General Musings

First of all, I would like to say thank you to everyone that has helped me on my trip... whether it was giving me directions, moral support or the occasional tw0-beer, I had a great time and wanted to thank you again, even though I could never thank you enough.

Secondly, over the past 48 hours of traveling I have had the opportunity to reflect on my trip a bit and have determined that it was one of the greatest decisions I have made.  Aside from the fact that I learned an exponential amount about microlending and microcredit (which was the initial goal of the trip), I learned even more about a different culture and some of the circumstances the people of the Philippines face from day to day.  Even though the area I went to is considered one of the poorest (over 70% under the poverty line), I need to remind myself that this is the case.  The people of the area, Loan Officers, Branch Managers, Clients, strangers, etc, are not as concerned with the day to day struggles that they face, but you wouldn't think of them as struggles by the looks on all of the person's faces.

I was channel surfing on one of my last days in Catarman and came across a commercial that was on a travel station in which the tag-line was "it's not the places we go, but the people we meet".  This could not be more true.  It was a great trip and I hope to keep this blog up and keep everyone up on my various projects for Fundacion Grameen Pilipinas.  Truly rewarding and life-shaping... thank you.

Jon

Wednesday, March 10, 2009-“Going for a Walk=Getting a Free Massage”

One thing that I haven’t commented on in a while is the food here in the Philippines.  It is described as very rich (due to Spanish influence) and very tasty… both of which are quite true.  Today was possibly one of the best meals I have had while in the Philippines and it was fairly basic.  It was green beans and onions cooked in a coconut oil and extremely good.

After lunch, I got a text from one of the Loan Officers at the branch saying that there were free massages at the Branch… she was the second person in about two hours that had mentioned this to me, I was not sure what it actually meant though.  It turns out, it was actually free massages from massage therapy student who were doing OJT… or “on the job training”… I got some pictures… and it was good.

On a side note, or a main note, whichever way you would like to think about it, I am closing in on the end of my trip and have a lot going on over the next few days.  I am not sure I will be posting anything until I get to Korea where I will be spending 12 hours in the airport… so, that being said, I just wanted to let all of you know that have appreciated all of your support and emails, they all mean a lot to me.  To everyone in the Philippines, thank you for all that you have done for me!  It has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it would not have been possible without all of you making it a trip of a lifetime.  Salamat (thank you)!  That being said, I still do have four full days here and I am looking forward to a great last part of my week.  I am sure I will have plenty of stories to tell once I get to Korea, but until then… keep your ears to the grindstone…

Jon… out!

Monday and Tuesday, March 9th and March 10th, 2009- “Jeepney’s are Just Plain Fun”

I am not sure how much I have talked about Jeepney’s, but I am going to indulge you a bit now that the novelty of riding in one has run out, I was ready to observe some of the intricacies of the auto-transport:

A Jeepney is a bus with a Jeep Wrangler-like front.  It is loud and old, but it is not short on character.  Every Jeepney has it’s own flair on it.  Many of them possess the symbol of their favorite NBA team or NBA teams (it is better to cover all of your bases) and there are colors galore coating the outside, but all done in a coordinated fasion… greens, purples, reds, oranges, oh my.  The inside is decorated by various accessories, including “God Bless Us” signs, wood-paneling and, the main decoration, people.  The most people I have seen on one is about 35.  It is impressive, because the Jeepney probably comfortably seats 15 or so.

There are people crawling all over the thing… sometimes on the hood, but always on the roof.  I should have known what I was getting myself into when the person sitting across from me made the “sign of the cross” when they sat down.  Also, the person sitting next to me fell asleep on my back while I was riding… it was pretty funny.  I felt a bit flattered that she felt that comfortable next to me (she was older, probably 50).  One person actually got on the bus and their was not a seat for her to sit in… that didn’t stop her… she sat on a strangers lap… I would assume this is not an infrequent occurance… as neither of them seemed to be phased whatsoever. 

