Out of the Box

Hong Kong Musings 6

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:33:00 +0000

25 April 2009
The Harbourside

There are so many things that already happened in a few weeks since I arrived. Wim and I finally bought the essential things that we need. The furniture rental company took everything we rented in the morning of April 22. In the afternoon, Shambala Furniture Company delivered the furniture we bought. The operation was seamless. I was truly impressed with the efficient services here.

IKEA Hong Kong was my next stop for everything we need in the kitchen, bedroom and living room. I am glad my youngest sister Ana Marie was here to help me for two weeks. I am also getting more confident travelling around with the metro, small light public buses, reading the map, etc. In brief, I am getting less dependent on Wim and I think I can move around here now without getting scared.

I am trying my best to keep a discipline so I can concentrate on my work. No one is telling me what to do, outside it very tempting to explore. It is not easy. Now that my office is installed and my stuff in the right place, I hope I would be able to do my work in a more focused manner.

I am using Skype now more than before. Martijn of Wereldomroep Netherlands just interviewed me about remittances over the phone. My first travel since I arrived here would be Jakarta. I have been invited by IOM Indonesia to give a presentation in a conference to be held on May 6-7. I will be meeting some old friends there like Basco and Ding Bagasao, both were involved in the conduct of the research on Netherlands-Philippines and Netherlands-Indonesia remittance corridor.

Due to time difference, I have difficulties getting in touch with friends in Europe than in the US and in the Philippines. I decided to start working from 1 pm local time when Netherlands about to start working.

Most probably I will be in the Netherlands in June on my way to Senegal. I hope to catch up with some friends there.

I finally started with my Cantonese language course. I chose Cantonese instead of Chinese (Mandarin) because it is the language spoken here by majority of the people. I realized that what we know of Chinese in the Netherlands is quite different than Cantonese. Ni Hao (Mandarin for "Hello) is Nei Ho (pronounced as Lei Ho in Cantonese). My language teacher gave me a Chinese name: LEI SHU HUI. So I wll be addressed as Miss Lei.. Sounds nice to me because of the first three letters of my name Leila. In fact, if I write my name Lei La it becomes a Chinese name.

Lei means flower bud
Shu means good, pure, virtous, fair
Hui means intelligent, wise

How he came up with the name was difficult for me to follow but anyway, I accepted the name.

The Chinese name we were told is helpful for people here to remember our name.

What I am having difficulties here is the weather. It is not cold but since we arrived most of the days are foggy and today it is not only overcast but it rains as well. Visibility is low that you can hardly see the skycrapers. The evenings are better with all the bright neon lights. It is not like the Philippines; it is also not also like Dutch weather.

Next time I will write about Nan Lian Garden, a replica of a Tang style natural landscaped garden characterised by hills, water features, trees and various artistic creations in a 35,000 m2 area. What is amazing of this serene garden is that it is located in the heart of a busy city but once you entered the garden you feel you are in Shangri La.

Hong Kong Musings 5

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:24:00 +0000

April 6, Monday
The Harbourside

Last night was the first time since we moved to our new apartment that I slept soundly. I didn’t even notice that Wim has left for his work. When I woke up I panicked a little bit because I did not see him in the house. I forgot that he has to start working at 7 in the morning.

I chatted with my son Richard via Skype the other day and pleased that the technology could bridge the contact between parents and children who are separated thousands miles away. Hearing the voice of Richard and Michael soothes my spirit like a balm. I can empathize more than before with migrant workers who are separated from their own families now that I am in the same situation. It is not easy especially if the kids are still small. I am lucky that my boys are grownups now and I always assure myself that one day any way, they have to be on their own. Only in our case this time, it is the boys who are left behind in Gouda.

Wim and I have an appointment with the immigration office. We need to get our Hong Kong Residence identity card to legalize our stay in this country.

It is 11:20 am here and the view of the harbor is getting clearer. At 6:30 in the morning it was very misty. You cannot see anything not even the skyscrapers and the tall mountains behind. I have this eerie feeling – call it weird imagination – because I was imagining a horror film. I imagine the fog covering an old cemetery, the skyscrapers like tombs and mausoleums rising little by little from the mist. It is a depressing sight and I hope Kowloon morning is not like this every day during my stay.

Now that the view of the harbor is getting more visible, I am feeling better. I could see medium-size boats sailing and the silhouettes of the mountains.

We left the house at 12:15 and went to the Immigration office to apply for our Hong Kong resident ID. I want to get this ID because I have been held up three times at the airport. The first time was last February. For the first time in my life and in my many travels that I was asked to step out from the queue because the immigration officer is checking my passport. One incident is okay. When we flew back from the Philippines, the same thing happened. I was singled out. I asked for explanation but Wim stopped me that I should not complain. Why not? It is my right to know why I was singled out. After 15 minutes, I was allowed to enter. Then last April 1, the same thing happened again. This time I told Wim that he should keep quiet because I wanted to know this time why they have to double check my passport. The officer told me that there is another person named Leila Noel but they did not tell me more information. So this is the problem.

I want my HK ID before I will make another travel and I hope this time I will not be held up at the immigration office anymore. If yes, then I just have to admit that it is my destiny because in my new home country somewhere there is another person named Leila Noel.

After we arranged our immigration papers, we went to the bank to inquire why we cannot use our debit card. The tiny (thank God here in Hong Kong I am not the smallest anymore) Chinese lady welcomed us and told us right away that our funds in Euro and dollars were not transferred yet to our HK$ account. This explains why our payments via our debit card were rejected but her colleague did not tell us about this the last time we were in the bank.

April 8, 2008

For the first time I dared to go alone to the shopping centers. I was a bit nervous that I will not find my way back but it was a silly thought of course! I think I am just fooling myself to justify my lack of interest to go out. I am still in the state of denial that I am here in Hong Kong. I have to go over this childish reaction and get real.

I did some shopping and I found out that the rucola my favorite vegetable to mix with the green salad comes all the way from USA! The cleaning detergent is from Australia. This is an expensive grocery which is located in Elements, an expensive and trendy shopping center. Here you can find shops of top designers such as Valentino, Stella McCartney, Prada, D&G, Chanel, etc. My eyes popped to see a handbag with Euro 3,500 as price tag! It is dizzying and wondering if the shops could sell them and if they do, what kind of people will buy bags priced at Euro 3,500. It is really high time to find out the shops where local people go. The Ladies market at Temple Street is a haven for ordinary mortals like me who cannot afford to buy the original stuff. I have been to the Ladies market which opens from 4 pm up to midnight but I have not bought any item yet. Not yet!!!

Well, to get real, I need to follow up the concierge and impressed on them that they have really to send someone to check our washing machine and the gas range. I received a few phone calls and they promised that someone will come but only after the Easter break! Well, what can I do? I can’t be angry. The only think I have to do is to wait until I can use the washing machine.

We received invitation from the Dutch Embassy to attend the reception in connection with the Queen’s Day celebration. The event will be held at The Peak, is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also known as Mount Austin, but locally as The Peak. Wim and I decided to attend. I think it is nice to meet the Dutch Consul and some of the Dutch expats. I learned that there are about 3,500 Dutch expats in Hong Kong and the Netherlands is one of the largest investors in this country. There are more than 100 Dutch companies operating in Hong Kong mostly engaged in finance, trading, transportation, wholesaling and retailing. This is significant indeed but understandable considering that the Netherlands had already established presence in Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries by colonizing through effective trading in some parts of Asia for 350 years.

Hong Kong Musings 4

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:59:00 +0000

April 4, 2009

The Harbourside

Saturday in Hong Kong but I could not feel the difference, not from the 43^rd floor. Sometimes I think I lost track of days because I don’t report anymore to the office every day. When you work, you will have the so called Blue Monday and then TIFG that is, “Thanks God it’s Friday”. The days in between you feel “just work and it will be Friday again.” I do try to do my work as regular as before but due to different time zones, I receive most email messages in the afternoon that I thought, I should start working around 1 pm here local time. There is 6 hours difference between Netherlands and Hong Kong. When it is 12 noon in NL, it is 6 pm here.

My neighborhood

I haven’t met yet my neighbors next door and I don’t have the illusion that I will meet them soon not even in the elevators or in the corridors. Living in The Harbourside apartment is just like living in a high-rise hotel. When Wim and I arrive from our shopping, the guard readily meets us and carries our luggage up to the door front of our room. It is convenient though. Non-residents could not enter the premises without presenting their passports or any authorized ID. We have to carry resident IDs as well.

Wim and I just toured around the vicinity. The concierge showed us the nice swimming people, the park and the barbecue area. There is a piano room a reading room, in door golf, fitness center, etc. All are for exclusive use for the residents. We did not use any of the facilities yet.

Strange enough I do not have the urge to go out and discover Hong Kong yet. We live in Kowloon area which history can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960–1279). The old Kai Tak airport was located in this part of the peninsula and was considered as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. I still remember Cathay Pacific landing at the old Kai Tak Airport during my first visit in Hong Kong in 1981. I have to close my eyes when the plane needed to take a dangerous right turn to land over many buildings and screeched through unbelievably short runway. Will it make it? I felt that I was pushing my feet to the plane’s floor just like when you push the break of the car. The airport was a perfect haven for the daredevils but not for faint-hearted people like me. Kowloon is one of the most urbanized part of Hong Kong and one of the most densely populated places on earth.

The news Hong Kong International Airport is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport, because it was built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation. It is one of the busiest airports in the world. The airport is about 20 minutes by airport metro express from Kowloon MTR station which is literally built under our apartment. There is a special check-in counter for people travelling to the airport from Kowloon MTR station. Passengers check-in their luggage at the MTR station and can go straight to the pre-departure area.

Apart from mapping the immediate vicinity where we live, I have not done a lot yet except to buy the things we need in the house. We have barely three weeks time to furnish our house from spoons to bed. The rented furniture will be reclaimed on April 21. So I am trying feverishly to get the things we need, the sooner, the better. We are progressing though.

In between I am trying to learn how my new acquired Blackberry Pearl 8220 mobile phone works. It promises a lot of features but first I need to know how it works. I said goodbye to my old and loyal Ericsson but decided to keep it as my second phone especially when I am traveling. I rarely used my mobile phone in the Netherlands but here Wim impressed on me to carry it with me all the time and not to forget switching it on. In the Netherlands my mobile phone was most of the time on the “off” mode and used it only when I call Wim or one of the boys to pick me up at the station.

Our Philip 32” flat screen TV was delivered today. I can live without a TV set but Wim simply can’t. However, I was so surprised that we have so many channels. I can even see one Filipino Channel.

The only hassle we have so far is that our HCBC debit card does not work. We already went to the bank to complain about it but the bank said there is nothing wrong with our plastic card. What a reassuring word but until today, we can’t pay anything using our debit card. It is time to take another trip to the bank, and complain! Another hassle: our washing machine needs to be inspected by the concierge but he can only come after Easter Sunday! This is not nice but it is not a disaster.

My Cantonese language teacher sent me an email informing me that my lessons are scheduled twice a week, 2 hours per lesson. I will start this week, and see how fast or slow I will learn Cantonese. She should in hurry before I forgot how to count 1 to 10 in Cantonese.

