Farewell

Walking off the plane nothing sunk in, now almost five weeks later it doesn’t seem like it is ending. Attempting to summarize everything that took place over the last month in six pages is difficult when there is so much to say while trying to stay within the limit. Every road trip, every hike or beach, every encounter of every day has contributed in some way, shape, or form to the education and my overall learning on this trip. Beginning with our travels to other universities and talks with students local to the Philippines my learning was not only of their perspective of life and academia, but it also proved to be a direct way to see a live manifestation of the miseducation we have read about and discussed in class. Although we did not have more time to continue the discussions with the students of other universities, a recurring theme that I frequently faced was what many in the Philippines described or thought “pure” or “full” American was. It seemed, in my eyes, that this idea and how people defined it came up just about everywhere I went. While at a grocery store, restaurant, bar, and even b-boy jam/competition I was frequently asked if I was a “pure” American, each time the person asking having a slightly different idea of what that term meant. Prior to leaving this trip, the idea of what makes someone “pure” or “full” in terms of being an American was not something I considered heavily, often when I am in the United States I hear more questions surrounding my ethnic or cultural heritage and not my Americanism. Going back to my reference of the miseducation of the Filipinos, its is the exact miseducation that creates an image and allows for people to think that Americans can be seen as only being this or that.

Using this idea of defining a “pure” and/or “full” American to go deeper in my reflection of this study abroad, the idea of “pure” and/or “full” American crosses over from miseducation and steps into identity. Being that identity is a critical part of one’s perception of themself and who they feel most comfortable with, I think that having others attempt to categorize or deny you from identifying with a group is simply not fair. Our discussion and referencing to the grouping of the islands that make up the Philippines very much touches on the subject of identity as the grouping of the islands itself is categorizing and forcing people into an identity. Within the Philippines there are many different dialects, peoples, and cultures, some may be similar to others but each deserves to have its own identity associated with it. By telling an Ilocano that they are only Filipino, it is not only a denial of their heritage but a forced identity grouping and disrespect to them and their culture. An interesting parallel that came to mind when thinking of this issue was Native Americans within the United States. For the most part, Native Americans are able to identify with and are recognized by their respective tribes and nations, but they are either categorized as either Native American or American in a broader spectrum.

Continuing onward with my learning, it was extremely interesting to me to see the ongoing presence of American occupation in all forms. Beginning with our visit to the US Embassy, I knew everything was a choreographed show that was held to maintain a positive reputation for the United States and the image others have of it. From the discussion with the representative and the tour, it was not too shocking to me that many of the injustices committed by the US were not spoken about and they were seemed to be brushed off as if nothing happened when we are well aware of it all. Furthermore, the overall experience to me was the US government taking the white savior method of thought, combining it with the idea of the “little brown brother” and making it into a gross form of American pride in “assisting” the Filipinos. Something that stood out to me most was the tour guides who were clearly Filipino, but were “unaware” of many occurrences and practices taken by the US government. Knowing that the staff of the embassy on tour were just puppets speaking a memorized script, I still wonder how the Filipino staff members can maintain their composure and stay sane knowing that they are only passing on more lies through their speech. In their defense, I understand with the difficulty in finding work around Manila many would bite their tongue, swallow their pride, and accept a job like that. But how much is too much and when do they go off the brink of sanity?

(Photo from personal camera; taken at B-Side club: Makati)

Staying on the subject of American occupation, the music I heard being played throughout the Philippines I saw as a form of ongoing American occupation. Everywhere I went I  almost always heard American music past and present playing. Beyond nightclubs, I was surprised at how much American music was being played and how popular it was in the Philippines. In my past travels to El Salvador, Canada, and Japan, I rarely heard Music from the United States and almost only heard music from the region or nations nearby (an example being reggaeton in El Salvador, Euro-pop in British Columbia, and J-Pop/J-Hop in Japan). By having music from the United States playing so frequently, I question what the music industry in the Philippines looks like and why it is not popular? Albeit that I have been content hearing a range of music diverse in era (disco to hip-hop), I feel that by having a lack of music by Filipino artists playing in malls, grocery stores, and even taxi’s not only detract from the skill of the local musicians/artists, but it further pushes the United States into the Philippines by sound. While some may argue that music from the United States may sound better, I feel that there is also a nationalistic pride that comes with hearing music from your country as opposed to others. If there was something I could have spent more time researching, it would have been about the local music industry of the Philippines and why artists are not being played in such huge areas of their nation. To some, music is just sounds and rhythm, but my perspective on music is that it reflects the culture present within each country.