I was wondering how this form of transportation was possible and how there wasn’t massive corruption in collections on the Jeepney runs.  I was under the assumption that a Jeepney was a Provincial operation and was governed like the operations in the United States.  Not that I was really concerned with the issue of collection, but my worries were put to rest when I was told that Jeepney’s are entirely a private operation.  My main concern was due to the fact that the “conductor” (person that collects the money) is very far removed from the driver (I would assume that these positions are interchangeable, unlike the railroad)… the conductor hangs off of the back of the Jeepney for the entire ride and looks to confiscate money from potential free-riders.  Speaking of which, free-riders have the most dangerous con in all the game.  The free riders wait for a bus to come to a stop at their stop and then as the bus is ready to go, the Jeepney accelerates and the free-rider jumps off the top of the Jeepney and lands in a casual gate as if they are just a passer by… I have seen it a couple times… the most classic was the most recent when a kid (probably 15) jumped off the top while a guy was carrying a log by the jeepney, he proceeded to grab the end of the log and “assist” the transporter until the Jeepney passed… I am pretty sure the conductor knows when these things happen, but it is still entertaining to watch.

As I have said before, about really any form of transportation in the Philippines, Jeepneys are no exception to the “size-constraint” they pose for a person of greater than 5’ 8”.  This problem is further compounded when Julian and I are sitting next to eachother.  Both of our knees extend well across the “center-boundary line” which is non-existent and is really more of a suggestion.  Our heads hit the top of the Jeepney on every bump, but it’s just okay (that’s what they say here… it’s priceless… that joins my sayings, along with two-beer and one-glass).  Jeepney’s are a blast, and if you don’t have any other experience in the Philippines, you have to have one of these!

I was actually thinking if anyone wanted to join me in starting a Jeepney company in Kansas City, let me know.  I have many ideas, including having mannequans bolted to the roof to simulate the people that actually ride on the roof of the one’s here.  In addition, the Jeepney’s have their own unique horn for warning… I came up with an idea a long time ago that there should be different horns you can press for different situations… but I’m pretty sure that this would be against the USTA (if that is what it’s called)… not the Tennis Association.  Anywho, if I come up with anything else regarding Jeepneys, I will let you know.

Sunday, March 8th, 2009-“A Mini-Barahay”-I probably didn’t spell that right… and JEEPNEYS!

On Thursday of last week the Victoria Branch had invited Julian and I to the beach for a fiesta on Sunday, so we happily agreed to attend.  After some preparation and apprehension about riding a Jeepney by ourselves, we were off (more on Jeepney’s in a later post)!

The beach was a bit different experience than the beaches we were at before.  It actually had about a hundred people playing in the water and kids and adults alike frolicking around like they were, well, kids.  There was badminton, volleyball, intertubes, food and no two-piece swim suits.  The group of people we were with were interested in hearing the differences between going to the beach in the U.S. and going in the Philippines.  This is a segment I like to call “sames and differences”:

Same:  There are people at the beach in both the US and PH.

Different:  The majority of the people in the US know how to swim, PHs do not for some reason… I have mentioned this before… pay attention!

Same:  There is food at the beach in both the US and PH.

Same:  Trash receptacles are not observed as existing in either place.

Different:  Two-piece swimsuits are common in the US, in PH whatever you happen to wear that day is fine!

Same:  Sand gets everywhere.

Different:  I am very white… they are not….

Overall the beach was a great time and it was very relaxing to go out into the crystal clear ocean…  In addition, we “planted” many chicken bones in the sand and I hope to come back to find that they have grown into a full chicken (just a joke… see “trash receptacle” comment above).  Julian headed back to the ranch and I prepared for church.

Church in the Philippines is probably the biggest event of the weekend.  I am pretty sure everyone in the community attends at least one service.  Even in a town the size of Catarman (60K people) one of the main Catholic churches holds at least 6 masses on Sunday… one in English… so I go to that one… even though I am not Catholic.  Which brings me to my next point, I could probably go to the Tagalo mass and get the same out of it, because I just go for the relaxation and to focus on other things… that, and I can’t really understand a word the priest says (because the echo is bad, not his English).  In additon to this, I have determined a few things about churches in general:

1.     The priest or minister always chooses songs that are long when their homily/sermon is short.  Just so they fill the hour-alotment.

2.     The priest (in a Catholic Church) chooses to sing all parts of the mass when their homily is short.

3.     The congregation doesn’t like to sing along… it doesn’t matter if you are in the US or in the Philippines (who is the most vocally talented country I have ever heard), people just don’t like to sing at church.

4.     It is much easier to go to church here because I don’t have to put on a button up shirt and slacks… it’s like swimming, you just go in what you are wearing (for my mom, I did change after the beach to go to church though)!

