It has come to my attention that this blog is in serious need of an update. Looking back through my previous posts, I think I last left you somewhere in Bangalore, India. For the record, I made it back to the Philippines in one piece and with a host of stories to tell--some which I may have to tell in posts to come. The trip left my mind reeling with thoughts. I don't think I have ever experienced such a vast and diverse array of culture in my life. Sit down for 5 minutes in Tamil Nadu and take a good look. Peddlers wearing lungis, Sikhs wearing dotis, holy men, business men in western business attire, saris and Coach purses. There is not much that one won't see. It is a colorful and paradoxical world of both tradition and progress. For the outside observer, it's nothing short of a sensory overload. Needless to say, I look forward to getting back. Coming back to the Philippines from India, I was swept into a world of deadlines, requirements, and expectations. The biggest obstacle that I found staring me in the face was my thesis. It was an all-consuming task. I nearly immediately dove into weeks of pouring over recorded interviews and their transcripts, as I did my best to tell the story of a squatter relocation community, which I have given the alias: "Looban". My research looked at the relationship of a particular mission "outreach church" and their "mother-church" in that community. It dealt with the perceptions and self-identities that were formed as the two VERY divergent groups interacted. My research had been on going for the better part of the previous year. Thus, this two month period was kind of a culmination of everything.
My experience with "Looban" has been unforgettable. They are perhaps one of the more easily misunderstood groups of people in the Metro-Manila Area. There is a certain stereotype or pre-conception that is applied to groups of people who make their lives on the "margins." It was my honor to sit for a while and share a bit of my life with this dynamic community, hear their stories and write of their great potential. The thesis ended up being a monstrous 130-some pages of narrative and analysis. There were several points at which I thought to myself, "Seriously? Are you STILL writing this thing?" But, in the end, I feel that every sentence had its place. I finally defended and passed my thesis defense on November 23rd, 2010 (pending some revisions). I can't tell you the sense of relief and accomplishment it was to hear those final words from our Academic dean--putting an end to the work of more than a year. The defense came in just enough time, because just three days later I had a flight booked for the United States. My final days in Manila were like a marathon. They were intense and stressful. It seemed that everything was demanded from me at once. There was little sleep, many tasks, and no time. It was a piercing headache that lasted nearly a week. That is why it is so important that I plan my travel the way that I do.
In an effort to both save money and bask in my fetish for travel, I broke up my flights and planned an extended 18 hour layover in Hong Kong. I had never been to Hong Kong before and I was eager to explore it. I had 18 hours--all to myself--doing the very thing that I love the most: traveling, meeting new people, exploring new places and cultures... it was wonderful. A day or so later my plane touched down in Columbus, Ohio where I was greeted by my family and a group of my closest friends. We have made a wonderful tradition of going out to Steak and Shake--directly from the airport-- to share stories and update one another on our lives. It happens nearly every time I come back. It makes me love that group of people even more.
This brings me up to December. More to come in a few days...
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