The way that I can describe my recent trip back to the Philippines is something like a great movie. It was filled with mixed emotions, different experiences and outlook into life, only this time, I experienced this movie first hand, and the outlook of my life has now changed...
Having not travelled back to Philippines since 1987 when I first left, it has been quite sometime, so imagine the anxiety that I was feeling going back to my childhood memories of growing up and when I was before my teens, people told me that I would be culture shocked because I haven't been back for that long, I was just excited, and nervous at not knowing what to expect. No shock, upon landing in the Philippines, like what people have told me when I saw the people just around the streets and the homeless, I didn't quite know what to feel but it wasn't shock.
"What is it that you expect of this GKY GAT?" was the question that was asked by Fredney, the head of the GKY GAT Phils Service Team, during our breakfast welcome to start our GKY GAT. A lot of people had great answers, like how some just wanted to be open to the experience; mine was somewhat simple, to make memories...
The first GK site we visited was BASECO, the area in Manila that everyone was afraid of, where a fire swept through the area and people were left homeless, crime followed, including unsolved murders, it was an area where some taxi drivers would dare not go. But there we were lingering in GK BASECO. There were a lot of houses built, very colourful and well looked after, the kids were running around asking to have their photos taken, then immediately after their photo was taken they would run up and look at the photo. Some of the GKY GATers who had been there last year couldn't wait to see the people they took out last year, they were excited and amazed. Didn't quite know what they went through, but they seemed happy to see each other again. Funnily enough though, I didn't feel the portrayal of BASECO, I felt safe to hang around, no sign of crime, what I felt was hope that these families have, to live a normal life, where kids would go to school, and parents to work.
The next day came an early wake up call for we had a long road trip to the province that we were designated to build in. We were greeted by another breakfast, but this time it was the Mayor (Mayor Sonia Lorenzo) welcoming us to their town. What a welcome it was, the Mayor actually invited us, GKY GATers to her home to eat, I then imagined a politician in Sydney inviting foreigners to their home, and it would most likely not happen. After breakfast, we met with the Mayor's son, Jesse, his story was that he was actually studying overseas but when he travelled back to the Philippines, he learnt about GK, he saw its potential, and is now staying there in the Philippines working with his mother, to have GK in their town.
We were eventually taken over to our designated area where, for the next five days, we had planned to build. Shane and I were allocated to an elderly couple that did not have much. Upon entering their home they showed us around, their home was just smaller than my bedroom; they had no fully furnished furniture except a table, a couple of chairs, their bed and a couch. Their electricity was not working, so they had to run their electricity through car batteries that were lying around. They had a television and radio for entertainment, and a very small cooking stove, where you can actually see the gas can.
After our introduction, we had our first day of building! We grouped together to take part in several different things. There were some painting, some digging, and the rest were creating frames for the homes. Some of the villagers felt the immediate affection that we had, as we were able to do a lot during the first day in helping them build. The next day, wasn't so good, it rained all day, but then that's when I met a kid that I would remember to this day.
The kid's name was Aldrin. I found out he was living right next door to where we were staying. I had asked him if he was going to school, but he didn't respond. He was asked "what do you want to become when you grow up?" and he said nothing. Somehow I found out the reason why Aldrin had stopped school, their family couldn't afford it, so he had to stop, and ever since then, he stopped wanting to be anything else, he stopped dreaming. And this is why we need GK. GK seeks to bring hope.
A few days later, the next for GKY GAT was beautiful Boracay, there we had our "R and R", Rest and Recreation, and during that time, the GKY GATers got to know each other a little better and just enjoy each other's company. Ah! The fun I had there just relaxing and enjoying the sun, the beach, the swimming and the banana boat!
After I got back to Australia, I was sharing my trip to the Philippines to a friend, and she kept asking about Boracay, the next thing I thought was, Boracay was good, but the most memorable part of my trip was going to a GK site, because I learnt a lot. The house that Shane and I were staying at, they didn't have much, by our standards, but that's all they needed, they didn't need electricity and a lot of furniture, because all they had was all that they needed.
Aldrin. His name would be in my mind until God knows when, it is because of him that I want to do more for GK, he ignited my passion because I was a kid who dreamed, but eventually stopped as well, but not because of poverty, but because of my situation that was put before me, but now, he gave me another dream, no, a passion to help in GK, he showed me that there was a lot more to do, and a lot more people that needed help, he wasn't alone, but he showed me where I can make a change. Go GK!!!
A few days later, the next for GKY GAT was beautiful Boracay, there we had our "R and R", Rest and Recreation, and during that time, the GKY GATers got to know each other a little better and just enjoy each other's company. Ah! The fun I had there just relaxing and enjoying the sun, the beach, the swimming and the banana boat!