5.     The church is usually the nicest building in the community (same holds true in the US).

6.     It’s on Sunday (sometimes Saturday, occasionally Wednesday, hardly on Tuesday, and masses are daily… follow?)

After church, we went out for a few drinks (me and some co-workers and sir Vivencio)… I sang “Great Balls of Fire” and called it a night… all was right with the world.

Saturday, March 7th, 2009-“Waterfalls=Jonfalls”

Wow, is all I can say (anyone that knows me, knows that that is not true… so here we go).  There have been many experiences on this trip that could only be experience if a local privied you to the information, this was definitely one of them.  Julian and I prepared for our trip to Lope De Vega and the waterfalls not knowing what to expect, but we prepared anyways.  Much like any day in Catarman that I decide to go outside, it was raining.  Unlike any other day in Catarman, I was told that I was to be the one transporting Julian and Diana to the mountains (luckily I had a motorbike).  This was the second (see previous post) time that this has occurred.  But I was up for a challenge… in the rain… with three people on a motorbike (two of which are a bit over-sized for a motorbike).

The ride was quite fun and I had a good time driving.  It took about an hour and twenty minutes, but it was totally worth it.  While we waited for our other companions to arrive, we mingled with Diana’s relatives.  I ate chicken intestine and Julian played basketball.  I stick with the food… Julian sticks with the athletics.  Once the crew arrived we were off!

Our tour guides (Diana’s cousins) were very nice and they charged a nominal amount (they didn’t charge anything, but I bought them some cigarettes) for a great journey.  The first part of the trek involved a 20 foot decent down about a 45 degree mud hill… I made it about halfway before my Caucasian feet gave way and I slid the rest of the way… it was kind of like skiing without skis… it was great!  The rest of the trek was pretty similar, trekking up and down hills, fording rivers… barefoot… all to enjoy the amenities at the end… the waterfall!

The waterfall was about 25 feet tall and had a pool about 20 feet wide… it was great!  The food we had packed had made the trek better than me and Julian and was delicious.  The Loan Officers we were with had prepared fried fish, bebe (clams) and green beans, rice, chicken and chicken intestines for our journey.  It was delicious and great after I performed two “graceful” jumps off of the cliff into the water.  One thing that should have been brought was mosquito repellant.  I think I probably got at least 20 mosquito bites while we ate (only about 10 minutes).  I only got it half as bad as Donna (loan officer) did.  I think she had that many on one leg.  It was really fun and our tour guides were great.

There is a saying “As sure-footed as a mountain goat” which I am changing to “as sure footed as a Filipino”.  It was impressive, they would trek from here to there with no problem, while Julian and I would carefully place our feet in every step and still ended up falling about 15 times on the way there.  The way back was much the same, but not quite as bad.

The drive back, however, was an adventure in itself.  I was employed to drive back (obviously), but it was turning to dusk and I was a bit weary about driving at night… especially when your headlight doesn’t work!  It was okay though, I am typing this to you today!

Friday, March 6th, 2009-“Mosquitos are a Cross Between A Criminal Investigator and Pit-bull”

I can explain.  They are like a criminal investigator because they can find any exposed area of skin.  I have worn long-sleeves and pants pretty much the entire time I have been here.  I have put OFF! on all parts of my ankles, wrists and neck.  Mosquitoes do an investigation of my body and then they can pinpoint the exact area of where I missed my coverage.  Once finding this area, they are like a rabid Pit-bull, relentless and with no-mercy.  Catubig may have been the worst of it (although I would be proven wrong on Saturday).  I got a mosquito bit on the bottom of my foot!  How does this happen?!

Anywho, the mosquito bites are just part of the experience.  I get about 5-10 a day, but only a couple really bother me, it’s just okay.  Friday, however, was a great day.  I realized before we left that this was going to be my last attendance of center meetings, so I was looking forward to taking in the experience even more than before.  I have been attentive at every meeting, but was looking forward to these even more.

It is funny what you get out of everything in life, but attending these center meetings finally hit me where I thought they would hit from the get-go.  One of the members at the first center meeting was talking about her business (or livelihood) and she had the most sincere look of concern on her face.  It was the most genuine and most fearful concern I have ever seen.  I thought to myself “this is why this program is here and this is why FGP is such a great thing”.  It hit me pretty hard, but gave me a new sense of energy to commit the rest of my trip to helping these people in any way that I can… in whatever capacity that is.

