incomplete.  A better answer might have been, "Because I believe I can and because I believe I will return a better person than when I left".  This Peace Corps gig - yes, we do it for things like skills transfer, cultural exchanges, learning, training etc. But, I'd venture that very few returned volunteers would say that the gifts they gave during service equaled the gifts they received.  This is the true gift of giving, right?  There is a law out there in the universe that I believe and it has proven true, at least for me:  Whatever good you manifest in your thoughts and actions will come back to you, with interest.  Basic karma.  If you are seeking love, then practice love.  If you are seeking happiness, make someone happy. If you want to learn, then teach.  I could go on an on, but you have heard this all before and are probably bored by now.

In many ways this experience is far different than my first assignment; in ways too numerous to count.  But in one important way, the experiences are consistent.  That is, by submerging myself into another culture for an extended period of time, I have learned a lot about myself.  It's a bit paradoxical, but there you have it.  This work is really quite difficult and is not for everyone.  It is inner work at the same time as it is outer work - and it is all about communication - within and without.

So, as Christmas approaches  (around 50ish days left here), thoughts and activities have emerged surrounding "reentry" planning.  Yesterday, I purchased my return ticket back to the US from the Philippines.  Whirlwind travel taking me from Bangkok, to Manila, to Guangzhou, China, to LAX, to Phoenix.  The major leg, China to LA, will have me flying on the Airbus A380 - the largest commercial aircraft in service (over 550 seats!).  Never flew on it and Im excited about that in a geeky sort of way.

Tonight, assuming we can connect, I have a meeting with the Director of the Consulting firm I was working with for 10 years before this adventure began  We will discuss options surrounding my re-entry with that firm.  I would be lying if I said that I am looking forward to exactly the same working situation I left, although my guess is that is exactly what they want of me.  We shall see.

Oh, and in one week I will be in Palawan! YipYip!

Relationships in the Philippines

There is a running joke over here that goes something like this:

James:  Hey Jose, lets go out and drink some ginebra.
Jose:     Sorry James, my wife just texted me and she wants me to come home.
James:  Which wife?  Wife #1 or Wife #2?

There is even a TV program (comedy) that is popular here... it is called "Two Wives"

So, I got to talking about this with a few women whose opinions  I respect here.  One, is in charge of the "Women and Social Services" program and in charge of the funding for all day care centers in Lagonoy.  Here is what Kari had to say about the issue of cheating...

"Listen, I've known my husband since I was a little girl.  I know the kind of man he is. I know he is a remarkable man.  It wouldn't surprise me if another woman was interested in him because he is so smart and handsome.  I've told my husband, "it wouldn't surprise me if another woman was interested in you, but before you choose to sleep with her make sure she is a fast runner.  Because when I find out that she has slept with you I will run as fast as I can to catch her and when I do I will tear off her clothes so that she will have to run naked and shamed through the streets.  Then I will call a special meeting with the barangay captain and file a complaint against her for trying to steal my husband.  I will make sure everyone in Lagonoy knows what she has done.  I will allow no woman to steal my husband."

Gee... that's an interesting perspective!  And, as long as we are on this topic, lets talk a bit about filipino courtship rituals, such as they are.  As best I can figure, it generally works like this:

First, there is no dating, per se.  When a boy decides that he is interested in a girl enough to make her a wife he will ask her out for dinner.  This is the only "date" - more often than not, this will also be the first time when the boy and girl will be alone.  Its a big deal, this dinner.  There, he will bring up the subject of marriage.  At the dinner, they will decide if they are a good fit, if they share the same thoughts on family, religion, life values, etc.  If this meeting works well, the next step is to approach both families - hers first, then his. If the families approve of the new couple, they move the next step - marriage.  Family approval is not a pro forma exercise, especially for the girl.  A girls father might be very protective of his daughter (!).  As I think I mentioned in another post, most marriages do not occur in a church bc a church is too costly (they exact a sizable fee for the service). Instead, the marriage is made legit through a simple ritual performed by the mayor. Documents are signed and then ... well, the couple is married.  In an earlier post, I know I described a "wedding party", so I wont do that again either.

Here's the thing... divorce is very very rare here, even if adultery is rather common.  The importance of maintaining the nuclear family is too strong and of course there is the Catholic thing... the guilt thing... the fear of hell thing.....

Holidays!

Like everywhere, there are holiday traditions in the Philippines.  Here's one:

It begins with a wish.  Then, starting on December 15, church services are held at the Catholic church every morning at 4:00a.  Folks attend mass every morning until Christmas morning.  At each service you pray for God to grant you the wish.  Assuming you go to all 10 services, the belief is that God will grant you the wish you have been praying for in the coming year.  This becomes your Christmas "Gift".

Here's another:  During this time of year, you will find children caroling from door to door, every night.  Dressed in holiday attire, they will sing a number of carols while doing different dance routines.  The pure joy on their faces...  It is precious!  Of course, they appreciate a donation... peso's, chocolate.. anything.  Of course, these gifts are given with love.

Also, it seems that just about every barangay has some sort of outdoor holiday display.   Made of this or that (ie. coconuts, palm fronds, plastic soda bottles, straws, bottle caps, discarded wood, tin), the displays are really quite creative.  Last night, as I was taking my nightly trash run, I ran across a large party in the street outside of my house.  They had erected a large tent, brought out dozens of chairs and of course, a videoke machine.  There were singing contests, soup was made for all, dancing....  this, on a Monday night.  A highlight for me was surely the transvestite majorette routine!  Truly a fun community event.  I got a ton of pictures!  I went to bed around midnight but when I awoke at 4:30 there were still people singing.  By the time I showered and walked to work, all evidence of the party had been taken down and put away.  Nothing but memories.

I can imagine there was a time when community based traditions like this were common in the United States.  Are those times lost forever?  I believe with all my heart that the US would be a better country if we learned a little from the poor but honest filipinos in my village!