FIRST TIME IN CAYAGAN DE ORO C.D.O.

CDO is quite a nice place here in Mindanao, its a large town (well city really), and like a lot of the Philippine cities, very spread out over a large area, with nice parts and very rough parts, with nothing much in-between.

I was staying at a resort called Cha Li Beach Resort, and it’s wonderful. It’s a place with the thatched chalets right on the beach front, nice restaurant and swimming pool at a a very competitive price.

I find CDO to be a very friendly place and it caters for foreigners but not at the expense of changing its brilliant own character.

Because it is so hot and tropical here, there are snakes and lizards and spiders everywhere. I never thought I would be able to say this, but I have been able to get to the point where I can tolerate sleeping in a room where there are a couple of lizards running around the wall and ceiling!!! God, am I getting brave or what??? Mind you, one evening, I opened my chalet door and there was a spider the size of my open hand hanging on the door post. Let’s just say, I did not like the wild life (no comments thank you) and screamed a bit!!! One of the young lads had to come and remove it for me, now shameful or what, ha ha.

But apart from the mutated insects and wildlife, it was truly wonderful in Cha Li beach resort. I woke up every morning to the sound of the sea breaking on the beach right outside my windows and of course beautiful sunshine. Looking out there are fishing boats galore, and locals in the water too with their nets, all too happy to wave and smile and shout out “How you doing Joe?”

One strange thing that every morning Crabs the size of my finger tip would come up through the toilet and the sink, now lets just say I was very very careful when using the CR.

We have done some nice things here in CDO. We did a lot of swimming, we went to a place called an Eco-garden, with beautiful plants and trees and flowers and eagles and displays of local history. We also decided to be fool-hardy and go on a rope bridge, which spanned across a deep ravine. Exactly what you get out of this is anyone’s guess really, but we paid our money to do it anyway. So there we were, swaying and wobbling and clinging on and shrieking like big babies to get across. I hate to think what we looked like, but it was all good fun, and no one plunged to their death, so all ended well.
After this we jumped on the back of motorbikes, no crash helmets and no safety, 3 or 4 people mashed on one bike at a time, and raced home down the hills. This living dangerously is becoming seriously addictive, ha ha.

Another day, we did a lovely cruise. We caught the boat; lovely buffet lunch laid on, and then relaxed as the boat cruised up and down a big river in CDO. Very pleasant experience indeed, and a little less risky to one’s health and safety too.
Then that night we had a wild night out (ooops another one).

We found this fabulous bar, with live groups singing (and god can these girls and guys sing), and many beers and cocktails later we were all up, throwing ourselves around the dance floor, at an attempt to look like we were good at all the latest dance moves !!!!!! It was great fun.
Needless to say, bit of a hangover the following morning, but that was cured fairly quickly by plunging myself into the swimming pool and splashing around for a while before a late breakfast.

Looking at the fence

Today’s Guest Column is from Kevin Smith.

Back in 2005 I was living in Digos with my wife and daughter and my wife’s family. Digos is about an hour south of Davao. We decided to buy some property in town as I thought it would be a good investment for the future. We were leaving to come back to the states and start our new life as all the immigration papers were completed and my wife had her visa. I thought that maybe we’ll build a small house there for when I retire. We made payments every month and the land is now paid in full. We also put a fence around the property as my family there recommended we have it. The fence is made of hollow block with iron grates on top. The side fence is just a tall wall of hollow block.

As one explores the Philippines, you will notice that most everyone has a fence around their property. And on top of some of the fences is barbed wire. Some even have broken glass imbedded on the top of the fence. Boy, some fences mean business.

My wife told me that a few years ago their home was broken into and the burglar took the VCR, cell phones and some other things. I can understand the practical need for a fence, but to me, it just seems that there are too many fences. Maybe if more people had a dog, they wouldn’t need a fence.

MY SON HAROLD (DEATH IN FAMILY)

As you may recall from an earlier post I have a surrogate son called Harold.

I was telling you all about his life and problems and I told you he has reconciled with his terminally ill father.

I received many comments on here and from friends saying they would like an update occasionally about Harold.

Well I am sorry to say his father passed away minutes ago, after a long battle with cancer.

I am now proud to be his father whenever he needs me.

Idiotic Television

The opinions augment. Daily. Writing about it people nationwide, - yes, since a couple of weeks I also have in mind to write something about this topic. Especially today, after another evening of frustrated channel hopping.