It was later told to me that the two centers we observed in the morning were extremely poor and considered some of the poorest in the country.  You would have never guessed it by riding through the towns.  While poor in goods and money, everyone had a grin on their face and they were all out and about working and doing various activities.  Like I said before, many of these people have a different livelihood than those on the coast.  For one, they do not have the coast, so fishing is not one of their livelihoods, so that has to be replaced with rice farming.  The Sari-Sari store is still prevalent, but their lives revolve around the farming of rice.  One problem the area has had since the 80’s and 90’s is deforestation.  The cutting down of trees can cause the ground to become less stable and cause for severe erosion.  As such, in heavy rains, the hills of Catubig and Las Navas become unstable and landslides occur often, causing death, destruction and devastation to the region.  This can leave the rice farmers out of business for quite some time.  This is just one of the many problems the region faces. 

The rest of the day consisted of riding back to Catarman on the back of Bimbooy’s bike with Andy sitting behind me… it was a bit tight… and tiring.  We got back to the Hina Branch and I was ready to go to bed after a couple of beers… of course.  We went to a local hot spot that was called Rancho Gloria.  It was quite different than any of the other bars we had been to before.  It was all open air (with a few exceptions) and was partially over water and very big.  It was quite fun and I was intrusted to take everyone back to their respective houses… this causes me to be the one to take three people on a motorbike back to Catarman.  Little did I know it was just preparation for tomorrow.

Thursday, March 5th, 2009-“A Full Day for Good Times”

Usually when I have a title like that it means one of two things… this post is going to be really long because a lot happened, or a post that is really short because I had too good of a time at videoke… well, unfortunately for you, this is going to be both!

The day started off with an hour motorbike ride to the Province of Laoang, the branch I was at for the previous two days.  The trip included a stop at one of the centers for Laoang to perform a CGT.  I am not sure what CGT stands for, but it is basically an overview of the history of NSCAP/FGP and the various products offered by NSCAP.  A CGT is performed for new clients and is used as a teaching tool for the clients to make sure they know what they are getting into, so there are no surprises… on either end.  It was the first CGT that I had attended, while it was in Tagalo, there was a cheat sheet that was in English, so I could follow.

After the CGT, Dexter took me another 45 minutes or so to the town of Catubig.  Catubig is a bit different than the other Provinces because it is a land-locked province, unlike all of the other provinces I have visited, which have been coastal communities.  Due to the geography of the province, the livelihoods (or businesses) of clients were a bit different than those of coastal communities (more on that tomorrow).  The day was filled with many exciting adventures (all normal day-to-day operations for NSCAP employees), including a hanging bridge.  I don’t know if any of you out there have seen the second Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom (I only saw it once, not as good as the others and I refuse to even admit the newest one as an Indiana Jones), but there is a bridge that goes across a crevasse that is about a 100-foot span with a 100 foot drop… we did that!  Except there was water at the bottom of my drop, only about 20 feet to fall first…  The loan officers “let” me go first and I was off.  When I got to the middle, there were kids that were swaying the bridge back and forth, I could have sworn that I was going to flip over… but I stayed in one piece and my camera lived to fight another day.

After the bridge, we visited some clients and I asked them what they did with their loans and how it has helped them.  It was a good experience and I am grateful that the employees took me on the journey.  After the hanging bridge, we went to one of the Loan Officer’s house to have halo-halo.  Halo-halo is a staple in the Philippines when it is hot out (and it is always hot out).  It is a mixture of fruit, what seems to be jello/tapioca, ice, coconut, coconut milk, beans (yes, beans) and corn (yes, I said corn).  It is pretty good, but I would prefer a milk shake (no offense to the halo-halo, just my preference).

We got back to the branch and had a rest for a bit, Andy (the Branch Manager) took me out on his cousin’s scooter to show me the area and a bit of the town.  It was very nice and I am extremely happy that everyone is so accommodating.  I would not be able to see all of the various intricacies Northern Samar has to offer without all of their hospitality.  On the “tour” we went to a developing highway that is supposed to be completed soon.  It was a Thursday, but for some reason, there was no-one working.  There were, however, about 12 very large trucks ready for work, with no operators (you are probably picturing Thomas the Train right now, with the trucks as part people and part machine… it was kind of like that).

