Observation from a foreign land...

Benches are for sitting: 

If you walk through the shanty town after dark. There is a bench which though always deserted during the day will be full of people at nights. Men of all ages, just sitting together, staring into the darkness.

The mangy dog:
 There is a dog that I imagine under all the scabs and sores is a beautiful creature. It exists by being invisible. It weaves through the humans completely unnoticed. There is something within me that wants to feed it, to wash it and give it a hug. But for now the cautions of disease ring loud in my ear canal. I have to resign to wondering about its existence...and occasionally tossing it a treat.

One armed monkeys:
The house has a controversial one armed monkey called Junior. It lives in a cage and is often forgotten. But from time to time he is remembered and showered with affection. He only has one arm because he was injured by a hunter when he was a baby and had to rescued at the cost of an arm. I personally think he needs to be released to the wild or at least the farm BUT he technically belongs to a houseparent, who doesn't seem to see what is wrong with containing a wild animal within a cage (They genuinely seem to believe they are helping it by keeping it in the cage). Though he is mostly temperamental and bears his teeth and snatches he can become subdued and just desire a scratch and a cuddle. There have been days when I have depended on Junior for my daily dose of affection and grooming. This monkey once helped me rescue a kitten from wild human children who couldn't see the wrong in hurting it.   

Stray kittens: 
I've been raised with an instruction to steer clear of stray cats as they carry diseases. But I can't turn away from a tiny kitten when it's being "played with" (or tortured it depends on your perspective) by human children, who can't seen to see that a kitten is but a baby too. Teenage children looked at me like I was possessed for trying to feed it and protect it. Adult humans chose to turn a blind eye rather than go back on their instructions about stray cats. The only soul that seemed willing to help me in my mission was a one armed monkey, who baby-sat and protected this baby until it's mother came for it.

The Chicken:
The house hen seems to have gone missing and I really miss her. She roosts up on the mango tree, in level with the first floor balcony. Ever the silent observer, she acts as the night guard for the place. Letting out the occasional sound when the boys need to be reminded that 10pm is far too late for noisy banter. Well she has been missing for the past 3 night and nobody else seems to have noticed she has been gone.

Fans in the summer are a lucrative business:
When you wake up at 3am to a strange sound, followed by a firework show, all inside your table fan. When you lay on your back soaking in the strange after-scent, while you contemplate how you are going to get another 5 hours of sleep in a room that is fast resembling a pressure cooker. When you make the assistant assemble a whole load of other fans so you can compare them to the one on display, but then decide to buy the one fan the origin fan after all.   

Starlight is a good source of Hope:
Being able to lie down on a basketball court and stare up at the stars is an essential to maintaining sanity in a foreign land. 

The cat ran away with the bowl ?!?...

Bobbing about in a floating metal capsule 

I can feel the stormy waters slapping the hull. 

White foam projecting over 10 metres to the sides of the vessel. 

The fine mist kisses my face as I lean over the side, 

With my limbs wrapped around the icy railing. 

I can smell that sticky scent of the salt in the air. 

My senses cartwheeling along the fine line between fear and awe. 

My alternate reality would have seen me as a daughter to the sea. 

My restless spirit seeks the calm embrace of the water to set it free. 

Somewhere inside me waters child I will always be.

When the time comes for my soul to rest, 

I wish to become one with the sea...

Through the last fortnight I've felt that my commitment to the boys And my purpose in the Philippines has really been tested. 

I've witnessing the effects of the toxic cocktail of greed and pride as it sets its roots deep in to the hearts of human, entangling seemingly good people into a place of hatered and bitterness. It's been a fortnight of realising that no matter how much you give of your self there will always be those that want to drain your soul for more. There are times when my heart is filled with the kindness and gentleness...only to be drained a few seconds later by hostility and greed. 

There have been times when I've been ready to throw in the towel and go home...but at those same time I'm reminded that there are the boys are still untouched by the toxic combo and genuinely want help. And they are worth fighting for. Tht ever important factor through these trying times has been to stay reminded of WHY you are on this journey, and WHO it is you are actually here to benefit. 

I have been greatful for my friends who have played a BIG part in pulling me thru the trying times. For having stayed true to their word and remained the voice inside my head (or more rather my ear), reminding me of the facts I had forgotten or become blinded to in times of hardship and despair. For reminding me of the sunlight at the end of the tunnel. For Reminding me of all the things I have achieved in 2 short months here...things that seemed almost impossible to achieve back when I had made the decision to try. For reminding me that though the ghosts of the pain and sacrifice may be dominating, the sparks of change being created are stronger, and bound to become bigger and brighter that the present darkness.  

 

...and the Cat, she never managed to run away with the bowl. The bowl was too big to fit through the window. A million pieces of glass lies scattered over the tiles... ;) 

...These are a few of my favourite things...

• The smell of fresh clean laundry:

Still warm from the afternoon sun, wearing that beautiful smell of Calamansi.    When you are living out of a backpack you learn to really appreciate laundry day.  Despite only owning 6 sets of clothes, "too many clothes" seem to have become a problem again :P 

•  That sweetened refreshing taste of an "Ice candy":

A Filipino frozen treat made of sweetened coconut juice.  The happiness it spreads as I share this treat with the little kids. 

• Rain after a tropical summers day:

Everything about the rain is welcoming after the scorching heat of the tropics.  The smell as it settles the blanket of dust and pollution. The peaceful rythemic belting on the rooftops. The temperature that encompasses you so you rest.

• Taste testing: 

I love seeing the boys beam with pride as they ask me to join them to tea so I can try their cooking.  And I LOVE food :) 

•  Vegetables!!! : 

I never thought I'd crave veggies so much, I actually can't wait for the day when I can safely say no to meat or rice again and  live off just vegetables. 

• Holidays aren't complete without your Friends: 

25 days till one of my close friend arrives. I haven't been more excited about a visit from a friend before. Somehow living with the responsibilities of an adult really makes you crave free time, but when you get this free time you realise what you really were longing for was not free time after all but time with your closest friends. 

•  Creamy natural yogurt: 

I have depended on this miracle food to get me though so many bowls of rice already :)    And the list goes on... But I'll just leave you here with a picture of my mega-sized "ice candy" :)