I am a cable television subscriber since I have moved to Davao in 1999, I was it for many years in different countries. Yeah, I was really happy to find some of my favorite European channels including news- and sports channels.

Time changes everything. Also television. You might experience the same live in the Philippines. However time changed television to its worst disadvantage and detriment. Lets forget human values and morality while focusing our special attention on television.

An outraged mother admitted that there are some programs, which she really finds unfit for children. Some? Do you observe, that even cartoons became violent and increasingly beneath human dignity? As long as ALL OF US (not only our children!) are able and willing to watch this idiotism in screen, shouldn’t we be so blue-eyed and think that for example a “parental guidance” would be enough to educate our young eduction.

Let’s start a channel zapping with our beloved remote control and then let’s start selecting a station, which might be worth seeing and remarkable. There are some, no doubts! Nevertheless, the majority of TV channels fill me with revulsion.

Inebriated “hot babes” have to show how they “survive” even while crying and puking in front of the camera during evening prime time. Enjoy your dinner!!! Reality TV brings us with disgusting competitive zeal into the darkest, saddest and many times - so to speak - into the intimate parts of our daily life,

Do you enjoy watching real happened accidents, police patrols, bleeding victims or “million dollar couples”, “which don’t even hesitate to eat mice, rats, and cockroaches” (”Disgusting, but I want the money!”)?

Do you enjoy watching the latest variations of wrestling entertainment? Yeah, “bloddy entertainment”? Can we lead our nation by boycotting those stations, which enjoy corrupting our mind by so much dangerous nonsense and stupidity violence and sexism practically being glorified in many TV shows.

It’s sad to say, but I guess an appeal to those TV-stations to change their programs and to think about their responsibility is useless. Nevertheless, a quality cable TV entertainment provider should not clutter us with more and more channels and increase the monthly rate at the same time.

So, what I gonna to do tonight?

Our beloved daughter JeanJean!

Bob and I been married now for seventeen years next month. We have been blessed with 3 good looking boys. We never thought of having more babies just to have a girl. When we had our first 2 boys, we even decided that two is enough already. Our third child was unexpected. We are happy we have him though he is the funny one out of our three boys.

After living here for over 3 years in the Philippines, my mother-in-law came here for a visit. While here for a few days there was a black out here in Davao. The advisory was that the black out will last for 12 hours. Mom can’t handle without aircon so Bob decided we should go for a ride. Well the ride brought us to GenSan so that mom can at least be cool for awhile in the air conditioning of the car. We then decided to get 2 rooms at Isla Parilla Resort. One room for mom that she could rest and the other one for our us and our kids. While there we also invited my family in GenSan to come with us to the resort. At that time I didn’t notice that Jeanjean was there with her mom at my parent’s house. Jeanjean is the daughter of my sister. Bob and his mom saw Jeanjean and she was sort of talking and playing with our 3 boys. She’s shy at that time to talk to us. Then my mother-in-law and the kids invited her to come with us to Isla Parilla. While there at Isla our boys already started to bond with her. We stayed there for the whole day. When it was time for us to head home to Davao our kids were asking us if we could take Jeanjean home with us to our house? Bob and I just look at each other for a minute. Finally Bob told me to ask Jeanjean’s mom if it would be okay for her to go with us. When I asked my sister, she said it’s okay. So we brought Jeanjean to Davao with us that day. The plan was she was just gonna stay with us for 2 weeks because school is coming up. Well, when 2 weeks came up we asked her if she wanted her mom to pick her up for her to go home. She told me and Bob that she wanted to stay with us. I guess we saw it coming because she’s already used to be with our boys and we treated her good here too. So I called up my sister and told her if it’s okay if Jeanjean will stay with us and we will send her to school too? She said okay, few days after we talked on the phone we received all her papers for her to enroll here in Davao. She was enrolled first in the private school near our house, being from a small town we want her to be used to the city first before enrolling to big school. On her second year here in Davao we did let her enrolled in Ateneo. She likes it at first but later she can’t handle the pressure and she’s not happy there anymore, we can just see whenever she gets home everyday. So we then asked her this year if she wanted to be transfered back to her old school when she first came here? She told us yes, so now shes back to her old school then. She seems happy in her school now. Like now she’s a class and a club officer too. She likes to bring some friends over during lunch time at our house to play at the trampoline. Were happy seeing her happy though.