At the branch, the power went out and the workers were very worried for me because it was very hot in the branch during a brown out.  So, in order to cool off, I sat outside.  There were two kids that sat and talked to me for about 45 minutes and tried teaching me Tagalo.  One kid, who said he was in sixth grade, was very good at English and we had a complete conversation (as much as you can with a 10 year-old at least).  He taught me a few words and he was entertained by me, but not as much as I was entertained as I was… it was a good time.  Since it was about six and some of the branch workers needed to get some work done, they completed their work via candlelight, it was quite industrious (a word Andy used)… I told them it was a good way to cut costs at the branch, not to mention morale.  We went and had dinner a bit later by candlelight, it was very romantic (me and three guys and a girl).

After dinner, we went back to the branch for a bit and sat around and coversed.  I was about five seconds from saying I was ready to go to bed when Andy walked outside, closed and locked the door and said, “Are you ready to go?”  I guess so?  We ended up going to a client’s house that had videoke (she used the loan to purchase the machine).  She was extremely nice and obliged to me even when I wanted to sing.  I was a singing fool.  The first song I chose was “Country Road” by James Taylor.  I thought it was “Country Road” by John Denver, I was very wrong and made a fool of myself.  I followed with much more impressive renditions of “Hound Dog”, “Angels” and “Always a Woman”.  We had a couple beers (“one-glass” observed). 

Two terms I will use going forward... in the same sentence… “Would you like to join me for two-beer and one-glass?”

The power came back on and we all rejoiced.

Wednesday, March 6th, 2009-“Laoang is a Laoang Ways Away”

Tuesday I had the same motorbike ride as Wednesday, but for some reason Wednesday took it’s toll on me.  The motorbike ride is approximately an hour and fifteen minutes from Catarman, which is fine, but I was nearly exhausted from the previous day, but that wasn’t going to stop me from the occasional good times (which happen a lot in the Philippines, making them not-occasional).  Laoang was not short on these either.

The previous day we had visited the government offices of Laoang to get the proper business permits for NSCAP to operate.  While there, I am not sure, but I think I might have promised to marry a couple of the governmental employees… it was in the local dialect so I had no idea what I was nodding and smiling to… but one time I did it, they all busted out in laughter and Dexter (the Branch Manager of Laoang) said something to the effect of “They like you”… I said that I am just a different face in a different place… and that was pretty much it… I did manage to grab a picture of the engagement party though.  Very nice.

Lunch on Thursday consisted of lunch at one of the Loan Officers house’s.  It was very nice and I ate a lot… I could probably say that I have gained all of my weight back that I have lost since arriving here in one sitting.  I also met the son of the Loan Officer, he was probably 16 months old and was extremely cute.  He was old enough to show me the sign of respect.  I don’t think that this was covered in prior posts, but the local way of showing respect to elders (namely, family members) is to take their hand and, as you would go to kiss the top of their hand in a European culture, the Filipino culture puts the top of their (elder’s) hand on their own forehead (the younger person’s)… it is a great way to see the interaction between the younger and the elder… I think the kid just didn’t know who I was, so he did it to me, it was very nice.

Thursday was another fiesta for one of the daughters of a client.  The daughter had just been baptized and there was much celebration.  There was one difference between this fiesta and prior fiestas however… it was at 11 in the morning.  Lechon was served and goodness ensued and I was not famished anymore.  Also, a child at the fiesta showed me the sign of respect as well, twice in one day!  It must have been my luck day!  Upon returning the Branch, I noticed there was a parked Jeepney next to the branch, I had to take advantage of the situation so I took some pictures for your viewing pleasure… including one of me being the conductor.  More on Jeepney’s later.

Thursday night was another fiesta, including a trip to Dexter’s house with Bimbooy (I just realized yesterday that I was spelling his name wrong this whole time… sorry) and Sir Vivencio.  It was a great time with great food and brandy (and the “one glass” rule was properly in effect).  The night was good and I apparently promised to give my camera to Dexter after having one too many… luckily, he did not demand payment and, as  you would know if you took business law, the contract would not be binding… but that is for a different discussion that would probably put you to sleep… not that you aren’t already.

Tuesday March 3rd, 2009-“Links, Links, and More Links… and a Bit of History Correction”

First of all, I took the liberty of looking up some links for your viewing pleasure.  I highly recommend all of them, but if you only have a few minutes, I will put them in order of “must sees”.