The First Days in Hong Kong

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:05:00 +0000

We arrived safely in Hong Kong last April 1. Wim and I had a good flight. Michael and Richard took us to the airport. After checking-in, we had a quick dinner at the airport restaurant. Leaving my two kids was quite hard for me although the boys were taking our relocation easy. They assured us that everything will be fine. I can’t help crying when I realized there is really no turning back for me. Goodbye Holland, Hello Hong Kong! At the same time, I have learned to admit that I will be leaving in another country for at least two years, or perhaps more.

I was glad that the flight was smooth and we could rest well as we were given business class tickets. It was indeed a comfortable trip and I had all the time to think what I have left behind. Upon arrival, we checked-in at Excelsior Hotel in Causeway Bay where we stayed overnight. From my hotel window I could see The Harbourside, our future apartment.
At 9:30 am sharp the following day, we were picked up by our relocation agent and took us with our 5 large Samsonite luggage to our new apartment at The Harbourside. I was teasing Wim that when I arrived in the Netherlands, I had only one small suitcase. Now I have 5 large ones. Wim as usual in his a matter-of-factly attitude replied: “Not bad at all, Mom!”

We went for dinner and we reached a street which seems to be selling only mobile phones. Endless types of phones and all kinds of trademarks. We went inside in one of the shops. An hour later, we came out with my Blackberry mobile phone. I have now a mobile phone number!

When we arrived, everything was settled for us. Two concierge people took over our luggage and brought them to the 43rd floor. What a relief! The landlady was already there and showed us the apartment complete with all the papers (a thick dossier of information about the regulations for the new tenants). In a Chinese way, she presented us a tin can full of self-made Chinese cookies. A striking difference than the Dutch usual way. In Holland, I should have received a bunch of flowers! The relocating agency which helped us all the way in finding the apartment and arranging all the papers, presented us a bottle of Champagne. I was ready to give Helena Wong, two presents from Holland: two shawls with tulips design.

Not long after, the furniture rental company rung the bell. All the furniture and fixtures, kitchen paraphernalia, linens, etc which we rented for four weeks were ready to be delivered. We let 4 people to come in, and in fast tempo they set up the furniture including the linens! I just have to watch them did their work and at times tempted to set up the bed myself in my own but Wim winked his eyes telling me to leave the people do their job. In about an hour, they were ready and signed the turnover papers.

Then the bell rung again. It was the concierge. They have to connect the water and checked the appliances. I have to listen to all the instructions on how to use the washing machine, how to defrost the refrigerator, and the small gadget on the kitchen which turned out to be a small TV! Not that I have to watch TV while cooking but I listened patiently to the instructions. At the same time I felt that I was feeling drowsy and having headache. Probably due to the jetlag and all the excitements combined. Then the phone rang again. The person in-charge of our language course wanted to know when we will start with our Cantonese language course. I said we will call back. In the meantime, I actually have started my Cantonese lesson privately –self study. I can already count 1 to 10 in Chinese and write 1 to 10 in Chinese characters. I will surprise my Cantonese language tutor.

Just as the concierge left the premises, we heard another door bell. The PCCW men arrived. They have to connect our interne t, cable and landline telephone. I opened the door and there they were two Chinese young men with their tools. In less than thirty minutes, the internet, TV cable and the landline telephone is connected! We have a nice landline telephone with a viewer. Here in Hong Kong it is very common to have an Eye Phone, that is you will see on the screen you are talking with. I dread to use the phone early in the morning when I am still with my pajamas! So it was going and out of our people, the first day of our stay at our apartment but I am relieved that we accomplished many things and now I can send you this email.

So then, in less than 12 hours, Wim and I have furnish our house and in the coming weeks, we will start buying our own things since the furniture rental is only good for four weeks. The efficiency of the services here in Hong Kong continues to amaze me. Not bad at all.

At night time, we can see the laser show from our balcony that is if it is not misty. I was informed that every 8 pm, there is a laser show in the harbor mostly compliments by multinational giants such as Canon, Toshiba, Panasonic, the hotels, etc. You can see the lighted boats plying between Hong Kong and Macau.

I woke up early today. At 6 am the Hong Kong skyline is still cloudy. It almost 8 am now and the sky is getting clearer and I can the mountains behind the skyscrapers clearer now. Wim will report to his office today. Me? I will see what I will do today. I just made an appointment at the Immigration office for our immigrant ID. The appointment is done online within 5 minutes!

This is the first day of my stay in Hong Kong. The next weeks will be spent for formalities. We need to go to the Immigration Office to get our Hong Kong identity card. I have received a few invitations from several people in Hong Kong to meet. One is from the Dutch Embassy who is an expert in Microfinance (for personal introduction arranged by a former colleague at ON); another one is an Australian Columban priest introduced to by a former Australian first whom I know way back my social action time in the Netherlands; the other one a Filipina who is married to an Irish Cathay Pacific airline pilot….who knows these people would be my initial nucleus of friends in Hong Kong. I welcome all the opportunities.

There are more than 200,000 domestic workers in Hong Kong mostly from the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, etc. I read in the Hong Kong The Standard, an online newspaper that live-in helpers may soon earn HK 12,480 (1 Euro= HK$ 1) – nearly 250 per cent more than their current HK 3,580 (euro 358) a month – if they are not exempted from the minimum wage protection. If the proposed statutory hourly minimum wage across occupations is set at HK$ 30/hour, they maybe paid at HK 12,480 (Euro 1,248) by working 16 hours a day, 26 days a month, according to the newspaper. The proposal has met many objections from the employers’ association stating that they have to spend at least HK$ 6,000 a month on keeping a live-in domestic helper because lodging, meals, transportation, and in some cases even cell phones, and clothes are provided for.

The Filipino community in Hong Kong is about 140,000. Most of my neighbors here in our apartment have a Filipina domestic helper. Wim got one, via the Netherlands!!!

The sky is overcast today in Hong Kong. The temperature is 19 degrees celcius. I guess it is colder in the Netherlands today but the sun is shining over there. It is almost the same weather when I arrived in the Netherlands in October 1979!

Goodbye Holland, Hello Hong Kong!

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:58:00 +0000

After almost a year of “go-no-go”, Wim and I are finally flew via KLM to Hong Kong last March 31 at 9 pm. For Wim, it means working under the same company. On my part, I feel like starting a new life in my new homeland. What it would be like, I don’t know.

We had pleasant times to say farewell to friends unlike the time when I left for the Philippines in 1979 when only my families and closest friend were informed about my trip to the Netherlands. I will cherish all the moments. I realized how precious friends are.

I arrived in the Netherlands thirty years ago to study at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. I did not have inkling that the 8-months study is just the prelude to a long stop over. To make the story short, The Netherlands became my second home and where I lived intensely both on the personal and professional level. I consider my 30 years stay in the Netherlands a long stop-over of my continuing journey through life.

Looking back, my stay in the Netherlands was not bad at all. I was younger then and I embraced all the challenges with courage and enthusiasm. I have a fine family and life has been quite kind to me in the Netherlands. There were challenges to hurdle but they were all bearable so to speak.

I noticed though some changes in the Netherlands. In 1979, the Dutch Communist Party was still represented in the Parliament. It was my first introduction to liberal and tolerant The Netherlands. I left the Philippines when it was still under Martial Law and it was a welcome breathing spell for me to live in a country where you can mock even the members of the Royal Family without any fear of being persecuted. When I left our country, our people were experiencing the darkest hours of their democratic life. Opposition to the regime were arrested, detained and some were tortured or murdered. I know some people who were arrested (some were former colleagues) or killed. The Communist Party in the Philippines is still outlawed until today. In my country at that time, singing nationalist songs was banned and already considered as subversive which is enough reason to be reprimanded or to take an unpleasant trip to the detention center. The Dutch Communist Party has long been gone in the Dutch political landscape. It is replaced by conservative politicians mostly one-issue parties such as to banish immigrants and anything related to Islam to the limbo, or protection of animals! The frightening thing is that PVV has a growing public support if we believe the survey of Maurice de Hond! When I got married in 1980, I automatically received my Dutch nationality on the day of our wedding at the town hall. This immigration law has been changed long time ago. Aside from five years of continuous residence (3 years in the case of marriage or registered partnership and cohabitation), one must also be able to able to read, write, speak and understand Dutch, and sufficiently integrated in the Dutch society are among the requirements to be a naturalized Dutch citizen.

Not speaking the Dutch language was not an issue then, not a political issue, I should say. The local grocer, baker or the milkman did not have problem speaking in their Dutch-English when I talked to them in English. They said it was nice for them to practice their English. At present, you feel embarrassed and become apologetic when you cannot speak Dutch. Time has changed but I don’t complain. Instead, I tried to make the best of my stay in this country which offered me opportunities and I grabbed every opportunity that crossed my path.

During the first years of my stay, my usual conversation with a stranger usually started with “how’s the weather and followed by where I come from; how I came to the Netherlands.” The weather is cold, warm, or suffocating. I learned to drink cups and cups of coffee. I even learned how to bike, crochet, knit, and sew to please Wim’s grandma. I think I learned them all with flying colors except that I never learned how to cook (Dutch or Filipino food) but it was a a matter of personal choice and I can't blame Wim's Ma and grandma.

Aside from this, I find it still daunting to communicate effectively with the Dutch people. You have to state your case right away opposite to Asian way where we need a long spiels before stating what the core of the message is. “Leila, speak straight to the point!” This is the comment I often heard in the office. I am still grappling with this Dutch way of communicating. Compare the letters written by a Dutch and a Filipino and you will see right away the difference. Asians find it impolite to immediately open the conversation with what their real intention is. Asians need to place first the context why for instance we need to borrow money or ask a favor. At the end of the intro, that’s the time we state our case. Perhaps, because, we Asians are afraid of rejection so we need to explain first the circumstances before we can tell what we want. But we Asians have no sense of time as well. We can sit down for a long time listening to the person talking to us but the Dutch has very little time for this. Or, perhaps, they just want to spare themselves from the details and so they want to know right away what others want. The Dutch has no problem saying “yes” or “no”. Asians I believe think of the consequences whatever the answer is. But what is an effective communication? To me, when the other person understood what I exactly meant to say is the most effective one; take time or straight to the point, pick your choice, the bottom line is you are being understood exactly what you mean to say.

In my opinion, a heated debate is taboo for Dutch people. This is something perhaps Asians can learn from the Dutch. To be level-headed. Just watch how the parliamentarians conduct their debates. However, because Dutch people are not confrontational, the debates are less animated and perhaps boring for spirited and fiery Asians or Latinos. Meetings can drag on and on. If a topic cannot be resolved in 10 minutes or so, it will be tabled to the next meeting. So decision-making can drag for weeks and weeks and sometimes without reaching a compromised solution to avoid conflict of opinions. Or one just need to keep quiet and pretend that he or she agrees, otherwise taking time to explain and ask questions can be misconstrued of monopolizing discussions. Worst, you don’t understand the issue!

There are good and bad things in life wherever you are. Netherlands has been my home for 30 years, and in retrospect, I had more good times than bad and I am grateful for this. Strange that you only value precious moments, once you realize that you are missing them.