Honestly we love her so much. We treated her like our very own child. Whatever our kids would have she will have it too. She can come to us anytime even if we are busy. Our love for her is no different than our love for our boys. She’s really daddy’s girl now. Bob will confirm that, right Hon. Every time she comes home from school she would come to our bedroom or our office and give us love and a big smile. We could never imagine our life without her.

You guys probably wonder why she’s staying with us instead with her parents. Well the father is an irresponsible dad and my sister is a battered wife. My parents took care of their other kids before too. I told my sister awhile back that she’s part of the problem. She should stand up for her kids. Oh well I can’t change her. I wish someday she will open her eyes and see what she had taken for granted. Right now Bob and I will be here to protect Jeanjean. we could never let anybody hurt her and we promised her that. We would never send her back. There are some reasons why we would not want her to go back to her parents. Sometime I will share that. Anyway, she’s not yet legally our daughter but we told her in our hearts she is already our daughter. We are thanking God for giving us Jeanjean. I hope someday she will also help others in similar situation as she is. We know she has a good heart.

Next month Bob’s mom is coming to attend her and Aaron’s (our 2nd son) birthday party. Jeanjean already told Bob tonight what she wants for a gift on her birthday. She’s kind of spoiled too. They are all excited for Granny to come and visit us here. It’s going to be a very busy day for us.

MABUHAY!!!

Pinoy Dogs

Now before I start here I have to admit to a real problem in my life, not many of you readers have the same problem but I am a BRIT. Ok it’s out in the open now so I can continue my blog about the dogs here in the Philippines and the unusual treatment I have seen.

I have to say too that this is the things I have seen and it will come across as negative from my perspective; I hope so much my experiences on this subject are not universal here in the Philippines.

Remember us Brits are crazy on dogs we treat them like a member of the household and the laws in the UK for animal welfare and especially for dogs are very strict. You are more likely to go to prison for abuse or neglect of a dog then to steal or threaten other people.

Imagine my amazement when in arriving in the Philippines and the way in general dogs are treated. Mostly in my opinion very bad.

I have been in resorts where security guards and grounds men chase stray dog around an get pleasure of throwing rocks at it smashing its head with wood kicking it and laughing as it yelps in pain , this is done in front of other diners who have no reaction to it.

I live in a very upmarket village and one guys has five dogs caged all the time day and night, they whimper yelp and cry out for help all night, it got so bad I asked him several times to do something, he did not. I made a complaint to the village leaders it was ignored. I tried reason with the man to please let the dogs out to help stop the suffering; his reply is to tell me if I continue he will kill the dogs in front of me!!.

I took this seriously, as a house further down had complaints about its dog barking all night, after the complaint was heard the owner and his friend kicked the dog around the garden whilst laughing then took it out the back where a scream of pain was heard. The dog was never heard or seen again.

My friend who lives in a “poor” village has a dog that the family treasure, it’s truly loved and trained and is part of the family but they admit they are not the norm where dogs are concerned.

I have seen so called guard dogs tethered to such a short leash all day that they cannot even sit down!! I have not yet seen dogs being eaten; but I will and can accept that if a dog is all the food anyone has, that is understandable.

I am fully aware of the rabies situation and I understand it’s much better to be wary of a stray dog, but to torture or mistreat the so called family pet!!

When I stayed on POLLILIO ISLAND I was not surprised that dog catchers roamed at night, what I was surprised to see is that ANY dog seen is put in a truck taken to the city hall and drowned in full view of the public. That scene will haunt me rest of my life.

It amazes me that my new home of choice offers so much beauty and such wonderful hosts that this can happen, even if my experience is not the norm, there is a strange culture to Dogs in this country.

My close friend who has four dogs who seem to be loved and happy in or out the family home, but even they seem to have a dog die every few months and replace it.

Can you tell that i love dogs?

Hi, I’m AmericanLola

I have been hanging around this blog since it began, and before that, I discovered Bob’s Mindanao blog, and the one for Cagayan de Oro, which I enjoy checking for news and so on.

I know that there has been some speculation as to what an AmericanLola might be! My name is Luanne, my husband and I are both Americans from California, we are in our late 50’s, and have been married 38 years. When we were in our late 30’s, we packed up our seven children, who ranged in age from 5 to 16 (5 boys and two girls) and moved to Mindanao. We studied language and culture in Butuan City for about two years, and then moved to Gingoog City, where we lived for 12 years. We are missionaries, but not affiliated with a denomination. My husband is not a pastor, in fact he was a computer systems analyst before we came here.

