December 2009
32 posts
Happy New Year 2010
Well here it is, New Years Eve in the Philippines. Me and my pal Kris are hangin at surfer dude heaven in north Luzon in Urbiztondo. It’s near where the surfing scene in Apocalypse Now was shot, and the beach scenes in Born on the 4th of July. Other than its past claims to fame, it seems mainly the hangout of washed-out Australian geezers who haunt tiki beer stalls and talk about how the...
Everybody's Goin' Surfin'
I’m heading off to San Juan, the surfer dude paradise of the Philippines, which ought to be a howl. I’m going with one of the young athletic gals from my volunteer training group. She’s a tough little Midwesterner who is determined to learn how to surf. I tried in California a few times but the damn Pacific Ocean was freezing cold. I just couldn’t take it long enough to...
“Do not let those things which may not in the present be understood weary thy...”
– Edgar Cayce reading 5369-2
Old Warriors Make New Friends
Had a nice hike around the hills. A nice fellow named Hamid from Iran (now Canadian citizen), whom I had met before, passed me huffing and sweating in the rice terraces, and we congratulated each other on being middle-aged warriors.
He’s like other Middle Eastern men I’ve met, very oriented to elders and seem to like very much talking to older women. Maybe we remind them of their...
Merry Christmas
Early today I left Banaue via 3 hour jeepney ride over mostly unpaved mountain road to the hippie mecca of Sagada. It’s the “West Virginia” of the philippines. They love John Denver here and rearrange the song “Country Road” for Filipino places “Cordillera, Mountain Mama…”, you get the picture.
The rice terraces were a true adventure for me. My...
Holidays
I took a 12 hour bus ride from Dagupan to a holiday spot. This is the Philippines I’ve so wanted to visit and finally get to do so. The scenery on the drive was so spectacular I was almost sorry the when the ride was over. And the easy-going holiday mood of the Filipino crowd made the journey a breeze.
I just had a fine adventure hiking the 2000 year old rice terraces, still in use by...
Call It Research
Still working on the script for Where the Wild Things Are. I want to incorporate “Play that Funky Music,” parts of which I might re-arrange or rewrite. I’m thinking of doing a junkyard orchestra with it, kids banging on pots and trash cans. I would like to get something like STOMP going. I saw one online called Street Dance Ministry. They made a hell of a lot of racket and seemed...
Do It for the Love of Music
Today doing some research and preparing to start drama and art workshop with kids at LEAF foundation in January. Most of the kids have homes to go to but spend the day on the streets begging or selling small items, while their parents are working. The few pesos they make per day actually goes to the support of the family and is essential to the family’s survival. I’ve heard from other...
I'm Gonna Let it Shine
My foundation sponsors activities for poor kids and some street children for two hours on Sunday mornings. Sort of like Sunday school I guess— mostly singing, not too much prayer, fun and games, and a merienda (snack) before they go home.
In total it’s 108 kids all jammed into the little foundation courtyard. My group is about 20 kids ranging 11-17 yrs old, and what a mixed...
Notice to Passengers
In every jeepney there’s a sticker on the inside dash that says “Please Fasten Your Seat Bell,” as if your ass is going to give a jingle as you go flying out the open hatch. There’s no safety equipment on board anyway.
Riding these jeeps has revealed the deeper mysteries of automobile mechanisms, as all the cables behind the clutch, brake, accellerator, etc., are open to...
Big Wheel Keep on Turnin'
My host family has a cute little dog, sort of white-beige, short and skinny, with pointy ears and nose. His name is Ken. At first he was very shy and barked at me. It startled me, but then I noticed the wary look in his little black moist eyes. He was scared to death of me! He’s still not warmed to me much, but comes loping out to the gate to meet my jeep when I get home. Yesterday we were...
Living and Learning
We went to a regional meeting of the Department of Social Services. They work with our foundation on projects serving women and children. It was a meet and greet for me. They also had their Christmas party, featuring a senior citizens group demonstrating traditional Filipino folk dancing. I’m most enthusiastic about the folk dancing, as has some elements of flamenco— the music sounds...
November 2009
22 posts
Filipino Society: Curiouser and Curiouser
It’s very puzzling the attitude here toward women and children. It seems victims (of assault, rape, trafficking etc) are to blame for dressing provocatively, being by themselves at night, being in the wrong place and the wrong time, or otherwise foolishly tempting fate and the weak Filipino man who helplessly jumps to the bait because he is easily tempted (even by his own kin.) This is the...