Hey everyone! Well, I'm home, and it is so great to see my family and friends here again. Now that I have been home for a couple of days I think I have had ample time to reflect on my experiences this summer and think about this crazy trip that I just had. It's weird, I was just in the Philippines, but it doesn't really seem like it. Coming back to the states, I had an insane mixture of emotions and feelings.
As I got to the airport in Manila, I felt relieved. Relieved to start this journey back home to see my family again. I knew that this experience I had would one day come to an end, but until I actually got to the airport, I didn't think it would be so soon. I remember thinking as I parted ways with the people I've lived with over the past few months, "Damn, we're actually saying goodbye. It's really happening." Through the sad farewells, I was able to rest assured, however, in knowing that we would all meet up again in the future at some point or another.
I also felt sad. I felt sad that I had to leave this place where I experienced life in a way that I know I will never replicate. The people I met, the students, the children, the Titas and Titos in the community all had an effect on my life and the way I will view things from now on. The other interns also brought many new perspectives to the mix and I can honestly say that this summer was one of the most multi-cultural Summer's I have ever had. In a way, I was sad that I was relieved to get to the airport, but I soon realized that it was just a natural feeling to have for me at the end of an experience. To many people, the fact that I was relieved to start my journey home would indicate that I did not have good time abroad. Actually the contrary is true, I had an amazing experience and I will never forget the memories I made in the Philippines.
I felt proud. I felt proud that I was able to represent my country in the manner I did and that I was able to adapt to life on the farm so quickly. I knew that everyone there came from very different backgrounds, but I also knew that everyone was able to unite under a common goal: ending poverty of the mind and bringing hope and prosperity back to the poor Filipino communities we encountered. I know that this is a huge mission, but I believe that the fact that it is so huge made it easier for us to come together to chip away at it piece by piece. I learned so much from so many different people and I will never be able to express my gratitude to each and every one of them enough. The only way I can think to try and do that is to take what I've learned from them and apply it to my future endeavors so that, in a way, the ideals of the farm live on in my life through my efforts.
I also felt a little worried. I know that so much shit has been going on in the US while I was gone, and even though I was able to keep up with the news, I had no idea what the climate and the tensions would be like upon my arrival. I knew that I would always have a strong support base at home from my friends and family, but I also saw many people whom I considered to be 'friends' openly going against some of my most important values on Facebook and other social media sites. When I see 'friends' making light of issues such as the racial inequalities in our country today, how am I supposed to view that friendship? Is it true? Is it really how they feel? I was very uncertain of what I would come home to. A place where people still couldn't decide whether Trump or Hillary Clinton would be a better choice to run our country despite the fact that there is an obvious answer? A place where people continually deny that there is a problem with the justice system in our country and its systematic discrimination against ethnic and racial minorities? Though I was worried and still am worried about these things, my travels around the world have all taught me that these problems are not singular to the United States. Injustices occur everywhere, they just differ depending on where you happen to be. Another thing I have learned is that each of these struggles for justice, no matter how small or large, are completely worth the fight. If we want to make ourselves better as a human race, we need to seize our convictions and run like hell. We need to speak out and stop conforming to what is normal, if we want change. Many people are disturbed by political and social activism on social media sites but we are in an age where everything happens on social media! If that is our platform on which we can make change, then so be it!
I got a little sidetracked with that last section, but I was having some pretty important thoughts so I thought I'd get them down. Anyways, let's talk about some of the things I've learned in my time here on the farm.
1. I learned to live simply. I can honestly say that these passed two months on the farm, have been the most simple I have lived and possibly the most simple I will ever have to live in my life. For the last week of the trip we had no running water in our building so we literally had to walk to fill up a bucket for our daily needs. I used to hear stories about people having to walk a mile for water, and I guess I really didn't take it seriously until I actually lived it. I realized another thing in this period of time. I experienced this for a week, but that's how some of these people have lived their entire lives. I will never forget how much we take for granted all of the blessings we've been given.
2. I learned to be patient. There were many times on the farm, where things didn't happen in the time we expected or the way we wanted them done. In fact, many people got frustrated at different time during our stay. I will admit there were times where I felt like there was no sense of time there at all and that my voice was really not that important at all. Over my experience, however, I had to realize that this whole mission was not about me. It was not about my time, my frustrations, or even my efforts. It was about the poor Filipino people and doing everything we can to make the dream of a prosperous and abundant Philippines, a reality. We all had to realize that, as interns, we are a part of a machine that has already been set in motion. We so often come into situations and try to speed up that machine, or even change its trajectory, but I've realized over the years that that is really just an exercise in frustration. We were on the farm to contribute our skills and knowledge, yes, but in a way that helped promulgate the dream of Tito Tony and the other visionaries of the farm.
3. I learned to be present. I learned what it meant to be present. Not only, to be present in a physical sense, but to be present and engaged in interactions with everyone you meet. It would be easy for me to walk throughout the farm community and simply nod my head at people without learning names or stopping to play with some of the kids, but after seeing the effect that a simple conversation can have on ones day, I don't want to do what is easy. I can honestly say that the biggest thing I will remember from my time in the Philippines is the amazing times I spent making adobo with Dave or running around with Marvic and telling his friends to stop terrorizing us with spiders. I will remember ordering dinner from Tita Lolit and awaiting her delicious mushroom burgers, though she did like to change the price a lot😜 I won't forget how every time I passed Veronica in the kitchen she had the biggest smile on her face and enthusiastically said "Hello Nate! How are you??" I won't forget the three year olds in the class I helped in, and how they seemed so nervous and apprehensive when we first walked in, but as soon as they realized we were human beings like them, how energetic and uncontrollably happy they were. I won't forget Tita Brenda, her cooking, her authentiticity. She always was willing to stay with us 20-30 minutes after class and just talk. Not about anything specific, but just talk, and I will never forget that.
These experience were everything to me and I can honestly say that every person on the farm has impacted me in indescribable ways. This was a summer different from any other that I have had before it, but I know that it has affected and will continue to affect every summer from this point on in my life.
Thank you to the GK community and all its members for opening up your arms and letting me experience two months of my life with you all. Thank you to my new friends from Wesleyan, who went through the whole experience with me.
And finally,
Thank you, Philippines, for opening up your doors to me and treating me to such a rich experience and a human experience. Thank you for sharing your prosperous land and knowledge with me. Thank you for showing me a completely different view of the world and thank you for letting me leave my mark on the communities that I've been in.
To my friends at home thinking about going abroad: Do it, you'll never be more thankful for anything for the rest of your life.
Peace, everyone, and thanks for reading!
Natedogg out ✌🏾️