I will live in Hong Kong for a couple of years. Who knows, life for me here is good and kind as well. From the 43rd floor, I have a fantastic view of the Victoria harbor . We live in the second tallest all-residential tower in Hong Kong. I can see clearly the mountains from a distance unlike in Gouda where my view only reached up to the end of my garden. The latter is probably beyond my reach; the former is just a few steps away. Life is just like a dream. Dreams come true when you work for it. It remains an elusive dream when you just let the golden chance slips away from your hands.

December 9, 2007 - January 9, 2008: Bansalan, I'm Coming Home

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:46:00 +0000

The beach unfortunately is not located in Bansalan. This shot was taken in Malita, Davao del Sur. Bansalan is a landlocked town.

Welcome to my world! A spectacular view along the road on our way to Malita, Davao del Sur.

There are many reasons why coming home is always special.

Our hut where I spend most of the day and let time pass away.

Our living room com kitchen.

Here is our "dirty kitchen" as Filipinos call it. This tiny hut is the real nerve center of the house. The real cooking is done here.

The side view of our house.

Merry Christmas. Did I forget anyone?

My favorite corner.

The beach.

It was too good to be true. It started as a crazy idea and here we are welcomed by our Mayor of the town, Edwin Reyes. It was great to be home and this time not alone but with a group of funny, motivated, and community-spirited Bansalenos. What a homecoming!

The preparatory meetings started. We discussed what we were planning to do. The list got longer and longer. How will we do it less than two weeks time?

Two heads are better than one. All ideas and suggestions were brought forward. We can make it, so be it.

Tata Noel, Cherfield, Lalay, Henry and Meja.

And we still have time for fun! Let's practice for our surprise number. What a band of versatile people. Work and play, that keep you young.

First Row: Henry Tacio and Cherfield Metilla.

Second Row: Meja and Jean Metilla. Lalay trying hard is partly covered.

Our DI, Joevilt Villotes. Precy Metilla (Germany) was present during the practice but went AWOL during the presentation. Where were you Precy? Behind her is Zeni Acaba (Australia) in her best pose while dancing to the tune of Aquarius.

December 26, 2007 MEDICAL MISSION

On December 26 we conducted our free medical clinic at Metilla Learning Center in Banikanhon.

Chirivic Lapena (second from R). What's up Mayor Reyes?

How do you find this? Extracting tooth under the shade of the mango tree. This young woman is very courageous.
Tata interviewing the patient.

ABW members brought the medicines all the way from Australia and Germany.

Ana Marie Noel, Mr. Mabandos (Imee's father) and me (Leila)

Leila and Jean interviwed by ABS-CBN.

December 27, 2007 - The Grand Reunion

Leila with Charlie Nique

Flowers from all over brightened up the stage.

Leila handing over the certificate of appreciation to Mayor Edwin Reyes.

From L to R: Bobbet Torreon, Mayor Reyes, Lalay and Charlie Nique.

Tata, Lalay and Meja

All accounted for? Zeni Acaba and Henry Tacio engaged in serious talk (?) before the start of the program.

Bobbet Torreon, Joyphares Ocio and Mayor Reyes.

ABW members dancing to the beat of Aquarius!

Singing We Are the World

Joyphares Ocio, Bobbet Torreon and Henry Tacio

The winner of the grand prize with the donor: Ester Rebucan. Ester thanks for your generous donation. You deserve to win!

The ABC Gym was just like the good old days. Look at this number of people who attended the party. It can accommodate a hundred more!

The Bansalan Bagobo Cultural Dance Troup: the real surprise number.

The children of the Age of Aquarius

The Motorcade around the town

On the way to Mayor's office for the courtesy call

December 28, Daygon sa Pasko (Christmas Carol in Cebuano)

Manong Mett Metilla's Ikebana, Bonsai and Flower Arrangement Workshops

Books distribution at Dolo Elementary School

The tree planting activity initiated by the Metilla Family.

Grow tree, grow!

Destination: Accra, Ghana

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:41:00 +0000

September 2-9, 2007

Map of Accra
In less than four weeks, I was on the road again. This time, my destination is Accra, Ghana. I was there primarily to attend a two-day conference on Africa Regional Consultation on Migration, Remittances and Development organized by UNDP, the Government of Ghana, and UN office of least developed countries and island countries.

Modern Ghana takes its name from the ancient kingdom of Ghana that flourished, north of the present day state, between the 4th and 11th centuries AD. However, the history of Ghana dates back even further to the great Sudanic empires of West Africa which controlled the trade in gold and salt to and from the trans-Saharan trade routes.

According to Wikipedia

Accra has been Ghana’s capital since 1877, and is today one of the most populated and fast growing Metropolis of Africa with a population of about 1,695,136 million people and an annual growth rate of 3.36%. The capital was transferred from Cape Coast 125 years ago. Accra is derived from the Akan “nkran” meaning “an army of ants”. It is apparent that the name “nkran” or “nkranfo” is attributed to the thousands of anthills, which dotted the Accra plains.

Later history brought European traders, and a period when many nations left their mark on what became known as the 'Gold Coast'. Great empires remained in Ghana, and the traditions of the Asante and the Fante continue even to the modern state of Ghana that emerged in 1957.

An excellent historical background on Ghana can viewed here.

The Ghana Center for National Culture is an enormous craft market where you can find all kinds of products made in Ghana from wooden figurines, djembe, kenta cloth, leather bags, trinkets, and many more. I have been there twice and all the time it became a sport for me to haggle with the price. The principle is to try to bid as lows as 1/3 of the offered price and that from there, you negotiate. I once offered a figurine for 30 cedis. I said I will pay 10 cedis. The eyes of the vendor propped up and then I turned to go away. More negotiation and we finally settled for 12 cedis! I bought a handmade leather shoulder bag which was finally offered to me for 5 cedis. Well, just calculating for the materials alone, I did not have the heart anymore to reduce the price.

It was real fun and Blessing, my Ghanian friend who accompanied me to the market was so surprised how I dealt with the peddlers.

We visited Sunday's small bag-making business. Sunday, a soft-spoken man who ventured into leather bag-making with the assistance of Sankofa Foundation, a Ghanian diaspora organisation based in the Netherlands.

Mohmoud of Hirda Foundation jotting notes. According to Sunday, at least 5 people are employed in his small business. His problem is lack of capital. He has to buy the leather from Northern Ghana and can only pay when he sold the bags. For this reason, he cannot really make so many bags that he wants to meet even to meet the local market. The bags which Sankofa is selling are of better quality. He said he cannot sell those bags in the local market. He tried to apply for a loan from a bank but his application was disapproved for lack of collateral. He needs at least Euro 20.000 to be able to have a decent shop and buy the materials.

Sunday does not have a store so his bags are displayed in this nearby store.

We visited ENOWID and talked to the exectuive director, Mrs. Magdalena Abrokwa. She shared with us how small loans have helped poor women in Accra starting small livelihood activities. It started in 1985 when thousands of women started to feel the brunt as a result of the Structural Adjustment Program of the World Bank and IMF. It was difficult times in Ghana she said. ENOWID was formally organised in 1990 and by 1998, it is formally registered as a credit union and loan associations. About 8,000 women have already availed of the services. ENOWID has a loan protfolio of US% 500,000 and with 98 - 100% portfolio at risk. Its dream is to be able to establish a a women's bank.
Awil, me, Mrs. Abrokwa and Anthony of Sankofa Ghana.

Our next field trip is in Manet Housing project. Here you can find the service car of Dutch Construction Ltd. Ghana-Holland reveals that this company has some links with the Netherlands. The company is run by George Duncan's brother who after some years of stay in the Netherlands and Spain decided to go back to Ghana and started his company. "Brain gain"?

This is more interesting. A lot of housing units were bought by Ghanian migrants. Remittances to Ghana amounted to over $4.5 billion in 2005, making it the largest foreign exchange earner.

The value of migrants’ remittances increased from $201.9million in 1990 to 1.55 billion in 2005. Remittances have increased and have become more stable than Official Development Assistance (ODA), and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Further, remittances as a percentage of GDP rose from 3.2 percent in 1990 to 13.3 percent in 2003. Also, as a percentage of export, remittances rose from 22.5 percent to 40 percent within the same period. Private remittances to Ghana are much more than foreign aid or the export value of the cocoa and gold. The impact of remittance to many households in Ghana is now being recognised by policy makers. Accurate stimates of financial flows is now possible due to improved data information and more and more Ghanian diasporas are using the formal remittance channels.

This is the Sankofa Poultry Farm project in Atsusuare about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Accra Center.

It is so amusing to see the layers. Every family poultry farm has 50 layers. The women who also tend a small farm said that the poultry farm really helps them augment family income. It is a productive activity while waiting for the rice harvest. All women said that due to the poultry farm, they can already send their children to school.

A hearty welcome of Sankofa women leaders.
A group picture with the members of Sankofa Poultry Farm

The role of diasporas in the development of their countries origin must be recognised and supported by multi-stakeholders.
A unique picture with the Chief and Queen Mother of the village.

The school desks were donated by ASDA Foundation, a migrant organisation based in the Netherlands.

The many faces of children

The many ways to earn a living

Ussher Fort has a long history and changed hands by colonial powers. It was built as Fort Crêvecoeur by the Dutch in 1649. It is enlarged and named Fort Crevecoeur, in 1652. It was temporarily in British hands, in 1782 and returned to the Dutch in 1785. In 1816 it was abandoned and later damaged by earthquake, in 1862. It was transferred again to British, rebuilt and finally renamed Ussher Fort, in 1868.

Jamestown (or James Town) is a district in the city of Accra, Ghana. It originated as a community that emerged around the 17th century British James Fort on the Gulf of Guinea coast, and became a part of Accra as the city grew. A lighthouse, the Jamesfort Light, was built by the British at James Fort in 1871. Jamestown is now a fishing port populated primarily by the Ga, an indigenous people of coastal Ghana. It is also a tourist destination for those wishing to see the remnants of Accra's colonial past. The original lighthouse was replaced in the 1930s by the current Accra Light, which is 93 ft tall with a visibility of 16 nautical miles.

"Jamestown is located directly to the east of Korle Lagoon, and borders on Accra's CBD to the West. Over three hundred years ago, the British were headquartered here at Fort James, and the area was a trade center for many years. Now however, James Town is a shanty town. Jamestown is one of the older
areas of Accra and was heavily developed by the end of the 19th century.

"During the rapid growth of the city during the 20th century, Jamestown has become an area of a dense mixture of commercial and residential use. Since World War II, a
succession of plans to enhance the capital city have come with changes in government — some seeing improvements in Jamestown as a necessary part of the overall plan, and some treating such improvements as competing with the efforts
to develop the central business district of Accra."

This is the haven of fisherfolks where livelihood depends mainly on fishing. Women sell smoked fish in somewhat improvised oven. The place is bubbling with small entrepreneurial activities: women and children selling anything they can sell to the public. Nearby is a maze of market stalls. How I wish I had a chance to walk around but there was simply no time to do this.

