The Nepalese man stole my slippers

This weekend we had visitors from the Nepalese Human Rights Commission staying at Stairway. I never really thought about what it would be like to meet a Nepalese person, nor did I think about the fact that if I did meet one, he would steal my brown and pink flowered, size small, flip flops (they call them slippers here).

But that is exactly what happened. Usually here, we take off our shoes at the doors, and in the Yellow House, we place our flip flops by the stairs on the patio, going up to our room so we don’t get everything sandy. All was well with my flip flops, I thought, until Carissa came up from the bathroom and told us we should check to make sure our flip flops were still at the base of the stairs because she had had an awkward and unexpected run-in with a Nepalese commissioner as she watched him casually slip into her slippers and walk away in them. Of course I went down to see if my slippers were there. I didn’t want to lose another pair of flip flops, mostly because I didn’t want to haggle with the women at White Beach again not to sell me flip flops for 250 pesos just because I am white. (We got our price down to 80). Anyway...I went downstairs and hysterically, my slippers were absent as well, along with the other 4 pairs that were down there. REALLY? Apparently the Nepalese people thought that our ragged, worn in flip flops were put their for them to use.

That is not the funny part.

As we were showing the Nepalese people around Stairway and the beach, they continually asked us why we weren’t wearing any shoes. In my head I thought... BECAUSE YOU’RE WEARING OUR SHOES! In fact, the commissioner who was talking with Alex even offered him "his" (Mitch's) flip flops on the way to the beach!

I didn’t get my slippers back until the next morning, when I saw that my culprit had left them outside his door. As much as I enjoyed the awkward hilarity of the entire situation and making up excuses for why I wasn’t wearing shoes the whole weekend, I swiped those slippers as fast as I could and kept them in hiding until the Nepalese departed from Stairway that afternoon.

We did have fun with the Nepalese however. After they watched Cracked Mirrors on the stage, we whipped out the bongos, guitars, and other instruments and jammed while they taught us traditional Nepalese dances. Mitch, Carissa, Alex, and I continued the party with our buddies Lexter, Diego, Tonio, Jao, and one of the Nepalese men until 2am, singing American songs and probably keeping up the rest of the Yellow house.

Hmm...serves as payback for the loss of our slippers over the weekend!

Said I was a Buffalo soldier, troddin' through the land

I saw a water buffalo on the way to church on Sunday. It wasn't in the water. It wasn’t remotely near the water. It was in a field and looked like a cow with rhinoceros skin and Shrek ears.

We ate fried chicken last night for dinner. I usually avoid fried chicken to the dismay of my southern friends and if I do eat it, I almost always,in the interest of not clogging my arteries, take the skin off. But last night I shamelessly licked every bite of chicken off of my chicken leg. We don't get familiar food here very often, and though the food here is great and much better than I had expected before coming, it is really nice to eat something and know what it is.

It was also the first birthday of the new batch of kids. Mark turned 12 and was, at first, very shy about the birthday attention when we sang to him at breakfast, but he loosened up as the day went on as his peers wouldn't let anyone forget that he was the birthday boy. It was as if they were as excited about Marks birthday as they would be about their own. We all watched The Road to El Dorado and ate cake at the Main House. It is really adorable the way they do birthdays here. No matter how big the cake is everyone gets a piece, no matter how small. I insisted that is was not a big deal if we didn't eat cake so others could have more but Ate Donna wouldn't hear of it. The birthday kid gets to choose a movie to watch at the Main House, and is given a gift.

For many of them, their birthday at Stairway will be their first birthday celebration that they have had in their whole lives. Some don't know their actual dates of birth so Ate Donna asks them when they would like their birthdays to be, and they celebrate on whatever day they choose. I just wish my birthday fell during the time we are here!

Picture this, a sky full of thunder

Yep it is the rainy season here in the Philippines, and we are experiencing a minor typhoon according to Ate Ami. It is quite rainy and there is thunder, but it is not so windy. We're not in any danger, that I know of. But the four of us "joke" that a hurricane or another potentially problematic event could come plunging through here and we would have no clue that it was coming due to the fact that there is no cable television here and nobody cares to check the weather much online, that we know of, at least.

Also, I finally got some photo albums online. You can get to them from the links section on the top left of the blog and click on the link that says Pictures.