I had been home schooling my kids in the States and we moved our school to the Philippines when we came. I taught my kids through grade 8, and then, one by one, they all attended high school and graduated from Faith Academy in Manila (near Antipolo). Our younger kids are fluent in Cebuano (and one also speaks Tagalog) and in many ways are much more Filipino than people could know by looking at them. All live in the States at the moment (some making plans to go someplace else). All but the youngest son are married, and we have 14 grandchildren (hence: AmericanLola).

Four and a half years ago my husband was asked to be the director for our group in the Philippines, so we moved to CDO to be closer to the rest of our coworkers and the airport. I am the Cebuano language supervisor for those learning Cebuano, and I am working on contextualizing a series of short books on marriage and parenting, removing all the American stuff (names, foods, and case studies) and replacing them with a Filipino equivilant (quiche=adobo), and simplifying the English a bit. These are the basis for translations into various Filipino dialects.

I have become an informal student of Filipino culture. There is a saying, “Learn another language, gain a second soul.” We have lived in Mindanao for almost 20 years, and the people we have spent the most time with have been poor people, who don’t speak much English at all. Most of my conversation with Filipinos over the years has been in their language, not mine, and that gives me a clearer picture of how people think and feel about things. This is not to say I have never stepped in the cultural cow-pie! I have made some pretty big blunders and still blush and cringe to think about them… and I know I am still very capable of doing it again! But I want to know people and love people on their terms, not mine, so I am motivated to keep learning.

AIR PHILIPPINES QUICK AND SIMPLE?

You Know those times you start something simple and it just cascades out of your control!!!

Well I know things can get a little complicated in the Philippines so I thought I would try and book a flight to MANILA return to DAVAO..

Being a lazy so and so I could not be bothered to walk or jeepney ride to the local mall I did online…good idea huh? WRONG.

Having selected my flights and stomached the extra costs that flash up at the last minute I pressed confirmed to make the booking online. This was followed by a confirmation that my flight availability is being checked and I will receive an e mail of confirmation within 24hours. I was not really expecting that but 24 hours is not long to wait.

As promised 24 hours passed and an e mail confirmed the flight was available (REMEMBER THAT, ITS IMPORTANT LATER). But for me to pay for the flight I could not do it online I had to go to an office and pay, How I wish they told me that in the first place!!.

So now I have to get off my lazy bottom and take trip to the mall where I enter AIR PHILIPPINES office, I know it is because that’s all it says on the whole frontage…wrong!! It’s a travel agent who kindly confirms it all and confirmed tickets and charges me a further p300 for the pleasure. Thank goodness for website savings!!!

Well off I go three weeks later to MANILA no problem and few days later I enter MANILA airport for my CONFIRMED RETURNED FLIGHT..oh dear.

I walked around in a haze looking for details of my flight, there was no check in for my flight and nothing at all on the screens to suggest any such flight, as I was two hours before my flight I at first assumed that this was just an oversight.

I managed to get to a AIR PHILIPPINES representative who looked at my ticket, her eyes glazed over and she went of to talk to two other staff, who in turn called people on the phone and the two way radio, all of course I could not understand, yet I could very much see that this PAID ticket was a very big surprise to them.

After ten minutes of me repeatedly asking is there a problem? No one would talk to me just all remained in a huddle looking VERY concerned, at this stage I knew I was in trouble!!

After five minutes one lady told me my flight was leaving in ten minutes, I must rush through security to get my flight. I tried hard to ask why my flight was two hours early but no one would say, all I was told was to rush so I rushed through security nearly loosing my trousers after removing my belt and ran to the gate!! No one there had I missed my mystery plane? the TV screen was broken too so it gave no information, or was it just switched off?

I found a member of staff who told me the flight will be called in ten minutes, phew, so I walked five yards to a seat and the same person then called the flight!! At this stage I just smiled and realised this was not going to be my day, as I walked though the gate I noted that my flight to DAVAO was actually going to CEBU!! I quickly walked back and said my ticket is for DAVAO in two hours why am I going on a plane to CEBU?, oh dear the knew the game was up a man was despatched to talk to me the other staff just put heads down. I have to say I was in good humour but concentred I was taking an unscheduled tour of the Philippines.