August 1- 6, 2007, Destination: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 18:35:00 +0000

OUT OF AFRICA

I am a privileged person to have opportunities to visit so many countries. Okay for well-traveled people the list might not be impressive enough but for a hometown girl like me who did not even dream of reaching as far as Manila; I take it as an achievement just the same. Not counting the Netherlands and the Philippines which I consider my home countries, let me mention the countries I already visited: Belgium, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Austria, Czech Republic, Portugal, the small republic of San Marino, Turkey, and USA (New York City several times, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Florida, Los Angeles, Utah, Colorado). In Asia, I have been to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. I also had a chance to visit Mexico (3 times!) and Ecuador. Although I've been to Tunis (North Africa) too, I still consider I've never been to Africa, the Cradle of Civilization, second largest continent, and the home of the world’s poorest countries.

Last August 1-6, I had a chance to visit Ougadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso formerly known as Upper Volta. Ouagadougou has a population of around 360,000 (in 1985). Founded in the 15th century, Burkina Faso was the capital of the Mossi kingdom of Wagadugu (in 1441). About 250 years later, it became the permanent residence of the Morho naba (great king), the Mossi king. In fact, even today, the Morho naba lives in the city, though with much-depleted powers. The country came under French control in the late 19th century and ultimately gained independence in 1960. However, it was only in 1984 that the borders of the country were finally defined. The name Burkina Faso literally means the "land of upright people."

What amazed me are the wide variety of souvenirs such as wooden statuettes, bronze models, masks, jewelries, fabrics, hand woven blankets and leather goods and crafts ranging from chessboards to ashtrays are available in the markets of Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world. The UN Development Programme in its Human Development Report places it 174th out of the 177 countries listed, with an estimated 80 per cent of its population living on less than $2 a day. And yet, you will find so many banks concentrated in the city. You bet, there is Western Union office in almost every block or better say several offices on every street. It goes to show that Burkina Faso is receiving huge remittances from Burkinabe living and working abroad. I was told most of the Burkinabe migrants tried their luck in Italy.

According to Index of Economic Freedom

Burkina Faso's economy is 55 percent free, according to our 2007
assessment, which makes it the world's 113th freest economy. Its overall score is 0.7 percentage point lower than last year, partially reflecting new
methodological detail. Burkina Faso is ranked 19th out of 40 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region, and its overall score is slightly higher than the regional average

Burkina Faso scores well in fiscal freedom, freedom from government, and monetary freedom. The top income and corporate tax rates are comparable to those in the United States, but overall tax revenue is quite low. Government expenditure is moderate, and state-owned businesses are not a primary source of revenue.
This is probably the reason why there are so many banks in Burkina Faso.

I am grateful that I was able to participate in the Experts Meeting on Microfinance and Remittances which was organized by the International Alternative Financial Institutions (INAFI International). I flew from Schipol (Amsterdam) Airport on August 1 for Paris to catch up the connecting flight for Ouagadougou. I saw Manuel Orozco, a remittance expert who was also invited for the conference in Lounge 33 at the departure area. Vince Rapisura from Manila was also on the same flight. It was a re-assuring flight to Africa with Manuel and Vince around.

We had a smooth flight which took about six hours to reach Ouagadougou International airport. It was raining when we arrived in Ouagadougou which was a big disappointment for me since it has been raining almost the whole month of July in the Netherlands. I was truly looking forward to a sultry African weather. I only took light summer clothes with me and a sweater in case it gets cold on the plane. It proved to be the most useful thing I brought with me.
We had to apply for a visa upon arrival. It was not easy to communicate with the immigration officers since French is the official language in Burkina Faso. The officer seemed to be ignoring me the whole time so Manuel told me to wave my passport but this was of little help until Vince gave my passport to the officer. Maybe because I am small that the officer could not see me??? After filling the forms, Manuel, Vince and I were told to leave our passports with the immigration. We hesitated but there is nothing we can about it. It was a real relief to see Maaisata, the executive secretary of INAFI, and she assured us that our passports are in good hands. We need not to worry she said. Visa fee is US$ 20. We checked out after claiming my luggage - happily it arrived with me - and went inside the waiting car. Maaisata said that all other participants were already waiting for us at the nearby restaurant for the welcome dinner. I thought I was too tired to eat my dinner but seeing the rest of the participants was so tempting. I met familiar faces and it was really great to be with friends whom you rarely see.

The two-day meeting went well and the discussion bordered on how MFIs could link with migrant organisations and leverage their remittances for sustainable development. I met the two representatives of the Benin Ministry of Foreign Affairs. INAFI is organising a Global Conference on Microfinance, Remittances and Development which will be hosted by the government of the Republic of Benin and we were asked to comment on the content of the programme as well as the three-year strategic plan of INAFI.

I stayed in Azalai Hotel along Av. du Président Aboubacar Sangoulé LAMIZANA just about 5 minutes drive from the airport. It is a beautiful hotel and according to Soukeyna, Azalai means caravan referring to the camel caravan routes - bringing salt, jewelry, etc - began to be established through West Africa and the Sahara Desert linking West African cities with Europe and the Middle East in 300 A.D. It is a nice hotel and Soukeyna, the executive director of INAFI was very kind enough to assign to me a very nice and comfortable room with a giant bed!

A group picture of the participants of the expert meeting

Burkina Faso is world renown as the site of the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) is the largest African film festival. Every two years, the friendly Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou hosts the film industry and film-fans, to this festival of pan-African film and television.
August 4, 2007: A visit to a typical village

Beside the huts you can also see small grain stores. Since it has been raining the last few days - and cool that I have to wear my sweater -, the fields are green and there were a lot of activities. The women and young girls were busy ploughing the field. Where are the men? It was an unusual time of the year because normally I was told it is hot and humid in Burkina Faso.
Cooking starts by chopping firewood.
Watching the women dancing I said to myself: I know that dance! "Let's do the bump" which reminded me of the dance craze in the '70s. Anyway, I enjoyed dancing in the open air.

This is all what people have inside the mud brick hut with a grass roof: several clay jars and a few clothes. Four women sleep inside the hut. I asked what they do with those large clay jars. They said, they store their food there. Vegetables remain fresh for a couple of days. And we worry about when our fridge is broken!
Imagine living inside this hut throughout your life! The daughter whose name I cannot recall anymore said that only women sleep in this hut. We asked Soukeyna on our way back why the wife and the daughters sleep in one hut and the father in the other hut. Soukeyna explained that the men have usually more than one wife, sometimes up to 5! So he usually sleeps in his own hut with one of the wives whoever is convenient.
The woman was kind enough to show me her hut She was proud to tell that they sleep there which made me think these people need so little to live. By Western and even by West African tandrd, sthis is poverty. I wonder if they know what life is - read what people have in Western countries - outside their community. But life is laidback out there. You can breath a fresh air and people are not enslaved by time and the hustle and bustle of city life.

The Street Scene

Selling anything under the sun . The peddler asked me to pay after taking the picture. Is he kidding?

The Market Place

Who cares? Customers can wait.

The amazing artesans

Djembe and me. A djembe (pronounced jem bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jembe, yembe or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet, and meant to be played with bare hands. The djembe is also known as the magical drum, and the mushroom-shaped drum
Bought two beautiful blouses for Euro 10!
Batik-making in Ouagadougou? A batik is made by selecting areas of the cloth to be blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them afterwards the cloth is dyed. The parts of cloth covered by the wax resist the dye and remain the original colour.

August 6, 2007

Efrain Jimenez of Mexico still have plenty of time before we leave for Paris so we decided to do another sight-seeing. After haggling the price for the taxi, off we went to see crocodiles which are considered by the locals as sacred.

Not impressive huh? Wait until you see my picture gallantly sitting on the back of the crocodile but my Mexican friend, Efrain Jimenez has to send it first to me!
At last here it is! Whoever dares to say that I am chicken, just stand up!

This young boy is polishing a bronze sculpture.

Visit to a shea butter processing project run and managed by women

Soap made of shea oil.

And the great company!

Vince Rapisura, Mai Anonuevo and Marlon Palomo
Mai can't make up her mind. Which one Marlon?

Efrain, the African man! I called him Barney.

Burkina Faso is poor but it is one of the safer countries in Africa, probably in the world. The people are very friendly. Efrain introduced me to two young men. Before I left, one gave me a necklace and a pair of earrings and the other one, a jewelry leather box with my name embossed on the cover. Aren't they nice? I had a good introduction to Africa but I still dream of visiting Timbuktu in Mali. Why Timbuktu? My father mentioned the place Timbuktu when I was still a child. I thought Timbuktu was just my father's creation: it is a mysterious place, a myth, an enigma. Much later I learned that Timbuktu indeed exists and it is a place for place of learning, wisdom and spirituality. Soukeyna promised that we will travel together to Timbuktu one day. It is a dream that I hope it comes to reality.

More information about Burkina aso

May 26-29, Mexico City

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:42:00 +0000

Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico, D.F. It has a population of 19.2 million, making it the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest city in the world. It is second only to Tokyo with a population of 35,197,000 in 2005.

Our holiday started here at Hotel Gran Melia Reforma which is located at Paseo de la Reforma. The superb hotel is close to government buildings and financial institutions.

Hotel Gran Melia was a pleasant surprise. It is an excellent hotel, the staff was very helpful. At dusk, Wim and I decided to walk to Zocalo Square when day merchants just started packing up their wares. We walked and walked and I had the a good impression how large the square is. I learned that it is the largest square in the Western Hemispshre and once part of Tenochtitlan, the political and religious hub of the Aztec empire. Over the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries the Spaniards built expansive and beautiful mansions and public structures from the stones of the Aztec temples that they had destroyed. (This is mean!).

The following day we started our real sightseeing activity.

The kind receptionist at Gran Melia gave us an advice:

'Don't go to the streets behind the palace!"

Like curious cats, this was the first place Wim and I went on a rainy evening. The market was almost deserted.

We did visit Palacio Nacional where we saw the amazing murals of Diego Rivera. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit the House of Frieda Khalo.

Tlatelolco

Tlatelolco today is the Plaza of the Three Cultures. It contains the excavated ruins of the great pyramid, second largest in the city, and one of the oldest colonial churches, dedicated to Santiago (Saint James), patron saint of the conquistadors, who would charge into battle yelling "Santiago, and at 'em!" And it is surrounded by modern office buildings and government-built housing projects named for important dates in Mexican history.

"There are stelae, inscribed stone monuments. One describes the pre-Columbian history of Tlatelolco, which was an independent Aztec city until it was absorbed by Tenochtitlan in the 15th century. The second (shown on the next panel) tells of Cuauhtémoc's defeat. The third, erected in 1993, concerns the events of Oct. 2, 1968. This site was once a major Indian city that rivaled and eventually was conquered by the Aztec empire.

"This was Mexico's Kent State, except that the government killed about 100 times more students. The exact number is disputed. You can find holes in the old church wall made by machine gun bullets.

The monument lists the names of the known victims and chastises the press for its failure to report honestly on the event."

Source:http://thedagger.com/archive/conquest/tlatelolco.html

What a big blunder! I realized we did not see Templo Mayor! How is it possible? Our tourist guide did not it us there. Well, a good reason to go back to Mexico City.