Anything you can do, I can do better

Since coming to the Philippines, we have unanimously decided that Filipinos are essentially good at everything. Even in the things we thought we were pretty well versed in, our Filipino comrades have proven themselves, though humbly, more superior. For example:

Our expedition with our very own professional jungle trekkers
If you would have asked me yesterday if a was an outdoorsy person, I would have said yes, of course- I enjoy hiking, camping, white water rafting, snowboarding and being just outside in general- and have had lots of experience in the great outdoors. But since coming to the Philippines almost everything I thought I knew about myself has been challenged, and our hike- or should I say mountain trek- was no exception.

We set out with Ate Ami and Kuya Tonio on Sunday morning right after breakfast on a hike to a place called Aninuan Falls. When within the first five minutes Ate Ami, a very petite yet feisty woman, had us scaling a steep rocky incline, navigating through a shoulder-high grass field and getting attacked by monstrous, pinching red ants in the jungle that cling to your body until you rip them out of your skin to release their death grip, I knew this would be one of the most difficult “walks” (as Ate Ami called it) of my life. It was a challenging hike (for those non-Filipinos of us) but it was a beautiful one. As the peaks got higher and the terrain more difficult, the panoramic views spanning from the lush, green mountain to the turquoise-blue ocean became nothing short of breathtaking.

When we arrived at the falls we were relieved to find a large, refreshing and cold pool below a strong waterfall- the perfect oasis after our two and half hour excursion through the jungle, in the heat, over mountain tops, and past lots of cows. We ordered coconut juice and wondered where the cooler was until we saw the guy chopping open the coconut with a machete. As you can probably imagine we took a nice long nap after returning to Stairway. Tonio went kayaking.

White Beach wall-climbing wonders
The other day we went on an unexpected adventure. A simple walk to white beach with Lexter and Diego turned into yet another rock climbing escapade (Adding to the fun was the fact that I was wearing a dress and flip flops.) We walked to the end of White Beach, marked by huge rocks that jet out into the ocean from the mountain. We climbed up the very vertical formation using roots and vines too pull ourselves up. The rocks were very sharp, and though we were struggling with flip-flops on, Diego seemed to have no problem prancing across the ridged surfaces barefoot- again making us aware of how lame we are compared to the natives here! After taking in the striking view we climbed down the other side towards more rocks that we climbed, and watched the sunset as the tide came in and the waves crashed against the giant rock structures. Unfortunately we did not have our cameras to capture this awesome find, but we intend to go back before we leave the Philippines.

Other examples of Filipino awesomeness

Everyone here looks much younger than they are. For example, Ate Carol, a vivacious, adventurous woman who has been working with us on the campaign and chilling us in our spare time (taking us snorkeling, to a cool music place called Coco Aroma on the beach, etc) looks no older than 29 years old. She is in a band (and is actually a celebrity here in the Philippines!) We found out the other day that she is 38. When she told us that- my mouth literally dropped wide open and I was speechless for 30 seconds or so. Not that I think 38 is old, but she just looks so much like she is in her 20s! I hope that I can age as gracefully as she is- particularly the way her spirit has. During the time I have spent with her and the conversations we have had thus far, I think she is an awesome woman with great faith, a serene personality and a kind heart. I am so glad to be working with her this summer.

Flips are very popular with the kids here on the island. Back flips, front flips, handstands…they do everything. Lexter and Jao teach the Stairway kids how to flip also. They have been trying to teach us since we got here, but with little luck. And of course, some of the Stairway kids, who have been here a few days, are already flipping! It is crazy! Everyone is just so athletic here, and picks everything up so quickly!

Musical talent- so I thought I was pretty musical. I have been playing the piano since I was 5, I can play the clarinet, some sax, and a little guitar. But nope, the Filipinos put me to shame again. Everyone here can just pick up the guitar and start strumming to any American song- no lessons, no sheet music… they just teach themselves. AND they all can sing! Johnny is an awesome rapper. And Ate Susan has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard!

It has become a bit of a joke among the four of us Americans each time we see another feat accomplished by one of our friends here. But it is really fun to see what other people can do, and how sometimes they go about things differently than we would and I am learning so much from them.

