Coming to a Full Circle, Manila Extravagance, and a Farewell

August 1^st, 2009

Today, I got up in the morning to join Dr. Russell for our final breakfast together.  She is staying behind for a few extra days to get some things done for all of these projects.  Dr. Russell and Merrilyn said that they were very proud of me for being such an enthusiastic and a vibrant representative of the US for all of the communities that we participated in.  That means a lot to me!  After exchanging a few hugs and getting few more pictures snapped, I was off to the airport.  The flight from Cebu to Manila was a short one and was especially made easy by my new-found fondness for my ipod.  I hadn’t listened to music for a while so I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.  Also at the airport, I had gotten a chance to play the CD the PYLP students had gifted me.  I was surprised to find a montage of pictures they all took with me and including videos of my dancing and singing escapades.  I literally started tearing in recongnition of their love and care.  I am going to miss them all very much!  Thank you PYLP 2009 for your love and support! Salaamut!

Parting ways with Dr. Russell

I arrived in Manila to find it being bombarded by rain so I figured I would just hangout around the hotel for today.  I had planned on going to the Ayala Museum or the Greenbelt Mall but I decided against it.  Instead, I decided to surf on the net and indulge in the many hotel extravagances.  I had gourmet Burgers and Fries for lunch.  Normally, I avoid such foods back home in the US but I was feeling nostalgic about home and needed some burgers and fries to assert my “Americanness”.  Then, I ordered a movie and  went to go swim in the poring rain.  After swimming, I treated myself to a full body massage at the hotel’s spa.  The place was absolutely stunning and the service was top-of-the-notch.  After feeling relaxed, I felt the pangs of hunger come on so I headed down to the Italian restaurant and enjoyed a hearty dinner.  After which, I came back upstairs to get my final blog entry out of the way.  During the day, I also managed to squeeze in a trip to the local bookstore and arcade as I did before when I was in Manila.

I want to take this time to just say that I am so thankful for having had the chance to visit a beautiful country, engage with a hospitable culture, join highly gifted and active youth, and make some new friends along the way.  I feel absolutely blessed for being Dr. Russell’s companion for the trip and enjoyed her company as she helped me not only getting the best experience possible through the knowledge she provided but also her support regarding my Fulbright application.  It was an honor!  I love this place so much that I will be coming back next year—God Willing!  On another note, the Philippines is mourning the loss of one of their more famous presidents, President Corazon Aquino.  Also, it appears that Zamboanga is being hit hard by a typhoon and, unfortunately, the Mariki elementary school was badly damaged and many in the community had to evacuate as well.  Is there any cosmic justice in this world?  What are the scales of morality?  These are all questions that deserve proper attention and expertise, none of which I can afford presently but worth thinking about.  I pray for the betterment of those affected by the typhoon at Mariki.

The final piece of advice that I want to pass along to my fellow globe-trekkers is that the only weapons you need to arm yourself with here are your smile and a friendly “hello”.  You’d be surprised at how much Tagalo or Visaya you’ll be able to absorb, you’ll be shocked at the number of new friends you’ll make, you’ll be fascinated by the taste of Filipinno foods, and you’ll come away feeling satisfied that you’ve dipped into the sea of humanity and came away drenched in the purity of the human spirit.

My complimentary sumptuous mango awaits me…

Mabuhay!

Salaamut,

Mokaram

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