Translation: August 13, 1521 Heroically defended by Cuauhtémoc, Tlatelolco fell to the power of Hernán Cortés. It was neither a triumph nor a defeat. It was the painful birth of the mestizo nation that is the Mexico of today.--text of monument at Tlatelolco

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The famous basilica, located on the site where a baptized Indian Juan Diego supposed to have seen the virgin on Saturday, December 9, 1531.

Archelogical ruins of Teotihuacan

Teotihuacán is one of the main attractions surrounding Mexico City. Growing from an agricultural settlement, it would soon become the main city of the pre - Spanish Mexico.Considered by the Aztecs as the city of Quetzalcóatl (their main god), Teotihuacán is known by its two big pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, and the Pyramid of the Moon, being the first one the third biggest pyramid of the world.

For more information about this archaeological site, visit: http://archaeology.asu.edu/teo/

During evenings, Wim and I walked from the hotel up to Zocalo Square and stopped to look at some majestic building from both sides of the road. We saw the fabulous Palacio de Bellas Artes, a white marble concert hall and arts center. The theatre is home to productions by international and national artists, including the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico.

At Madero Street, corner of Filomeno Mata, we saw a house covered in blue and white tiles. This house, located at number 4 Francisco Madero Street, is covered in azulejos (tiles) from the state of Puebla, which are called talavera. The mansion was built in the 1n the 16th century.

Walking brings you to interesting places. We saw a large bakery shop selling hundreds, no thousands sorts of bread. Wim wanted to see more inside the shop and I was grateful I joined him. Then we climbed up the stair to the second floor without knowing what awaited us. Gosh, inside was like a candy store, no a house of cake! I have never seen so many cakes in one time and in one place in my entire life. It is like a fairy tale and I wanted to stay there forever!

How about this cake for your birthday?
Or this!
And this!
The National Museum of Anthropology

The House of Cake is awesome but it is a like a dream. The National Museum of Anthropology is the real thing! The center housed the an extensive collection of artifacts.

They way they were...

The grandeur of Mexican architecture

Four days in Mexico City and we did not see everything yet. There are still places to see, perhaps a good reason to go back to Mexico City. Then, it will be my fourth visit in this beautiful country.

Viva Mexico! Hasta la vista!

Back to Morelia, Sidetrip to Patzcuaro, May 22, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sat, 26 May 2007 04:17:00 +0000

Wim wanted to leave at 7 in the morning to Morelia since he is not sure how long the trip would take. He does not like driving when it gets dark. My best for as long as he will study the route carefully. I am hopeless when it comes to map. I am not used to reading road map in the Philippines as there is always someone somewhere to ask for direction. Besides, travelling the national and provincial highway in the Philippines is so easy. There is only one road!It appears that it is the same case going to Morelia. We just followed the toll highway and be sure that we don't miss the direction. There are only very names of the places to remember. From Lazaro Cardenas, it is less than 300 kms to Morelia, the capital of Michoacan. With the speed Wim is driving, we will arrive in Morelia before 1 pm so I decided that we visit Patzcuaro.

Patzcuaro is built on the hills sloping back from Lake Patzcuaro with a population of about 48,000 people.

Here’s what Frommer’s tourist guide book says about Patzcuaro:

It is located at 370km (231 miles) NW of Mexico City; 285km (178 miles) SE of Guadalajara; 69km (43 miles) SW of Morelia
Pátzcuaro is perhaps the loveliest town in Mexico. Crooked cobblestone streets, smooth stucco walls painted white with dark red borders, blackened tile roofs that join to form ramshackle rooflines -- it is a town meant to be photographed and painted. During the rainy season, when low clouds roll in and curl through the tall trees, and water drips from the low-slung overhangs, a sweet melancholy descends upon the town.
Pátzcuaro is in the heart of the Purépecha homeland. Beside it is Lake Pátzcuaro (one of the world's highest at 2,200m/7,250 ft.), whose shores border dozens of Indian villages. In these villages and in town, visitors frequently hear the soft sounds of the Purépechan language in the background as they take in the sights. Although distinct regional costumes are seldom seen today, Indian women still braid their hair with ribbons and wear the blue rebozos (long woolen wraps) that serve them in so many ways.

Source: Frommer's tourist Guide Book

The market in Patzcuaro

It is a busy day at the bank today. I wonder if these people are coming from the villages to get the remittances they receive from their families working abroad.

Playa Las Brisas (Manzanillo) at the Pacific Coast, May 20-21, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Fri, 25 May 2007 06:05:00 +0000

"I would like to see the other side of the Pacific Ocean!" Wim quipped when I asked him why we have to drive all the way to Manzanillo.

The real reason why I hesitated going to the Pacific Coast is the fact that Wim wanted to drive the car himself. I was afraid that it might not be safe to be travelling by road just the two of us. Most of our friends who knew about our plans encouraged us to asked some from Zacatecas to accompany us during our travel. Wim was not to be convinced at all.

In the early morning of May 20, we rented a car at Avis and then off we went to the Pacific Coast driving through highway 54. I was really surprised to see the excellent road network from Zacatecas to Colima. Due to lack of time, we did not visit Guadalajara, the second largest city of Mexico, which I heard to be a very interesting city to visit. Around 4 pm we arrived in Playa Las Brisas (Manzanillo, Colima).

With road like this, driving is a real joy. We have to stop a couple of times to take pictures of the beauiful landscape.

As we were nearing Colima, I noticed that the landscape has changed. I could see coconut, mango, and banana plantations which reminded me of the Philippines. Welcome to the Pacific Coast!

The Las Brisas Beach (Manzanillo) along Av. Lazaro de Cardenas is considered as one of the nicest in Manzanillo, because it's clean, safe and deserted most of the time. The two-mile stretch (also part of Manzanillo Bay) ends at the entrance to Manzanillo's harbor. Manzanillo is located in the state of Colima on Mexico's Golden Riviera, between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco on the Pacific coast.

This area along the coast of the Mexican Riviera is host to 3 main costal resort towns - Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan - as well as the exclusive and luxurious resorts along the Costa Alegre between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.

Today, Las Brisas is a dead-end peninsula, but at one time the road led directly to Manzanillo. The area has many older, inexpensive hotels, small sidewalk cafes, and numerous businesses. At the end, near the jetty, scuba diving and snorkeling are perfect watersports. More laid-back tourists like to watch the ships come and go from the port. It is a rare day when you won't be able to see large ships anchored outside the port, or cruising to deliver their cargo. (Source)

We stayed at Hotel Brisas del Mar and it is a good choice for those who are looking for a quiet place. Perhaps it is not a place for those who cannot just sit still, read an interesting, and watch as time goes by.

The wireless internet connection was really a big plus. Imagine me reading my email feeling the cool evening sea breeze with the vast ocean in front of me.

Sunset at Las Brisas

The beaches along the highway as we heeded to Lazaro Cardenas on May 21.
Again me and my laptop!

Zacatecas, May 17-19, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Tue, 22 May 2007 06:56:00 +0000

Map of Zacatecas

Efrain, Wim and I agreed that we will leave for Zacatecas at 9 in the morning of May 17. Zacatecas at 8,100 feet elevation, capital of the state of the same name is known as the City of Silver and of Mexico's best-preserved colonial cities. It is located in Mexico's north-central region, about 610 km northwest of Mexico City and has a population of 150,000 and is built on a ravine on the slopes of Cerro dela Bufa. Due to its pink limestone buildings, Zacatecas is one of the most beautiful cities in northern Mexico. Thanks to the city’s splendid history and architecture, the UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. Zacatecas was founded in 1546 following the discovery of one of the world's richest silver mine. The state relies on agriculture and cattle-raising as main source of income although it is still a center of silver mining. The 200-year old El Bote is still in operation and the largest in the region.

I had two cups of hot chocolate prepared by Efrain's Mom while Wim had coffee. Efrain has his usual Mexican desayuno. Senora Jimenez was truly perplexed to learn that Wim and I are not used to eating breakfast. I had to explain that she should not worry about us. We just simply don't eat our breakfast even in the Netherlands.

Efrain informed us that he still had to do three asks before driving to Zacatecas: he had to visit the chapel where his kind laid in state; pass by the school; and talk to his brother. It was not a problem. We were on holiday and we had all the time in the world. It was a beautiful sunny day.

Along the way - that is if Efrain's mobile phone did not ring as he received phone calls incessantly - Efrain told us more about his hometown. About his brothers, their cattles, the ranch, his parents, the local politics, the 3x1 program, and many more. I told Efrain he can be an excellent tourist operator or guide in case he decides to switch profession.

We passed by Aguascalientes. Aguascalientes' name (meaning “hot waters”) is also the name of the State; the smallest State in Mexico. The state was founded 430 years ago, offers a splendid assortment of old neighborhoods, churches, plazas, gardens, architectural monuments, modern edifices, museums, bullfight arenas and swimming resorts with thermal waters. In this city, you can also attend various traditional events.

Efrain first drove around the city of Zacatecas before we proceeded to Hotel Meson de Jobito where Wim and I will be staying while in Zacatecas. He wanted to give a first impression of the city. This is my third visit to Zacatecas and the first time for Wim. I became familiar with city landmarks, the main streets, the cafes, and the shops. I stayed in Meson de Jobito during the Bi-national meeting of the Zacatecan Federacion in 2004 and I readily fell in love with its ambiance and its history. I was sure that Wim would like it as well so I asked Efrain to reserve a room for us. The hotel was formerly a 19th century apartment building.
Zacatecas has many beautiful colonial buildings, excellent museums and the magnificent 17th century cathedral.
Courtesy call at Zacatecas State Immigration Office where we met Fernando Robledo, Director del instituto de Migración del estado. Fernando was kind enough to arrange our two-day visit in Zacatecas.
A unique picture together with the State Governor of Zacatecas, Amalia Garcia Medina. This was my second meeting with the Governor who impressed me with her dedication in working with Zacatecan migrants.
Efrain interviewed by a TV crew.
The Sanctuario de la Virgen de Patrocinio, dedicated to the patron saint of Zacatecas.

The city landmark, Cerra de la Bufa is a rugged hill where Pancho Villas' decisive battle against the dictator Victoriano Huerta occured in June 1914. An interesting write up about Pancho Villa can be read here.

The "teleferico", the only cable car in the world to cross an entire city. It runs from Centro del Grillo (Cricket Hill) above the Mina Eden to Cerro de la Bufa. Wim and I took another route. We took the cable car from Cerro de la Bufa and down to the entrance of Mina del Eden. From the cable car one could see a panoramic view of the City of Zacatecas. the journey takes about 7 minutes and covers a distance of 2,100 feet.

The entrance to La Mina El Eden. visitors have to wear helmets.

One of Mexico's most unusual visitor attractions is a tour of El Edén Mine. The tour begins by taking a small train into the depths of the mine. A walking guided tour (in Spanish only) re-counts the mine’s tragic past. Forced laborers endured unspeakable hardships hauling tons of silver ore from the depths of this 1500-foot-deep mine. The mine opened in 1586 and was worked until 1964 when water flooded its lower levels. Of all places in the world, a disco has been built here inside the mine!

The Cathedral de Zacatecas is one of the best examples of Mexico's baroque architecture. The construction of the cathedral started in 1612 and ended in 1752, with the exception of its massive bell towers (completed in 1785 and 1904). The building is made of soft pink cantera sandstone and it has elaborate carvings, gold and silver ornaments and valuable art works.