Down in my soul, Sweet beautiful soul saving joy

Yesterday I witnessed more joy on the faces of 10 skinny, malnourished street kids than I had witnessed on a person's face in a very long time. In their new bathing suits, the new batch of kids that just arrived from the detention center in Manila, had their first glimpse of the ocean...Well they had more than a glimpse- it was more of a free-for-all of running in the sand, splashing and swimming in the water, and practicing handstands and front flips on the beach.

Upon their arrival, the 10 boys walked into the front courtyard of the Stairway Foundation empty handed and up the stairs to the dining area. We had formal introductions on in a circle on the stage, right underneath the sign that proudly procaims "Every Human Has Rights," and I was shocked to hear the children say their ages. These 10 kids, ranging in age from 10-14, looked no older than 9 years old. Seeing them in comparison to the kids of the employees who live here at Stairway was an eye opener. Lancelot, 10, looks older and bigger than the 14 year olds. Zach, age 13, Lars and Monica’s son, towers over all of the kids by at least a foot.

Many of the kids have visible skin diseases, and others have scars from cuts on their arms. I expected the kids to be shyer than they were, to act more jaded. But when we helped each one carry their shiny new wash basins with their 4 new pairs of clothes, a new bathing suit, toothbrush, flip flops, and other necessities, up to their dormitory to organize their new things, they acted like any other kid I have seen on Christmas.

We took "before" pictures of all the kids, to have something to compare and measure their physical healing and development over the next year. Then they headed down to the beach, washed up, and got ready for Izana's 6th birthday party at the main house. We had a big feast and watched a movie on the lawn in honor of Izana's birthday, the Philippines' Independence Day, and the arrival of the new batch of kids. (We had to explain to the kids that every day was not full of cake, movies, and parties!)

Over the past two days watching these kids at the beach, at Izana’s party, and at their orientation session, I have been very impressed with the way they act. They are all very polite and obedient. I don’t know if they are making good first impressions, or if they are afraid that they will get in trouble like they did at the detention centers if they acted out of line.

I am interested to see, in the coming days and weeks, how these kids interact with each other and the Stairway staff in other situations.

A wedding? I love weddings…

On Saturday night I attended my first Filipino wedding! Everyone here knows everyone else- so apparently we were invited to the wedding reception, that was held outdoors, near a cluster of homes by Lance and Louie’s school. We walked with Lexter, Jhao, and a few others from Stairway through a very muddy road (it had rained all day) towards lights and music coming from the party. It is very difficult to go somewhere and not be noticed because the four of us always stick out like sore thumbs among our tan and petite Filipino friends, and this occasion was no different. We arrived at the tent and got a huge welcome from the MC who saw us near the buffet (which was delicious). After we ate, we realized that we actually recognized a lot of the people at the wedding. Many of the people on the Stairway staff were there, and we also knew people from the beach.
At a Filipino wedding, it is tradition that the women sit in a circle of chairs, and the men pay money to the bride and groom to dance with the women. Though I am somewhat against the concept of objectifying women and having men pay to dance with her, Carissa and I, wanting to experience a little cultural immersion, conceded when Jhao showed us to our seats in the circle. For somewhere between 20 and 100 pesos per dance, Carissa and I were on our feet the whole time. There were also free dances, where everyone could come out and dance, and those were the most fun because Alex, Mitch, and our entire Stairway family came out to dance with us. We had taught our Stairway family the Souldja Boy dance, and one of the highlights of the night was dancing all together when the song came on.

After Carissa and I grew tired of the awkward dancing with random men, we all walked back and sat at the Sailor’s Shack, a very cool little hangout on our beach.

Overall, the night was a blast and will definitely be a highlight of our trip.

Pizza pie in your eye

We ate pizza last night- and it was delicious! Yes- a New Jerseyan admitting to delicious pizza outside the New York metropolitan area. I don’t know if it was because we needed to have a taste of home, or what it was, but the beachfront Italian restaurant called Luca’s was a piece of heaven.

The charming deck we ate on had a very relaxed feel, and we were the only 4 people there. We ordered two pizzas and pasta to share. We were skeptical, but once that pizza came out, all doubts went out the window as we enjoyed a little comfort food and prepared ourselves for today, when we will be starting our newest project from Lars and Monica- creating a marketing strategy for Stairway in the United States, and to create a campaign for October, 2010.

