GMU student writes about hunger and beauty in RP
By Jasper Hu
FAIRFAX, Virginia – This past summer in 2008, from May until June, I was among a group of American students, both undergraduates and graduates, from George Mason University that was fortunate enough to visit the islands of the Philippines and spend an entire month there learning the culture of the locals and looking through the lens of a new perspective: one of the Filipino people. It was a six credit
Of all the places that I could have chosen to visit and study in, I chose the Philippines because it is a developing country where a majority of its population lives in poverty. The reason I chose a place like this is because I wanted to go experience a place with a different kind of reality. I had this notion that in economically deprived communities, especially those that we would be visiting, people are more open and friendly. After all, there are no faux appearances that have to be put up to impress others since they have little to nothing in monetary value. Because of this, it is easier to see the true nature of the people and have authentic interactions and conversations with them.
Before my initial trip to the Philippines, I had only heard briefly about the poverty that was there and what the condition of some of the areas may be like when we got there. Through pre-departure orientation and debriefing sessions with the rest of the George Mason students, it was brought to our attention some of the economic challenges that were being faced by the Filipino people. Scarcity of food and water in some areas made day-to-day living much more taxingespecially on the homeless and unemployed. Despite all the preparations, the pre-departure meetings and readings from textbooks, I do not think I was or could have been fully prepared for the experiences encountered on my trip.
I remember vividly my first night in Metro Manila. The streets were filled with people overflowing the sidewalks and the amount of traffic, containing scooters and cars moving only inches from each other, was unbelievable. I saw hundreds of poverty stricken people, many of whom were living on the streets and were begging for change or selling small goods to make it through the day. The conditions of the streets were also, from what I saw, manifested in those who were living on them in that many were unclean and unhealthy. Even though there is a lot of wealth in Metro Manila, it was clear from the sheer amount of people begging in the streets that this wealth wasnt trickling down. The poverty and tough living conditions were something that I never got used to during the trip. Often, as I walked past hungry children on the streets, inside my emotions ate at me. I was constantly feeling pity and sadness each time I encountered these people. But even despite the impoverished conditions, many of the people I met had big smiles and were seemingly happy. I noted this several times in my journal entries and as time progressed, I wanted to find out why and how the local people could smile even through their times of hardship!
Perhaps the hardest thing for me being in the Philippines was seeing the poverty where it was at and knowing that I couldnt do anything to help the people. The feeling of helplessness in the middle of a problem was something that turned my stomach every night before I fell asleep. There was so much that I wanted to do to help but with every idea, the question of how I as an individual could possibly help an entire nation would bring me down. Despite being in tears and at the very rock bottom of my emotions, all around me in the faces of the people that I encountered, all I saw were cheerful smiles. This was especially true during my visit to Smokey Mountain, which is a landfill site that over one thousand families call their home and literally make a living out of it. Even though the people there had very little, they had some of the biggest smiles that I have ever seen, as if they each had won the lottery that exact moment their eyes met mine. How could they smile at such a time and place? Without food or money, they were able to laugh with their friends and family. I thought to myself that the will of the Filipino people must be something supernatural. It seemed like they have found the meaning of happiness, or maybe I just needed to start looking at life the way they do.
Throughout the rest of my time spent in the Philippines, I began to try and always look at the positive aspects of situations wherever I went. This seemed to be the mentality of the Filipino people. With this mindset, I was able to start enjoying my visit many times more even when conditions werent as optimal. I was starting to understand how the Filipino people were able to laugh and smile amidst misfortune. Probably the most impactful lesson that I’ve learned on my trip is that the Filipino people, through their connections with family and community, have found a way to help each other survive the poverty despite not having money. Ive heard the phrase, “money cant buy happiness,” many times, but it wasnt until I came to the Philippines that I found out what it meant. Many of the local people that I talked to expressed such high hopes of one day visiting the United States, certain that there they would find happiness there. When I told them that many of us students would rather stay in the Philippines, many of them were shocked by my reply. It was because we were so moved and touched by how Filipinos are so community driven and family oriented, something that was deeply engrained into their cultural roots. For them, happiness is found in hospitality and other acts of kindness. Being rich to Filipinos was not measured by the amount of wealth they had but rather how much love was expressed toward others and how big their smile was, even when displaying it to strangers. This was often seen in each of the places that I visited when I was greeted by friendly locals. What I received from the Filipino people was a life lesson in true happiness: it comes from the love for others and from showing kindness in return.
The lessons that I will never forget from the Philippines experience are also the ones that have helped recapture some of lifes most basic lessons. The trip has taught me to be less materialistic, not buying things just because I want them but to be satisfied with the things that I already have. I learned that happiness isnt where our money is, but really where our friends and family are. The trip also taught me to embrace the goods times and not to stay sad for too long during the bad times. I learned to celebrate the little things in life by singing, like many Filipinos do at Karaoke bars, and to always remember that there is a positive side to every situation. In addition, the Philippines educated me on unity and to have respect for one another as everyone deserves a chance to be happy. After this trip, I had learned so much from everyone that Ive met and from myself, so not only will I be bringing back home souvenirs but also the new insights that I have gained from visiting the Philippines.
Jasper Hu (JDMfanatic@gmail.com) thanks his professor Al B. Fuertes (afuertes@gmu.edu) for giving him the opportunity to visit the Philippines. Visit the Center for Global Education for more information regarding our trip there and for future excursions. http://www.gmu.edu/departments/cge/programs/facultyled/summerstudy/philiippines.html
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