Follow a band of horns and drums, a burro laden with barrels of fiery mezcal , and a group of merry celebrants swinging hands and dancing through the narrow streets (callejones) of Zacatecas.

On the second day of our visit in Zacatecas, Wim and I went to La Quemada, one of the northern region’s most important archaeological zones. It is about 56 kms to the southwest of Zacatecas off Mex. 54. This highly fortified, terraced and hilltop site was built on an important north-south trading route of the Mesoamericans. Also known as Chicomostoc Ruins, La Quemada is thought that the settlement reached its height about 900 - 1000 A.D. The Spaniards dicovered it in 1535. The on-site museum exhibits artifacts from the most important sites of the State of Zacatecas. Our tourist guide Aleyda is very knowledgeable. She is only 17 years old but she speaks fluent English, a little of Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

A good pair of hiking shoes is a must!

After La Quemada, we also visited the Pedro Coronel Museum which is located at Plaza Santo Domingo. It has a fine collection of MesoAmerican and African masks.

There was still an ample time to visit La Quinta Real, a colonial-style hotel. La Quinta Real is one of the world’s most unusual hotels. The building encircles the 17th-century San Pedro bullring. Everyone should try staying even just one night at La Quinta Real. It is not cheap though!

Visiting Zacatecas is like a homecoming to me. I have made so many friends in this place. The people are friendly and the city center is unlike any metropolis. You can still feel the rural ambience. I feel very safe in Zacatecas.

Zacatecas in a nutshell:

Official name: Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas / Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas
Short-form names: Estado de Zacatecas / State of Zacatecas; Zacatecas.
Location: In its territoy is laying the geographical center of Mexico. It neighbors the States of Coahuila de Zaragoza (N), Durango (E), Nayarit (SE), Jalisco and Aguascalientes (S), Guanajuaton (SW), San Luis Potosí (W), and Nuevo León (NW)
Area: 73,103 km²
Municipalities: 57
Population: 1'353,610 inhabitants
Capital: Zacatecas (Pop.: 123,899)
Statehood: October 3, 1824
Arms adopted: Unknown date.

INEGI and SEP
Reported by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, October 06, 2001.

Source: http://www.fotw.net/flags/mx-zac.html#zac_p

Interesting links:

World Heritage - http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=676
Brief History of Zacatecas - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7016/zacatecas/history_of_zacatecas.htm
Zacatecas, City of Silver - http://www.ourmexico.com/story.php?storyID=25
http://www.visitmexico.com/wb/Visitmexico/Visi_Estado_Zacatecas
Flight information: http://www.farecompare.com/flights/Zacatecas_Airport-ZCL/airport.html
An interesting website on travelling around Zacatecas, Morelia, and Guadalajara states can be viewed at: http://www.mexperience.com/inmexico/diary/8legeight.htm
http://www.advantagemexico.com/zacatecas/index.html

Nochistlan , Zacatecas (Mexico), May 14-17, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 20 May 2007 02:39:00 +0000

Efrain Jimenez, a Mexican friend based in Los Angeles whom I met for the first time in November 2004 arrived in our hotel shortly before 9 in the morning. Wim and I invited him to eat breakfast at Hotel Villa San Jose where Wim and I stayed in Morelia. Over warm cups of coffee and tortillas, we readily made plans for our trip to Nochistlan, his hometown.
Efrain and I have been together in several conferences and meetings on migration and development (e.g. San Francisco, (USA), Bellagio (Italy), twice in Zacatecas (Mexico), three times in the Netherlands, and once in the Philippines). Ever since I met Efrain, I have become very interested about the Mexican hometown associations. When I learned early this year that I will be attending the First Summit of Latino Community in Morelia, I decided to extend my stay in Mexico and visit Efrain's hometown together with Wim, my husband.
Nochistlan is about 300 kilometers from the city of Morelia. The easiest and most comfortable but might not be the cheapest way for us to go there was to hire a taxi. I knew it was not the kind of trip which Wim had in mind. He wanted to hire a car and drove it himself during our entire holidays in Mexico. But I was happy this way. It was more comfortable and reassuring that I needed not to think about where we were going since someone was doing it for us.
On Monday, May 14, Efrain, Wim and I heeded to his hometown. This was the beginning of our trip from Morelia to Zacatecas, Guadalajara and back to Morelia (Michoacan) by land.

I learned more about Efrain's hometown from Wikipedia (by the way, the only useful information I got from the inernet) as follows:

Nochistlan is a town in Zacatecas, Mexico. Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, on December 3, 1531, hires Juan de Oñate to establish a village in Nochistlán, (now a town in Zacatecas México) the village would be named Guadalajara to honor Guzmán for having been born in Guadalajara. Guadalajara was founded in Nochistlán on January 5, having as officials Juan de Oñate, Sancho Ortíz de Zuñiga and Miguel Ibarra. They worked at this project for only 16 months and created the first layout of Guadalajara.
The first news that we have regarding the natives of these lands points to the Tecuexes. These people established settlements around 1000 A.D. Later in the 12th century a new group of people moved in, these people were called Caxcanes and they were from the valley in Tuitlán, which is now found in the municipality of Villa Nueva Zacatecas. The Caxcanes established Nochistlán by driving out the Tecuexes by force.[1]

In Noschistlan you will find dusty little villages where men ride around on horseback, wearing lassos at their hips, boots and hats.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nochistlan

Nochistlan has several lovely town plazas where people congregate especially during evenings. Efrain took Wim and I to this plaza for two consecutive evenings where he introduced us to his numerous friends, young and old alike.

The Plaza

While sipping tequila at the plaza under the balmy moonlight, the mariachi played my old time favorite Spanish songs such as "Historia de un Amor", "Besame Mucho", and "Ceilito Lindo". How can we forget our Nochistlan summer night?

The beautiful and functional municipal hall of Nochitslan.

When Wim and I are on holidays, we never fail to visit wet markets. It is here where you can feel the bubbling activities of the local people. The display of local products always fascinates me.

Chicharon!!
This is what I call a real cowboy I knew in western films. I really wanted to take a close up picture but I suddenly remember the film "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly". What if the man is not amused?

The 3 x 1 Program for Migrants
The paved road of La Villita village, one of the early projects in Nochistlan under the 3x1 program.
The Zacatecan migrants became very known because of the 3 x 1 program. We were lucky that during our visit, three projects have been inaugarated. The Mayor of the town (el presidente) Ramon Jimenez, invited us during the signing of the documents.

The first project was the water system which will serve the inhabitants in this village. The beautiful chapel and plaza (see photo below) were also co-funded by migrants from this village under the 3 x 1 program.

Then we went to the turning over ceremony of the road construction also under 3 x 1 program.
Wim and I joined Nochistlan Municipal Mayor Ramon Jimenez (between Wim and me), Efrain (on Wim's right hand side) and all the people directly involved in the construction of the project. The inagauration is an important event for all the stakeholders of the project. Representatives of the local community, migrants (represented by Efrain) and the the local government represented by the town mayor are present. Several administrative matters are done beforehand: a project controller will check if the project is implemented according to the plan; the mayor usually asks the representatives of the community and all who are present during the inagauration if they have questions or comments on the project. If no questions are raised, the contract is signed.

Some may raise questions as to the type of projects covered by the 3x1 program."You also fund chapel?" Wim asked. Efrain explained that they started with infrastructures: schools, plaza, road pavement, electrification, water system, etc all considered by the local people important in their social life. The most important thing Efrain explained is that all parties concerned agreed that the project is important and they all will contribute to the fulfillment of the project. The chapel is important for the local people. I saw the functionality of it when a villager died and his body was laid for during wake in one portion of the chapel in La Villita. Every villager use the chapel during life cycles: baptism, weddings, funeral, etc. This saves them also from hiring a funeral parlor. Most of the roads even in remote villages are already paved. This makes it easier for the local people to transport their products to the town. The contributions of migrants in Nochitslan is very evident. It is a bubbling and progressive town. Migrants are buying piece of land to start cattle raising or other businesses. New houses are built. There is a strong desire now for the hometown association to go into productive projects.

I have seen how Efrain work. Two mobile phones ringing almost at the same time. A lot of people would like to consult him for the new projects. Mayors in nearby town would like to know more about 3x1 program. Some call to discuss about some problems they encounter while implementing the project. It is a full time job and come to think of it, Efrain, a representative of a hometown association is being consulted by policy makers!

Experiencing the Ranchers’ Life: A moment to remember

For a moment I dreamed of going horse back riding up and down the hills but I pity Efrain's nephew who will walk while enjoy the ride! I have to do two things before I go back to Nochistlan: improve my Spanish and learn horseback riding!
For many people, Efrain is best known as the representative of the Federacion de Clubes del Zacatecanos del sur de California. Little is known about his being a real ranch cowboy. For generations, the Jimenezes have been running ranches in Nochitslan which is to my view primarily a male-dominated family enterprise where women play important supporting role although many would think that managing a home is a clear example of gender stereotype. Most of the Mexican families in this town have large families. Efrian's brothers have 3-6 children and most of them are boys who learned at an early age the rugged cowboy life.

I was truly amazed seeing Efrain's 10 year old nephew driving a pick up like a real pro. I learned that in Nochistlan, it is common to see young boys driving pick up loaded with cattles. They do not have driver's license but it is okay with the local authorities.l This is of course unthinkable for someone coming from the Netherlands where only 18 year olds are allowed to drive and if they successfully pass the driving exam both the theory and practical parts. This means that drivers in the Netherlands must have at least undergone 40 driving lessons. Not in Nochistlan! Driving is an ordinary chore for young cowboys just like learning how to lasso a cow!

If I have stayed a week longer, I will be able to hear and gather so many fascinating stories on the lives of the ranchers.

At one point, I just lost count how many cows will be sold that day. We saw how the cows were selected: the calves and the mature ones. It is truly a dangerous chore. Efrain said calves give the best meat and therefore they are sold in Notchistlan!

Impressions of Nochitslan

This is the front side of the house of Efrain's parents. It reminds me of the cowboy films which I enjoyed so much while I was still in the Philippines.

Efrain's Mom has a beautiful garden at their courtyard. It is like an oasis.

Sunset at Efrain's ranch.

Water is an important commodity in this mountainous region.

After visiting the ranch, this roadside store in the middle of nowhere is truly a welcome sight. rinking cerveza (sorry folks just limonade for me) with the local people is a real experience. I wish I could speak Spanish enough to carry on long conversation but Efrain is an excellent translator.

Efrain always said that the landscape is better during the rainy season. The grass is greener unlike this time of the year. Coming from the Netherlands, we really did not mind the heat and the savannah-looking landscape. It was a welcome sight.

Wim and I are very grateful to Efrain, his parents, and all the members of the Jimenez family for making our stay in Nochitslan a very memorable one. Mom's Efrain asked me before we left when we are coming back. I said, I can't promise when but we will come back. I have made the same promise to Zacatecan friends the first time I visited the place in 2004. I returned to Zacatecas the year after. And I am back again in 2007. Having great friends in this place is enough reason for me to come back to Nochitslan and Zacatecas which I consider like my home.