More on that later!

Waterfall, lovin' me

On Thursday we hiked to a beautiful waterfall high in the mountains. Zach (Lars and Monica’s son), was our jungle guide along with Jonathan, and Sir Lance and King Louie tagged along for the adventure as well. We walked down the beach, over rocks, and across more beach until we cut into the mountain.
I felt like I was on a safari at a petting zoo because everywhere I looked, there were goats, dogs, and cows just sitting on the edge of the forest. We were warned to stay in the middle of the path, away from the trees, in order to avoid death due to falling coconuts. The animal adventure continued as we walked through a Mangyan (the indigenous people of the Philippines) village---lots of huge turkeys, pigs, goats, and puppies popped up as we traveled through the village and further up the mountain.

The mountain was very, very steep and there were some inch-wide ledge paths above a rocky river that we needed to trek across. The climb up to the falls was full of mud, rock hopping, and my yelling at Dalme- our gross, flea infested, “walk –in” dog that likes white people, because a Frenchman once fed him, and has a particularly affinity for me- to get away from me!

The waterfall was awesome! The water was very cold and refreshing, and we were able to jump from the ledge into the pool. The hike back down the mountain was challenging, yet relatively uneventful, until we returned to the Mangyan village.

We saw a woman screaming and running towards us, and then a man carrying a limp woman into a hut. It was extremely chaotic, especially due to the fact that I know only a few phrases in Tagalog, and could not understand what was happening. Zach told us that they were sending for a tricycle to take her to the hospital that was just down the road. There was almost a sense among the people that they knew there could only be so much done to help the woman. I don’t know what happened to the woman once we left, but I couldn’t help thinking that if we were home and something like that happened, it would be no problem getting a person to a good hospital where they could almost certainly be helped. It was quite a weird situation for me to be in, because I wanted to help, but couldn’t.

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Just let me state for the record, we're giving love in a family dose

Red Leaves was successfully launched on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at a very chic premiere event held in Manila at the RCBC plaza. UNICEF co-hosted the event (a true sign of Stairway’s foothold and efficiency in its field) and many important people and stakeholders were in attendance. There is currently an anti-child pornography act going through Congress. For some reason, it is illegal to buy or sell child pornography but it is not illegal to own it, though if one owns it, he most likely bought it. The bill is not controversial, so everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that it goes through.

As part of the Stairway family, we all traveled to Manila on Monday morning and arrived at the hotel we were staying at called Bianca’s Garden, formerly called True Home. It is a quaint Spanish-style collection of small rooms tucked away in one of the slum neighborhoods of Manila. Upon arrival, we had lunch and went on to put together 300 training kits that consist of a DVD, storybook, and manual that go with each of the three animations that Stairway has put out. We sold the complete package along with other Stairway products at the event.

Then we all piled into the jeepnee and Revo and headed over to the plaza- to set up for the next night’s event. The RCBC is a huge venue that holds various companies, restaurants, and theaters. We were in a branch of the building that had a theater with a huge projection screen that was able to drop down from the ceiling and could be let up for theatrical productions.

Outside the theater was a large, beautiful foyer area where we set up tall tables, a photo exhibit, and a booth for selling products. We set up the stage set for the theater production, Cracked Mirrors, that was put on by three of the Stairway staff members who were formerly clients at Stairway, set up the photo exhibit, and ran around making sure everything was in place for more setting up the next day.

The actual event was awesome. There was an excellent turnout- over 450 people attended- and everything ran smoothly. There was a cocktail hour in the beginning as people entered and then we screened Red Leaves Falling. Then there was an intermission with a buffet in the foyer, and the event continued in the theater with the extremely powerful musical, Cracked Mirrors. I filmed the entire program for Stairway to use for various purposes.


At the end, Monica was presented red roses in recognition for all of her hard work and the Stairway staff was recognized for all of their support and hard work. Watching them from the balcony, where I was filming, I felt so proud of all of them, and so happy to be just a tiny part of what Lars, Monica, and the rest of the Stairway family is doing here. It really is like a big family here, and after our trip to Manila, I truly feel like a part of this unit.