Final Reflection of the Trip of A Lifetime

This experience is definitely one for the books, one that I certainly didn't take for granted. I met some of the most amazing people on this trip, and those very people had the biggest impact on making this trip the great experience that it was. As I reflect while I write this paper, I keep those very same people in mind.

What has been a key underlying them is the idea of how allyship needed, but allyship in terms of solidarity for that is where true support comes from. As one of my classmates stated, you can claim to be an ally, but it takes much more than stating you are an ally. You need to take the next step to make a difference. If you see something, say something, and that goes in terms of the bigotry that exists. For example, I am hold a lot of privilege in being male, so if I encounter a situation where sexism is evident, I need to not only take initiation to address, but also correct it. This holds true in situations of race, abilities, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, and any other identity that makes us who we are.

A major reminder is that the American influence is much stronger than I anticipated before coming into this program. This holds especially true in light of our meet up at the Philippine Women University. Form the terminology used, to direct statements of identifying and appreciating American culture, the United States plays a huge role in many Filipino lives, especially amongst the youth.

I am also reminded how communication is key, and it is crucial to realize and understand the language barriers that exist in order to engage in effective communication. Again, reflecting on the meeting with PWU, we were reminded of how language (spoken, body, and other forms of expressive language) plays a huge role in effective communication. I was heavily disappointed, as an example, in times where we got stuck on the terminology, as opposed to trying to understand what the students had meant when the wrong things were being said.

In terms of how my thinking has changes, I have certainly learned the meaning of “patience is everything.” From long car rides, to waiting out rain storms, to resolving conflict, to understanding cultural differences, we are here on this planet to make an impact, an impact that expands further than our own agenda and endeavors. In that sense we have nothing but time, and I was happy to try my hardest to be patient in any situation and scenario. Given the that, I tried my hardest to work with each and everything individual, situation, and opportunity I was presented to make the most of it. Sometimes, you realize that there are some things you can't change, other than your attitude, mindset, and perspective. That is where the real impact occurs, even if everything is telling you otherwise. It is always important have an open mind, and remember (as I have previously mentioned) what is being said may not always be what is meant.

In my readings, I have also come to realize how people have not only been deprived of their history but also their identity. This is because the history being taught is very one sided, and the United States has done, and is doing, all they can to insert their “American Agenda” which is something am now aware of, and will work towards, and against, in order to ensure that people are aware of the discrepancy that is occurring within Filipino history.

Group Work
When it come to working in groups, and resolving conflict, there really wasn't anything to resolve. I loved both groups I worked with. For the week 2 presentation I did, I was teamed up with Naomi and Ruby, both of which I get along With quite well. The biggest concern we had was the fact that both Naomi and I were going to Taiwan right before our presentation. We mitigated that concern by meeting up beforehand and breaking up parts evenly. THen we created a Google Doc to write up the different slides, where we then met up upon returning and compiled it all together.

For the final project, I was teamed up with Gaby, Naomi, and Christina, all of which I get along with great as well. No issues arose amongst the group. The biggest frustration that arose was when it was pouring rain, causing the wifi to go out the night before our presentation. Because of this we went to a 24 hour Cafe in Quezon City to work on it till the wee hours of the morning, which was so fun! We spent the night laughing while we got our work done on a caffeine high.
Theories

Theories Exposed
Of course I cannot write this reflection when thinking about colonial mentality. “Colonial mentality” is a conceptual theory around inferiority societies in era of colonialism, especially due to the comparison of values, power, privileges, descent, class standing, and global standing. Before this trip, I never thought about the United States and Spain's influence (and Philippines resistance, as well as other compared countries), as much I have on this trip. That is another thing I can be thankful for after this trip, is to see my own ancestral country and culture from a different lens, and have a dire need to seek further truth. Talking to Professor Vicente Rafael, especially when visiting Intramuros and the Basilica Del Santo Nino, he showed me just how similar the architecture is, and what is the meaning behind a to of it, giving me not only deeper knowledge of my own religion (for I was born into a Catholic family), but also a deeper appreciation for the architecture, and a need to revisit the churches I was raised going to in Mexico, and reflecting on what I had learned from this program.

My mother was born in Pantanal, Nayerit, Mexico which is just outside of Tepic, the largest city in Tepic. Tepic is about a 3 hour ride from either Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, so the city sits far from "Americanized." Thinking about my childhood upbringing in Mexico, I can easily see the differences in popular culture, media, news, marketing, and entertainment. Take marketing for example, a lot of the advertisements, from what I recall, included a lot of Mexican figures and models, which is different where Philippines advertisements tends to frequently use non-native models, and even American celebrities and figures. Last week I went to UP town center and an ice cream parlor that had the most amazing deep fried Oreo Sunday caught my attention. The parlor was called Starr's, and throughout it was pictures and posters of celebrities such as Katy Perry, Adam Lambert, and even Miley Cyrus... YES, Miley Cyrus. As I walked around UP Town Center, I couldn't help notice how many of the stores and even boutiques used advertisement that didn't reflect the overall population of the Philippines, with is different than Mexico. Driving down the streets and riding the train, I would notice the same goes for billboards. If we focus on entertainment, for example nightlife, the Clubs I went to all featured American music. Hip Hop, Pop, and even EDM. In Mexico, you hear rather Latin American Artists. At O-Bar the drag performers all performed to artists such as Beyoncé, Iggy Azelia, and Ariana Grande, but in Mexico, the artists all are performing to Selena, Celia Cruz, and Maria Del Pilar. There are many reasons why I am noticing the differences, but it all comes down to history, and accurate history for that matter, which is why I feel a need to address the history discrepancies. Even to this day, I am still angered by the dialogue at the U.S. Embassy, ad as long as that is the mentality (American mentality in the Philippines), we will not progress.

Privilege is another thing I cannot write this reflection and not discuss. Oxford dictionary defines privilege as “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.” What is important to understand how innate privileges play a role in our day to day interactions. I am still stuck on Peggy McIntosh’s quote of "they may say they will work to improve women's status, in society or in the university, but they can or won't support the idea of lessening men's." (Pg. 96) When thing of other forms of oppression, especially in terms of history, we must work towards realizing our own privilege, and step down from those, in order to make progress.

Psychologists also refer to cognitive dissonance as “a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors, producing a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance etc.” (American Psychology Association, 2015). This is a term that is extremely important, but briefly discussed in this group. We all need to realize how our own attitude and discomfort may alter a situation, environment, and setting, for progress comes with understanding our own discomfort and addressing it head on. This is a topic touched on, and wished we could have tackled head on more. It has though been an underlying theme throughout, although not explicitly addressed.