REFLECTION OF CROSS CULTURAL EXCHANGE--- PHILIPPINE



REFLECTION OF CROSS CULTURAL EXCHANGE--- PHILIPPINE

Lee Yuk Ying, BSW Year 1

Before I expressed my feelings of this valuable trip, I wanted to share a story with you:

Imagine you were a 10-year-old local person who lived and grew in the Philippines. The economic development here was dominated by the primary production, such as farming and fishing. Your family income (HK$100 per month) came from fishing and farming could merely sustain the family life. However, the occasional drought and the severe sea pollution made the whole village fall into the financial crisis. As a result, your siblings and you were compelled to drop out. Even your 8-year-old brother and you needed to go to work with father for alleviating the rigors.

Did you think you are poor in this story? Apart from negative feelings, what concrete actions you would take? Would you commit suicide? Would you face those challenges positively? Would you seize the chance for training your potential abilities under the tough environment?

After this trip, the most valuable thing I got was not the social work theories, social work practice skills or the cultures other than Hong Kong. The thing I treasured most was the stronger adaptive abilities, optimistic, and enthusiastic attitude of human life under the adverse environment that I found through the observation and experience of field visits, discussion with local people and getting along with the workers of Katipunan ng Maykapansanan sa Plipinas, Inc (KAMPI).

The KAMPI hosted us sincerely. Throughout the trip, the KAMPI’s workers were so kind and patient in introducing the details of their institution, the biggest project called the Breaking Barriers for Children and the religion and cultures of Philippines to us. Although the languages and cultures between us were different, they didn’t retard our communication.

On the contrary, we played and sang together. There was one thing that made me surprise. Every social worker and most of the voluntary workers knew the sign language. It was quite different from that of Hong Kong.

Along the traveling periods, we were bored. So, we always sang on the vehicles. Sometimes we perform the songs. Sometimes, they taught us their native songs with sign language. ‘The Power of Love’ was a wonderful song that was the first time I heard during a short cultural presentation performed by the local staff. It gave us a glimpse of the unique culture of the Igorot tribe of Baguio. This song accompanied by the sign language was still fresh in my mind.

Besides, they were the good listeners as they tried their best in arranging the itinerary by asking our suggestions and opinions throughout the exchange program. It was the real interaction.

There were several unforgettable activities, particularly the Baguio School for the Deaf(BSD), Philex mining community, farming and fishing village and Banaue rice terrace.

In BSD, I restarted to know the world of deaf persons. Through the interaction, they taught us sign names and asked us questions actively. Also, I discovered most of them were diligent, disciplinary and confident. For example, they knew some difficult vocabularies that I didn’t know. Besides, after the command of teacher, they put the tables and chairs to the side of the classroom automatically.

So, I believed that the teachers devoted a lot of efforts in supporting them. The

hidden powers in pushing the teachers to work for the students were the human basic values and dignities. Notwithstanding the students were weak in listening, their eager hearts accompanied with the teachers’ supports broke those barriers that hindered the accessibility of acquiring the knowledge they were deserved.

During the visits of Philex mining community as well as the farming and fishing village, mass poverty could be found. We went to 2 miners’ homes for getting deeper understanding of their living conditions. The areas of their flats were small proportionate to the large number of their family members.

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Although the mining company provided them with the free residential place, free medical welfare, free education for their generations and the acceptable retirement pension, the living condition was poor and it’s remote from the supermarket. Also, a high incidence of disability among children of subsistence miners was reported. Luckily, there was a satellite center of KAMPI provided services for the families of children with disabilities.

The mass poverty and the poor sanitation were more severe in the farming and fishing village. The occasional drought and the severe sea pollution made the lives of the whole village dwellers become difficult. As a result, many children were compelled to drop out and some of them need to go to work with father for alleviating the financial burden. All these were the hard realities of life that were the mirror of the general grassroots in Philippines.

Apart from the visits, we also spent some time on sightseeing and shopping. The toughest trip gave me a memorial page of my life. It’s the trip of Banaue rice terrace. The weather was unfavorable for hiking. We worn the raincoats and started the trip. The road was rugged and muddy, but we were full of power. After lunch, rain stopped and we were surrounded by the large piece of green rice terrace with the cloudless blue sky and it created the most sprightly and wonderful picture. However, the road was dangerous and time was limited, so that we didn’t go to the waterfall and the final destination---the tribe village. When we went back, landslide blocked the only outlet. We walked alertly and thanked God. All of us were safe in crossing that sandy hill.

Finally, this trip brought me to the other world and really broadened my horizons. It also gave me a space to reflect my role at present and in the future. I will treasure the chances that help me to equip well myself from now on. So that I could have enough power to solve the personal problems as well as bring hopes to others. Please let me say Thank You to my department offered me such meaningful exchange program.

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