(Photo from personal camera; taken on C-5 highway near U.P. Diliman; Quezon City)

Throughout this program, one thing that I wish I was able to experience more is the hip-hop culture present in the Philippines. While I have enjoyed seeing all of the graffiti art in various areas, hearing dee-jays play breaks and true school hip-hop, seeing and dancing with b-boys/b-girls, and watching an emcee, I still wish I could have experienced hip-hop more. Through the connections I’ve made in my brief time here, I am very much aware that hip-hop culture is strongly present throughout the country. Although I am happy to have gone to a b-boy jam/competition and almost win the whole competition, I wish I could have been around more b-boys and practice, cypher, and/or battle them in addition to getting to know their lives and motivations. The same goes with emcees, dee-jays, and graffiti artists. Being that the Philippines has such a large hip-hop scene, I mostly want to return to experience the culture more and see what parallels I can draw from the Seattle hip-hop scene. Also on a side note, I feel that being able to get the study abroad involved with the hip-hop scene around the Philippines would help everyone get a more clear understanding of the culture and the people who live it everyday.

Overall, this study abroad has not only increased my awareness to the social and political issues that have occurred in the past, but the reality of the actions of the United States as well. I would say that my thought process has changed over the course of the program due to the experiences and encounters we have had with the locals in Quezon City and our travel destinations. In some ways I’m conflicted where I will remember the Philippines for the beauty of the land and the culture and the people who have made this experience memorable, but on the other side I will also remain very much in tune with the ongoing struggles being faced by the people and hope that the issues being faced are eased.

In terms of group dynamics and relations, I was satisfied with how the groups I was a part of functioned and the work we did. Beginning with my group for the weekly presentation, I thought that despite a few miscommunications everything ran smoothly and my group was able to get our work done well and efficiently. My only concerns being in the group was presenting first and the small technical difficulties we faced when it was time for us to present our work. And while there were small issues that we had to hammer out, I feel that my group handled them well and maintained a calm and organized flow that I feel helped us as we presented to the class.

Moving to the the group I was a part of for the final presentation, I was extremely happy to be in a group that was able to get our work done well and have all members contribute to the end product, which I feel proud of. Given our individual talents and skills, I feel that my group was perfect in how we communicated, worked collectively, and were able to get our presentation done well despite having internet issues. A concern that I had going into the final project was not having as much course material as other groups and finding scholarly sources that would validate our research. For this group, no problems pertaining to the project arose, which I attribute to similar personalities and effective communication between members. The group dynamic that I noticed within this group was one of very mutual understanding and respect for the opinions and concerns of others. Between both groups for the weekly and final presentation, I feel that I gained a lot in terms of team work and communication skills in a group setting. Individualistically speaking, I feel that being in a group for presentations helped alleviate stress and helped me become better as a speaker.

As this program comes to a close and ends, I feel that I have grown as a person and personally cherish the connections I have made. Although things didn’t always go as planned and sometimes problems came up, I feel that all experiences are learning experiences and can help everyone whether they see it immediately or not. A hope that I have is that everyone is able to grow from this experience and take in all the good and not dwell on the deltas. This study abroad will truly be something I never forget and the lessons I have learned will stay with me as I transition into my final year at UW and into post graduate life. It is no secret to everyone that I had my doubts and thoughts of regret after the first few days, but comparing then to now, I feel that I needed this trip to help me. I left Seattle for a reason, I needed an escape from the people I deal with, I needed a reason to stop working at a dead end job that only caused me stress, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, I needed to experience another land with other people. With this study abroad, I accomplished my needs, when I return to Seattle I will return refreshed and rejuvenated. The only thing I have left to say is: It was lit fam. (Airhorn sound)