Nochistlan, the gateway to southern Zacatecas, is an interesting place to visit because of its beautiful colonial buildings and plazas, varied landscape, friendly local people, cultural events, etc. however, not much information can be found yet on this municipality on the internet or tourist guide books. Nochistlan is neither modern nor very rural and it might not have facilities for demanding tourists. Perhaps, for this reason that one should visit the place to discover its unspoiled natural beauty where mountains and the sky seem to meet. Visiting a ranch is highly recommended especially for those who are not familiar with cattle raising and those who love horse back riding. People who love hiking, Notchistlan is a place to be. There are internet cafes. Finding a hotel might be a problem so it is good to inquire from Efrain or the local municipal office for information. He might be able to help in finding an appropriate bed and breakfast service.

Aha....after Efrain read my blog, he told me that there are actually four hotels in his hometown but he kept it from my knowledge so we will stay in the house of his parents. Thank you Efrain.

Address:

Efrain Jimenez M.
First-Vice President
Federacion de Clubes Zacatecanos del Sur de California
1332 N Miller Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90063
Tel 323 262 1360
Fax 323 262 1462
Cell 818 384 2674
efrainjim@aol.com
http://www.federacionzacatecana.org/

For more information about Nochistlan, please visit:

http://www.nochistlan.gob.mx/

http://www.nochistlenses.org/

Dutch foundation donates sewing machines and machine shop tools

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:15:00 +0000

Stichting Gered Gereedschap is a nation-wide organization of volunteers which collects and refurbishes used tools for the benefit of small scale projects in Africa, Asia and Latin-America. Its head office in Amsterdam co-ordinates ± 200 collecting points where companies, organizations, and individuals donate their tools. In accordance with standard quality requirements these tools are refurbished, cleaned and repaired in over 30 independent workshops. Stichting Gered Gereedschap is a registered non-governmental organisation with neither political nor religious affiliations. The work of the foundation is financed through fundraising, sponsorships and private donations.

Sewing machines for Housley Multi-purpose Cooperative, Inc.

The women cooperative of Lower Mabuhay village in Bansalan is the happy recipients of the sewing machines from Gered Gereedschap. The members are sewing stylish and marketable T-shirts as their source of income. The small cooperative is already making T-shirts and uniforms for local police force, school, and some organisations. Their main concern at the moment is additional capital so they can buy the cloth in bulk straight from the factory in Manila where prices are much cheaper than buying them in the city. We would like to thank Gered Gereedschap and Ms Sylvia van den Berg of the Netherlands for their support without which these two projects will not be materialized.

My hometown is also lucky to receive machine shop tools from Gereed Geredschap through Kapatiran Philippines. To ensure proper implementation, Kapatiran Phil. turned over the tools to Advanced Computer Technical School (ACTS), an accredited school which offers automotive course. An agreement was also reached that Kapatiran Phil. and Association of Bansalenos Worldwide (a virtual community of former residents of Bansalan who now live abroad) could recommend scholars. ACTS will grant the scholars 50% discount of the tuition fees.

The turn-over ceremony

Opening the crates

A group picture of members of the Board of ACTS and Kapatiran Philippines.

Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Kapatiran Phil. and ACTS

The Sights that lighten my heart

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:23:00 +0000

Mirelle, a wild duck, chose to lay her eggs in a corner of my garden in Gouda. I watched her everyday laying her eggs. On a bright Easter Sunday 2006, the eggs were hatched. It was a sight to behold when Mirelle finally left her nest and led her brood to the nearby canal.

When I arrived in my home in Bansalan, I was surprised to see this hen laying eggs in a corner of my front garden. She reminded me of Mirelle. A few days after Christmas the eggs were hatched.

This is a carabao or water buffalo. Carabao is considered as a farmer's best friend in the Philippines. She is pregnant.

The bird of Paradise
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG106

http://www.thewisegardener.com/Bird_of_Paradise.htm

Sunchild's Favorite Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:23:00 +0000

The villa of the Rockefeller Foundation

Lake Coumo, Bellagio, Italy
July 2006

Sunset in Fort Myers, Florida
July 2006

Literary Collections

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 17:20:00 +0000

Two Wars
(and I just sit and watch)

Let there be love
But no one listens, no one hears
Let there be peace, but no one cares
No one dares.

Let there be war!
Suddenly tanks rumble on,
Cluster bombs fall
Mortal targets hit
Young and old
And they claim they charge
With surgical precision

The Devil's Pact is broken
"Shock and awe" the battle cry
I shiver with disbelief
Brothers against brothers
From the fertile land of Mindanao
to the glowing desert of Baghdad
The ground trembles
As the fighting goes on.

Blood spatters
Mangled bodies everywhere
Desperate, hallow cries of
Innocent men, women and children
But no one hears them in the wilderness
Their faint voices snuffed by
Drumfire of the raging war

War turns love songs into dirge
Laughter into bitter tears
The greed to wage war
In the name of peace
It is a shame
Will peace really come?
Will it be soon?

I see crimson fireballs as the
night falls in Baghdad
I sit and watch until I hear another
explosion and destruction in Mindanao
I sit and watch in shocked and awe
I see Mindanao through
the night sky over Baghdad
Two wars thousands of miles apart
And I just sit and watch
I just sit and watch

24 March 2003
(after watching CNN)

Women Peacemakers

We, women from distant lands
War, injustice, poverty and intolerance
Separated us from our loved ones
We fled, we crossed the seven seas
We sought refuge
We left our tormented countries behind
Hoping to find warmth and helping hand
A better place to find rest
Bitter memories we tend to forget
But like the rushing waves of the ocean
They keep on coming back.

The colors of our skin differ
Our religion is not the same
You are what you are
And I am what I am
Although I have not understood all this
Why for some being different really matters
What I know, we are women.

We give love, we build peace
While others make war
We know we cannot just close our eyes
There’s so much goodness in this world
A just and lasting peace is worth fighting for.

One day peace will come
Someday justice prevails
It will because we will make it happen
This is our undying promise
To make the difference
Women of peace
We must not pause, we must not be quiescent
Until our weary soul finds rest.

28 June 2003

Stand up and be counted

You count how many peddlers
walk in a dusty pebbled road
under the scorching heat of the sun
arms outstretched
his own fate he could not command.

You count how many paupers
plunge into darkness
amidst daylight and
lose a thousand hopes
a thousand dreams
for even the right to hope
is no longer his own.

You count how many mothers
cry in anguish
in so much pain
for her right to caress her child
could never be the same.

You count how many lilies
open their petals not in springtime
You count how many wild birds
Singing tunes out of rhyme.

You count how many thousand lives
struggle for a piece of bread
in order to survive.
You count how many deaths have been offered
to give meaning to a wretched
meaningless life.

And yet it is when life is full of miseries
of anguish
of pain
of hunger
and of poverty
that each man and woman stands up
to give hope to a morbid sorrow
to give life to a dying promise
to give rhyme to a song and
to be counted.

Remember 17th of April

one day in april summer
the fiery sun angrily radiates
its glaring rays
a huge ball of fire
giving life but also drying both land and fields.

One day in april summer
Grasses in the meadow
Turned green then golden hue
Flowers vainly spread their petals
Vanity even mortals envy.

One day in april summer
You were with me
Scheming, dreaming dreams that can never be
The gentle strokes on my hair
The touch on my blushing cheeks
The hurrays I heard for every victory
Bring me back to the good old days.

April comes, april goes
Come 17th of april
The promise reached its fulfillment.

You were there
Calm. Not moving. Lifeless.
The countenance I’ll never forget.
Death has finally come to you
Succumb to the eternal quiescence
Obedient to the will of the Maker
Or is it really His will?

Ah death in april how will I forget even
Amidst my most silent contemplation
The Wednesday’s child
I adore, love and behold
A child of the Maker
Who dreams nothing but to live
And transcends his life to the Maker
Just to be dust once again.

Rain in unforgettable april summer
Listening to the music
Driving me insane
It is the dirge
My dirge
Who has been deserted

All because of 17th of april.
Remember?

The construction of Kapatiran Multipurpose Center

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 22:06:00 +0000

Since 1998, I have been supporting women organisations in various villages of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. The poor enterprising women took the initiatives in finding meaningful ways to improve their economic condition. They initiatied pig dispersal projects, nursery seedling, sewing cooperatives, and basic literacy program. They have been supported by various donors in the Netherlands.

In 2003, seeing the need for a steady source of capital, the Kapatiran Microfinance program was set up. The program is still going on run and managed by a small staff. To improve their service delivery and to have a space for their office and various
development skills training, the idea of constructing a multi-purpose center was born.

Thanks to the assistance of Economic Center for Migrants and Overseas Employees (ERCMOVE) which is based in the Netherlands, Kapatiran Philippines' dream to have a center will soon be materialised. the Mayor of the Municipality of Bansalan also provided significant support by providing sand, earth, and gravel to fill the lot. He provided 40 trips of dump truck loaded with sand, earth and gravel.

Financial supported has been extended by ETWA, Wilde Ganzen, NCDO, Seva Network, and several other individuals.

Our gratitude to the following people who have contributed to this project:

Nes and Ceny Duldulao, USA
Art and Essie Claveria, USA
Ceasar Torres, USA
Efrain Jimenez, USA
Gil Acaba, Australia
Ozden Yalim, The Netherlands
Eddie Cruz, The Netherlands
Rolando Calizo, The Netherlands
Corazon Dee, The Netherlands
Gerard and Saskia de Vries, The Netherlands
Frans and Heleen Hess, The Netherlands
Warner and Strategy, The Netherlands

The construction of the building finally started last December. From the pictures below, you will see the progress of the construction. I will aim post more pictures as soon as I receive new ones.

February 22, 2007

January 2007

December 2006

The most-awaited ground-breaking finally started.

Views of Mt. Apo: At least from the foothills

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:46:00 +0000

When you part from your friend,
you grieve not;
for that which you love most in him
may be clearer in his absence,
as the mountain to the climber
is clearer from the plain.
--Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), The Prophet (1923), On Friendship

When you leave your hometown, a part of you is left behind. Childhood memories remained etched in ones memories. I love the mountains and the simple life the village people lead. The villagers are hard-working people. They live with what they have but they always have smiles on their faces. Tired and weary of poverty and yet full of spirit and hope for the future. There must be a way for them to rise up from poverty.

I am happy I had a chance to visit the village of Balutakay, the "vegetable garden of Bansalan."

Mount Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines and overlooks Davao City, a few kilometres to the northeast.

Mt. Apo was first climbed on October 10, 1880 by a party led by Don Joaquin Rajal.

Mount Apo is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the country. The summit is very easy to reach, unlike other mountains such as Mount Halcon and Mount Banahaw. On May 9, 1936, Mount Apo was declared a national park by President Manuel L. Quezon. The mountain is home to over 270 bird species, with more than a hundred that are endemic.

A stratovolcano, Apo is flat topped, with three peaks. A source of geothermal energy, the time of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historic times.

From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Apo

My Son and Bansalan

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:43:00 +0000

(I’ve been writing my journals since I was 19. From time to time I re-read some of my entries, the period when my two boys were just small kids. I remembered that when my eldest son Michael was just 5 years old we had an interesting conversation about my hometown Bansalan, Davao Del Sur. The mother-and-son conversation went more or less this way…)

Why is the color of your eyes black, Mamma?