Music:

Rivermaya (Band):  214 (song): Ricky Blanco (singer) http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=rico+blanco&aq=0&oq=rico+bla

Closer to You (song):   Toothpaste Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqCKYaZuQE

Sponge Cola (Band):  Pasubali (Song): http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=sponge+cola&aq=f

Milo Commercial (played about every other commercial, the other one is the toothpaste commercial, see above): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4diSl3Rbi8

I will post some more favorites later, but soon to come will be the famous Jollibee theme song, WaWaWee, more music and much much more!

A bit of correction on History:

I read a little bit about Filipino history last night and wanted to set some things straight.  Apparently I was way off on say that there was a Prime Minister in the Philippines.  It is a democracy, so the leader of the nation is the President.  Currently, the president is a Female (the second in the short history of the country).  There were never any military coups to take over the government.  I had briefly read that there was martial law instituted, which is true, during the 1980’s in fear that the he was not being well-liked by his country and was worried the opposing political party would beat him in election (so, like any good president, he ensured his position by instituting martial law… good idea, right?)…

Sunday and Monday, March 1 and 2, 2009-“Coconut Tree=Tree of Life”

Sunday and Monday did not involve a whole lot of exciting news other than the usual.  I went to church and the Head Office, but other than that, nothing too too exciting, so I will take this opportunity to enlighten you on coconut trees.

The coconut tree is considered “the tree of life” for Filipinos.  It is called this because of its many uses, which include the entire tree.  The prawns of the cocunut tree are weaved into, the equivalent of, shingles for housing.  The coconuts themselves are obviously used for their milk, meat and even hollowed out they can be used as a bowl (or in the westerner’s case, a nice accessory for a Luau… coconut bra).  The part that surrounds the coconut, which I have deemed the husk, has the same visage as the husk of corn, but it is much more dry and sturdy, giving it many uses, including kinling to start a fire or mattress padding for a bed or even a pillow.

The base of the tree is very sturdy and is used to creat the many boats that traverst throughout the 7,100-plus islands.  The base is also used, like many other trees, for structural purposes in houses and small stores.

The roots of the coconut tree have long been a source ofremedy for the common headache or cold, thought I have yet to verify this finding, many of my co-workers have expressed great praise in the boiling of the root.

So, instead of bagging up all of those leaves and limbs around your house and giving them to your local disposal company for them to take it to a far-away place, maybe you can find a rightful use for your “unwanted” foliage.  Maybe create a compost , or mulch the leaves and sticks to fill in the holes in your yard… This has been a public service announcement from Jon Nixon, paid for by the Philippines government… just a joke.

Saturday, February 28th, 2009-“Rain, Rain, Go Away”

Today was a great day (now that I am writing this on Wednesday)!  At the time I may not have had the same sentiments, but time has given me some perspective.  But really, the day was great even when it was happening!  Julian and I received a text from one of the Hina Branch employees that they were thinking of going to the beach that day.  I was worried that I was not going to have the proper attire for the beach, as I still do not have any swim trunks… then I remembered the “proper” beach outing included anything BUT swimming.  So, we saddled up and we went to Duncalen Beach (the same beach that we went to with Mme Juneth).

Did I mention that I drove the motorbike there?  Cause I did.  It was the first true test of my skills.  I drove for about 25 minutes straight and only managed to terrify onlookers a handful of time (joking).  We made it there and we joined, unbeknownst to us, with the Branch Manager of Bobon Branch, Laarni.  This is the person’s birthday party I attended earlier in the week and the beach party was nothing short of the birthday party.  Complete with pancit (local noodle that is eaten during birthdays to promote long life… it also happens to promote the satisfaction of the palate… very delicious and I have it frequently, I have extended my life at least 20 years by the amount of pancit I eat), fish, chicken, rice, deserts and, the staple, San Miguel beer… not to mention great company.  I met Laarni’s uncle, Albert, who was in town for vacation, but was currently working in the Middle East as a chiropractor.  He spoke very good English  and was a pleasure to talk to.

Upon arrival, the Hina Branch pawned us off to Laarni (they did not really pawn us off, they were going to get supplies).  I was then formally introduced to the Filipino tradition of sharing one glass between the group during drinking sessions.  I have not really received the formal reasoning behind this, but I do have my theories.  First of all, I have not received the formal reasoning because I usually start drinking and after a couple, I just don’t care… but one of these days I will get it out of them!  Alright, here is Jon’s ideas of why this occurs, there are many:

1.     The use of one glass keeps the dishes down to a minimum and makes drinking sessions much more enjoyable to clean up… i.e. it would not be a big deal to just throw the cup away.

