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March 27, 2004 - To your left, Ms. Makabenta, a teacher at Cassidy Elem School for 37 years (she was my host father's teacher!) sits with the children of 6A. They are displaying some of their new books (the entire Harry Potter series, Encyclopedia Brown and more) and toys received in a big box from my Aunt Myra in California.
Ms. Makabenta is a teacher and the school librarian. There is no money to pay someone else to be a librarian. She has dedicated her life to Cassidy. Good for her and for all her former students. Cassidy Elem was named for Thomas Cassidy, a Thomasite missionary during the American colonial period. |
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Ms. Makabenta is proud of the school's connection to America. I am uncertain of how the American colonial period is remembered here. Some felt it was a good thing for the development for the country. Others don't like it for its imposition on soverign self-rule.
Filipinos are curious whenever I meet them. One of their questions for me is, "do you have a girlfriend?" I don't and this seems to puzzle people. I had not thought about this until recently. Here are some stories about my life along this theme:
One day, some students and I were playing soccer. A girl was waving at us. I thought it was Catherine's sister so I told her so. But she said, "no |
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Kuya Lane, that is not my sister, she is waving at you." Oh! I looked at her. As the girls saw me, one shouted "Kuya Lane, do not look at her! She will melt!" What? It took a while for me to understand that one. Finally, I recognize the girl, run over and say hello. My 6th grade girls thought this was really something. When I came back they said, "Kuya Lane, Ate Lineth is your girlfriend!" No, no no. Thus I endure endless teasing from them. Another day while playing, they saw her again. This time they shouted "Kuya Lane, look, its Ate Lineth!" The whole game stoped. Everyone looked at her and pointed her out for me. This was quite a scene. Imagine a soccer field of little kids pointing at you and calling your name. I am sure this was quite embarassing. |
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Story #2: At the high school there is a young english teacher that I worked with. Whenever I stepped into the teachers' room, the older women would say hello and move to ensure I sat next to the young teacher. At the end of the year they would say, "Oh Annie, look, your boyfriend is here" whenever I arrived. Augh. That is nothing compared to the kids. Sometimes I would visit them during her english class. If I stood 2 feet from her and talked, the whole class erupted in "oooohhhhhh!" Imagine 50 7th graders shouting that. It is a lot of noise. Then they text me, "make sure to dream of Maam Annie." Gee whiz! |
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I am lucky that most teachers at Cassidy are older and they tend to treat me like a son. People that talk to me are middle aged women and kids. Much safer.
One of my favorite things to do is to buy fresh pandesal (bread) and feed the dog and pigs. I do this when no one is around as my family would think I am weird. Pandesal only costs 1 peso ($.02) a piece, so I can buy a whole bunch. Its cheaper than dog biscuts, and the little dog will go nuts for them. |
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When the family labandera does not show up, its Aliw and Rezel who end up with the job. Washing clothes by hand is a tough job no matter what your nationality, ethnicity, or gender. It knows no boundaries. Throughout the developing world a washing machine is at the top of the desireability list for many women.
One day I was washing my clothes when some students came to play. Half girls and half boys. The girls were curious to see me wash clothes. The boys had no interest. The girls came in and would have washed my clothes had I not stopped them. These are little girls - 6th graders, 11 years old. Weird.
Here is an article by Michael Tan about pagkalalake males in the Philippines. |
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