Goodbye and Salamat Philippines

Soo fast

It's amazing how fast time can go bye. I have somehow the feeling I just yesterday arrived here at Manila International Airport, went just the other day for the first time into the office from UPA or had recently my first sight on the skyscrapers in Ortigas.

I had the privilege to stay here in Manila for almost two months- and what I have seen, smelled, understood or participated in was epic, sad, funny, touching, shocking, heartwarming, enlightening,  incredible, beautiful, stunning, sorrowfully and in so many instances an eye-opener! 

UPA and Urban Poor

In the context of my intern with the Urban Poor Associates (UPA) and the participatory field research I conducted in collaboration with them I was forced many times to go far beyond my personal comfort zone and I saw in the slums and on the streets, in the allays between the high-rise buildings or under the bridges of the highways dimensions of life I was whether to ignorant or too uncomfortable to see.

Whatever it was: now, as I had to admit already after Guatemala, I am wiser and smarter, hopefully humbler and for sure more critically. Thinking about my experience with the Urban Poor of Metro Manila I think about strong family bounds, pure humanity, solidarity, hunger, struggle and endless suffer.
-So many positive forces lived by the communities are opposing the darkness of poverty but still: in the postcolonial setting power relations are maintained and it is still the rich population which rules over wealth and poverty, about prosperity and demise. Perhaps the face of those in power has partly changed: transnational companies, real estate agents and corrupt government officials.

Still the Urban Poor are stronger and the life of human beings can’t count against the interest rate of the newest condominium. However, that is daily procedure: making money fast and lots of it determinates the perceived level of success in an entire society. It's the grassroots organizations like UPA I put my trust and hopes into. It's them, together with the countless community organizers, community leaders, activists, informal settlers, homeless children and others effected by exploitation and poverty who have the right to dignity and equality and who have the power to change the destiny of the Philippines.

Lessons learned

In those two months I lived in Manila I lived on a daily basis the chaos of one of the fastest growing cities worldwide. The hectic mess of the Asian mega city Manila but also the peaceful introduction of the ancient Philippine culture in the rural parts of Northern Luzon has thought me many lections of life and provided further insights in our abusing world order.

However- what exactly did I learn?
Well, for example:

• Delivering a baby on a crowed Bangka
• How to conduct quantitative and qualitative empirical research in the field
• Surfing
• US American colonialism
• The taste of Balut
• Three words in Tagalog (Salamat, Libog and Sige)
• The concept of community organizing
• Pilipino work-culture and -ethics
• The menu of Chowking
• Root causes and symptoms of overpopulation
• The incredible hospitality of the Philippine people
• How to jaywalk on even the most deadliest intersections
• The history of Peoples Power
• That there is no more drama as in Philippine soap-operas 
• And most importantly:   I learned to know so many new friends!!!

I am thankful for each single experience and would not want to spare any of them. In fact, I have been through sadness and fun myself so often here in Manila and happy for all the memories I will carry in my heart. As a matter of fact I want to thank you all of you who have made this adventure possible: UPA and its staff for providing the internship, the families from the communities who were all so supportive and shared their insights with me, my old/new friends here in Manila for their advises how to survive in the city and the fun we had together, the Pilipino people for their courage, rich culture and infinite friendliness!

In particular do I want to express my deepest gratitude to John Pabustan and Bea Pascual:

Dear John -without your support, networking, advice and friendship I would have never made it to the Philippines!

Dear Bea -without your help, encouragement, insights and companionship I would have never survived the Philippines!

Both of you I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart!

4th Stop: Malaysia -Kota Kinabalu

For now- I am ready for Malaysia! I am curious to encounter the rich culture of my next destination and looking forward to discover another place in Asia: Kota Kinabalu! I hope to get the chance to travel a little bit around KK and will of course keep you posted.

Me leaving Manila also marks an important milestone: slowly my return back home is getting close: in 9 days I will land in Tegel.  


Berlin: you better get ready for me! :)