2.     It puts pressure on the person who is drinking to finish quickly because other people are waiting, causing the drinking time to be significantly enhanced.

3.     It also promotes responsibility between the group, nobody can drink more than their lot… they are given a drink and then it passes to the next person, you cannot take seconds.

4.     Taking your time is not an option (see number 2)

5.     It is a sense of community where you only share one glass, and it really does spark more conversation for some reason, I don’t know why (see previous comment regarding “after having a couple”)

The real reason is probably due to something a bit more dramatic, like symbolizing the passing of the one cup at the last supper or something like that… I will get to the bottom of it (the reason, not the glass) and let you know.

After the drinking session, I decided it was time to swim, in my khaki shorts… so I did.  After going out into the ocean about 50 meters and still with the water only up to my waist, I grew tired and turned around.  It was quite refreshing and I had to swim while I was in the Philippines or I am sure I would get made fun of if this did not occur (getting made fun of is something I am willing to accept, as it occurs daily).

After the beach, we decided that it was time to, what else, go to Video-Cinqo (videoke).  Filipinos call videoke “Video-Cinqo” because it costs five (Cinqo) pesos to play a song.  I am not sure what they will call it when the price goes up, probably just video-cinqo still.  We went to a town that was fairly close, San Jose.  It is the hometown of one of the Hina Branch staff, Albert, so he know his way around.  I had also spent a few days in San Jose, but by no means could navigate… I was still driving (don’t worry, the “drinking session” above included actually two-beer and took place over the span of three hours).  Video-Cinqo was fun and I actually found a couple of songs that I could sing… fairly well… not possible, I know.

We departed San Jose around 11 o’clock and headed back to Catarman (approximately 45 minutes away).  When we left, I noticed the gas-light was on and so I stopped the Loan Officers in front of me (Diana and Donna)… Diana cordially turned the gas-intake valve to the “emergency” stash… little did we know that she “accidentally” turned it to the “off” stash… why this is even an option I do not know… but Julian and I puttered out after about 5 meters… causing me to honk the horn continuously, praying that Donna would turn around and come save us in the middle of the pitch-black highway.  Well, it wasn’t quite pitch-black… we managed to run out of gas right in front of the only house within 100 meters that had a group of about 20 people standing outside, wondering what the h*ll these two foreigners were even doing on their street (just kidding, they didn’t say anything, but they did chuckle a bit at us… I have to admit, even I was laughing… terrified of being left, but laughing nonetheless).  As if our troubles couldn’t have gotten worse, we had more to come…

I could think of a hundred things that would be worse than what happened next, but it was still quite comical and miserable at the same time.  It started pouring down rain as we reached the halfway point.  It was raining so hard that the wallet in my back pocket was drenched by the time we got home (even the money was soaking wet… and, yes, I took my wallet out when I went swimming).  It was quite funny and Julian let me borrow his hat so I could see while I drove, it was a life saver, considering I could not see a thing before he put it on my head.  We arrived back in Catarman drenching wet and, for the first time in the Philippines, I was cold.

Friday, February 27th, 2009-“The Life of a Pedi-Cab Driver***”

This is just to give my friends back home an idea of the life of the Pedi-Cab driver, if there are any corrections to be made, please enlighten me!  Thanks.

Since the average time to get up in the morning is around 4:30 A.M. due to the extreme number of roosters in the area, a pedi-cab drivers morning starts very early, as there are many clients that need service that early in the morning.  The pedi-cab driver goes and gets his/her (although I have yet to see a “her”) pedi-cab from the storage unit they use for the night time.  This storage unit is typically rented by the owner of the pedi-cab, who may/may not be the driver.

The long day begins by patrolling the streets for prospective customers.  Granted, I have not been up this early, so I do not know how busy the streets are this early in the morning, but will soon discover.  The day continues with the driver patrolling the streets looking for customers.  A typical ride in Catarman is about 200 meters and costs anywhere from 3 to 5 pesos (although they typically charge me more because I am a foreigner… not a big deal).  It takes about 2 minutes and then the customer is dropped off and another customer, hopefully, is picked up.  There are two approaches to being a pedicab driver.  The first, is what I have just mentioned, patrolling the streets and actively seeking out clients.  This way is probably the way to get the most customers, but it is also the most risky to get customers.  It is very happenstance how a driver gets a customer, being in the right place at the right time plays a major role in the income generated by this method.