The man offered no explanation but shoved me through the gate saying the flight will go to DAVAO after CEBU, but despite me asking he would not tell me would I stay on the plane, how long to I would be in CEBU and would I be in DAVAO at what time? There was a yes to every question, which meant he had no idea either.

So I put on MP3 player and decided to go with the flow, after an hour I was in CEBU and about half the plane left and after 30 mins without anyone saying anything , the plane took off for DAVAO.

Now I have to admit I got home ok, but no one ever told me why my flight vanished and I had to detour to CEBU and what would happen to any of my fellow passengers who arrive later for the GHOST flight?

IS THIS NORMAL??

My Mindanao? My Mindanao!

Daybreak. Dawn. Early morning air. Arduous I do try to keep my eyes open, so that I must not miss this great spectacle again: an unforgettable  sunrise paints the environs  with all color the nature puts  us at its disposal. I’ve put in a large portion of my life  just trying to make things easier for my loved ones and myself. I feel having all the time of life I want in my hands. I pray to God that this might be the place to settle down, where I can relax, take things easy and where I can spend the rest of my life.

The natural beauty that abounds especially this part of the world makes me cheerful as well as the relationship to the arm and friendly people living here. I can learn from them about diverse ethic cultures and its very special way to live life even with struggles and trials or in painful poverty. What counts for them in life? Hope, faith, charity? Here I can fulfill the kinds of life I always have dreamt about.

Troides Magellanus, a very beautiful butterfly, tries to play with me since several minutes while I suddenly see colorful sails under tropical sun surface on the horizon. The sea gypsies from Zamboanga, the Badjaos and their boats, their vintas are the “caravans of the ocean”. The sails are so very colorful and visible that the boats never get lost their mutual contact even  while a heavy storm ttries to part them.

Sand beaches, crystal clear water, a complete undisturbed atmosphere - it’s a part of paradise. This part of the southern Philippines is the melting pot of Christians and Moslems, of foreigners or tribes such as Badjaos, Subanon, Tansug, and Yakan. My Mindanao? My Mindanao!

I don’t care the innumerbale bad stories and reports about this part of the Philippines. I ignore the unstable, unrestrained, and unfounded inaccuracies and inexactitudes in worldwide published and broadcasted reports about Mindanao without being blue-eyed or naive.

My enthusiasm and my declaration of love are not yet finished. One can’t stop me anymore, If I go into raptures while I’m watching the most beautiful orchid worldwide, the Waling-Waling, which can you only find here in Mindanao (Davao).

Or, can you imagine the incredible view from top of the grandfather of all Philippine mountains, the Mount Apo, really the highest point nationwide? Of course, one must be very lucky, if the circumstances allow you - even for a few seconds onky - this wonderful and unforgettable spectacle. My Mindanao? Yes, meanwhile for sure: MY Mindanao!

The nations fruit basket allows me - for example - the “taste of heaven” besides the “smell of hell”. Once, you like this “terrible” fruit named Durian, you won’t like to miss it anymore.

Mindanao, the second largest island of the Philippines, with mosque towers and women, dressed in Malongs, blessed paradises for nature loving people, who admire exotic plants, boiling volcano springs, rain water lakes, plunging waterfalls, torrential rivers, the “monkey eating eagle” …! I love my Mindanao…

Come with me and go back to the sea. Profile is a slope with many varieties of corals, and lots of tropical fishes. There are also garoups, parrots, and different shells in this area, which is notable for its good visibility and for its access from the shores. Lush corals reefs on narrow shelves around the islands and tall pinnacles.

Yes, my dear fellow creatures, I am a foreigner, who lost his heart to Mindanao - I’m very clear about it! I clasped Mindanao to my bosom. I would like to recommend Mindanao warmly to everybody. Mindanao - the land of hope, the land of promise… . - Once Mindanao - always Mindanao… .

Mindanao - I love you. From the bottom of my heart!

Another day, another new blogger!

We’ve been adding a lot of new writers here on the LiP Blog, and today we have another new one to add!  His name is Klaus Doring, and he is from Germany.  Klaus has been living in the Philippines for nearly 9 years now, all of it right here in Davao City where I live as well.

Klaus is new to blogging, but he has been writing for some time as a journalist, even here in Mindanao!  I am sure the Klaus will have some really interesting things to contribute to the blog!

Welcome aboard, Klaus!