Because I am a Filipino.

What is a Filipino?

Look, son. The people here in the Netherlands are called Dutch just like your Papa. I am from the Philippines and so I am Filipino. Every country – and there are many countries all over the world – has a name for their own people.

But where is the Philippines located, Mamma?

It’s a distant country, far from where we are now. That’s where your grandma lives. You only reach it if you take the plane and travel night and day.

How come you are here in Holland?

Oh, that’s a long story. Maybe I will tell you next time.

Are there tigers and elephants in the Philippines?

Oh no, where did you get the idea?

What about monkeys?

Sure there are still monkeys!

What about snakes? Do you have snakes in the Philippines?

Yes. I remember when I was your age, I saw snakes a couple of times crawling by the riverbank not far from your grandma’s house. I was told they were not of the dangerous type, but just the same, I was terribly scared.

Are there plenty of big trees where Oma Helen (Lola Helen) lives?

Yes. A long time ago, I used to climb our guava and mango trees, but the fruit trees are not there anymore. They cut the trees because we needed space for our house and garden. We had also plenty of trees, really big ones in the forests. You know your grandma lives near the foothills of Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. We don’t have mountains here in Holland so I cannot make a comparison. You know the tall Euromast in Rotterdam, don’t you? Well, our mountains are much taller than the Euromast. But there are not much trees anymore in our forests.

Where have all the trees gone?

Where? I remember there was a logging company operating in our town. Your grandpa used to work in the sawmill as a mechanic. Everyday large trucks transported many trozos, big timbers from the mountain and brought them to the sawmill. Where they brought the lumber I exactly don’t know. But I vaguely heard stories when his workmates came to our house for a drink; I still remember they talked about some Japanese guests visiting the sawmill. Funny, but I was six or maybe seven years old then, almost like your age, and somehow I still remember their faces.

When we visit Oma, can I take a swim in the river?

What about the river? Oh yes, the river. I remember taking a bath there early in the morning before going to school. We also washed our clothes there especially on Saturdays. You know what? I also enjoyed catching small fish called paitan with friends in the neighborhood. Alas, there are no fish anymore, and the water has become very dirty and shallow. Too bad, you cannot swim in the river anymore.

Why is your hair black, Mamma?

Because I am a Filipino and most Filipinos have black hair.

Is the Philippines near Africa? The people there also have black eyes and black hair. I saw them on TV?

Oh no. The Philippines is located on the opposite side of the globe. Let me show you. It’s here, down here. See that group of islands? It’s called an archipelago.

Are there also soldiers in the Philippines? There are plenty of them in Africa.

Oh yes, my son. Plenty of them.

Do they shoot and kill people?

Yes, they do. Sometimes. Several times. Many times, I guess. There are people who carry guns in the Philippines and just shoot anyone.

But why? Are the Filipinos bad?

No, they are not bad my son. It’s actually like this. There are plenty of people in the Philippines who are poor, very poor. They have no money to buy food, clothes and medicine. Parents have no money to send their children to school and to buy them toys. They want to change the situation. They want to improve their lives and to have a better future for their children. But some people do not like that the poor will change the situation. Some want change and they use guns to.... But why are you asking so many questions?

Because I want to know!

But why do you want to know so much? I can’t go on answering all of them.

Because I wonder why I have brown eyes. Your eyes are black, and Pappa has blue. Where did I come from Mamma?

My son, that’s all for today. Next time I will tell you more. When you are a bit bigger you will find out for yourself the answers to your questions. Now, do you already know why your Mamma has black eyes?

What about your eyes? I don’t remember what you said. I’m so sleepy.

Go to bed my son. Someday I hope you will remember. I really hope so just like I remember.

Published in MindaNews, 17 December 2005

Making a Difference: Bansaleño Expats Give Back

noreply@blogger.com (SUNCHILD) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 18:13:00 +0000

My present job provides me with rare opportunities to work with African, Asian and Latin migrant organizations which actively support small development projects in their countries of origin. Watching them how they help their own communities made me wonder whether my fellow Bansaleño expats have also inclinations to help our hometown. Beyond sending money to their direct families, are they also willing to contribute to the development of our hometown?

For several years now, I was mulling over linking Bansaleño expats with Kapatiran Philippines, Inc (KPI), a small non-governmental organization which I helped set up in Bansalan in 1998. However, it was a daunting task to get their addresses until I came across the Bansalan website, which was constructed by Edwin Bibera, a fellow Bansaleño now living in Fullerton, California. After giving some comments about the website, I tried to ask him if he was willing to maintain – on a voluntary basis – the website of KPI. “No problem,” Edwin assured. “At least I can do something for our hometown.”

Great! Now, there were two of us doing something for our hometown. But the question is: Where are the rest?

Unknowingly, on the first week of November 2005, Edwin’s website was noticed by some Bansaleños and even those now living in other parts of the world. This was when Edwin posted new articles and pictures of popular places of our town. One particular picture – that of the ABC Gym – caught the attention of Imee Mabandos-Schneider of Frankfurt, Germany. Her compelling message urging Bansaleños to help renovate the dilapidated gym triggered off a series of e-mail exchanges.

In her e-mail message, Imee warm-heartedly recalled various events – such as basketball tournaments, dances, and large official functions and other activities of the various schools and community, among others – were held in the gym. “ABC had been a great part of our growing up years in Bansalan,” she wrote. “In the spirit of (forthcoming) Christmas, we can give back to our hometown by raising the amount of Ph20,000 to at least repaint the façade of the gym.”

The snowball effect of Imee’s initial posting was overwhelming. In no time, Bansaleños residing abroad – Toronto in Canada; Alaska, New York, California, Ohio, and Virginia in the United States; Rotterdam and Gouda in the Netherlands; and Frankfurt in Germany – and even those in Manila and Davao started sending their pledges.

The awe-inspiring response of the Bansaleños resulted to the formation of the virtual community called the Association of Bansaleños or www.Bansaleños.com with “Give Back Campaign: ABC Gym Project” as its initial project. In less than a month, our group raised the amount of Php155,212.00 - almost 8 times more than Imee’s original request.

Curiously enough, the members of Association of Bansaleños have different professional backgrounds and they are doing different types of jobs. While implementing the project, we were discovering our untapped talents, hobbies and interests. We found out we have excellent fund raisers and event organizers in our midst. All these proved to be useful in our campaign.

Aside from renovating the gym, some Bansaleños also decided to raise funds to support the education of poor children our hometown. As of this writing, the “Give Back: Literacy Project” received pledges amounting to Ph 63,500– enough to support the education of 73 elementary school pupils in school year 2006-2007. In fact, some even committed themselves to support the children until they finish their elementary education.

While older folks are very much willing to help, younger generation is also involved. Jane Nique, who now lives in New York, related her conversation with her 17-year-old daughter Nikki: “Nikki shed a tear when she heard the story about the poor children in Bansalan. She offered to sponsor one child. I asked her how she would do it since she’s still a student and without an income. She replied that she can set aside some money from her weekly allowance. She also want to write to a child to encourage him or her to study hard because by the time the child would graduate from elementary, she would already be a nurse. By then, she could support the child’s college education.”

Nikki, however, is not alone. During our visit in Bansalan five years ago, my two sons – Michael and Richard – asked their uncle Joselito why there so many out-of school children in the neighborhood. My brother, a barangay captain, told my two sons that the parents of these children are too poor to send them to school. In fact, he was supporting some of them but had a hard time sustaining the support due to lack of funds.

My two sons offered to help and came up with an idea on where to get the money. “Richard and I just won’t go to McDonalds four times a year Mamma and the money we would save would be given to some children to help them go to school,” Michael volunteered. I told them that if they would do that, I would match what they would have saved. They did – and their initial donation actually started the basic literacy program of Bansalan’s KPI.

I am aware that my fellow Bansaleños have bigger plans for our hometown but they know their contribution is limited. They are willing to support any worthy community projects but they would like also to see local government officials to match what they would do. Hence, taking advantage of her recent Christmas vacation in Bansalan, Imee together with some Davao and Bansalan-based residents presented the plan to the town mayor and his council. Mayor Melchor Arches warmly welcomed the proposed initiative. Today, the renovation of the ABC Gym has become a joint project of the local government unit and the Bansaleño expats.

In the future, the Bansaleños would like to embark on more sustainable development projects in tandem with KPI. (KPI also receives support from Filipino migrant groups based in the United States, the Netherlands and Japan. Kapatiran provides non-collateral micro-credit assistance to about 800 borrowers, 90% of whom are women. With the participation of Bansaleño expats, this makes KPI an example of what hometown associations can do to develop its community of origin.)

Through regular e-mail contacts, I learned several stories about their gift-giving practices. I heard that long before the “Give Back Campaign” was launched, a few were already involved in various family and community projects. For instance, the list of donors who contributed to the renovation of our church included many names of families who have relatives overseas. Thanks to the “start-up capital” from relatives abroad, new small businesses (restaurants, photo services, bakeries, grocery stores, transports, etc) have been set up which stimulate local economic activities and create jobs in the town.

Fact: Those who are working abroad are spending their remittances for the improvement of the economic condition of their families. A case in point is the “Japayuki village,” a small enclave in Bansalan where nice and well-appointed row of houses were built from the money sent to their families by Bansaleños working in Japan. In building the houses, temporary jobs are created for local carpenters and laborers.

Another example is the Nique family – with three siblings now living in New
York – who distributes Christmas gifts (cash money, rice, canned goods, T-shirts, bicycles) every year to indigent children and parents in their barangay.

More recently, I learned that a fellow Bansaleña, who married a German, is now busy developing her small farming village. After building her own house and that of her family, she also purchased a land and subdivided it into small parcels, which she sold to homeless families in our hometown at very low price. Likewise, she opened a grocery store and a bakery in her village and hired local people.

With the aforementioned examples, it finally dawned on me that the Bansaleños are not different from the African, Latinos and Asian migrants whom I worked with. They give back because they feel they still feel they are very much part of the community. They also want to share the blessings they enjoy with those whom they left behind. Perhaps, some unconsciously give back because one day they might return. Whatever their motives are, the Bansaleños are making a difference but not without reason.

In his recollection, Edwin wrote: “So many memories and some of them pass to oblivion. But in retrospect, I didn't really regret living in Bansalan. In fact, I love it there. Like a tree which roots are firmly grounded in that old town, my travels were like branching out to reach new heights: to see more of the world. But it seems like I never left at all. I am always home.”

Daday Amor-Cintron of New Jersey summed up the sentiments of most Bansaleño expats when she wrote: “Seriously, because of the choices we made (and choices we did not make) some of us have ‘wow’ lives and some just plain ‘blah’ lives. Some of our lives are glorious, and others not so glorious. But no matter where in the world we are, we have these experiences and all of God’s graciousness to be thankful for. When I am overwhelmed with the routine drudgery of the fast lane we call life, I think of all the simple things of our past, the humble beginnings of Bansalan. It is safe there.”

Note: The Give Back Campaign is an on-going project of Bansaleños. For more information, please visit: www.bansalan.com. -- ***