The second form of generating business is to form a queue (line) at some of the “hotspots” around Catarman.  These hotspots are few, but there are always potential customers.  The only problem with this method is that there are always other pedi-cab drivers waiting for these customers.  At times, the line of pedi-cabs can stretch to 50-long on either side of the runway (one of the hotspots) and no queue is really formed outside the bus terminal, but there are many many pedi-cabs.  While this is a sure-fire way of getting a consistent amount of business, I would assume this also has the least amount of turnover of customers for the drivers… possibly 25-30 customers per day, whereas, the other method might generate up to 50 customers per day.

The pedi-cab driver cannot afford to take a day off, considering their daily income is only about 100 to 150 pesos or about 2,800 pesos a month (just below the minimum wage line of 3,000 pesos a month).  They work seven days a week and they are always seeking out new business and work very hard.

To give you an idea of the pedi-cab driver population I will give you some food for thought.  I have been here for over six weeks and I have not had one pedi-cab driver that has been the same, that I know of.  The ages of the pedi-cab drivers ranges (from what I believe) is 12 to 65.  There are some pedicab drivers that look like they played college basketball (they are very tall and muscular) and some that look like they might be a horse jockey (very small and thing).  There is no question on their strength however.  Every pedi-cab is the equivalent of a beach cruiser with only one speed.  There are many inclines in Catarman and pedi-cab drivers are able to ascend them with little struggle (although some struggle more than others), even with a passenger (or three) on the bike.

All of the pedi-cab drivers are very nice and talkative (even though their English and my Tagalo are limited), but we converse on my way to my destination.  The typical day for a pedi-cab driver ends around seven p.m. (a 14 hour day).  There are some, probably 30% or so, of pedicab drivers that last through the night and work until 10 or 11.  I would assume these are the younger pedi-cab drivers that do this, as they would have more energy.

Pedicabs Themselves:  Every pedicab has three wheels, two of which are the bike and one is located on the side car.  The side-car has a cover over it to shield the passenger from the rain and sun.  The driver is typically seated well above the handle bars (I think so they can generate more power) and is typically not covered.  Some, pedi-cabs, however, have a self-made cover that protects the driver from the rain and sun.  Since the drivers are not protected from the sun, they typically wear long-sleeved t-shirts to avoid skin diseases.  As a way to help pedi-cab drivers, the current Congressman of Northern Samar, Paul Daza, gave a gift to all pedi-cab drivers and habal-habal drivers.  It is a long-sleeved powder blue t-shirt that displays the slogan for the Congressman: “Progess & Development for Nothern Samar”.  The “P” and the “D” in progress and development are the initials of the Congressman, very clever.

Each pedicab has it’s own unique flare to it.  Some are the same (I would assume these are the ones that are leased by the driver), but the majority of them have something unique to them.  Some of them have covers for the driver, some are painted with a unique patern or colors.  Some have accessories that distinguish their bike from other bikes.

Me in a pedi-cab:  I have probably said this in a prior post, but pedi-cabs are not meant for a person of greater than 5’ 8”.  For the first few days upon arriving in Catarman, I tried to lean back in the pedi-cab (like you would in a normal chair), but quickly found out that any bump we hit in the road would result in the crown of my head being wrapped by the top of the side-car, quite painful the first time.  Recently, I have found that leaning far forward in the seat (with your elbows on your knees) is the most comfortable way to sit.  While bumps are still very common, the “hitting of the head” is minimal.  As far as bumps are concerned, the pedi-cab drivers try to avoid the pot-holes as much as possible, but some are inevitable.  The pedi-cabs do not have shocks of any sort and some of the speed bumps in Catarman feel like I am am going to fall out when we hit them.  In addition, I think it my be planned so that some of your change falls out of your pocket when you hit the bumps.  Kind of like having a really comfortable couch only to have all of your change fall out of your pockets when you lie down.

All in all, the pedi-cab is a major source of transportation.  Due to the extreme weather and heat, it is not ideal to walk everywhere.  Thus, instead of like in a major U.S. city where taking a taxi is prevalent, people take pedi-cabs.  It is convenient, fast and sometimes quite an adventure!

***All recollections of pedi-cab drivers and income are just observations by me, with no real factual amounts.