The early worming [between 4-5am] and night owling [to, or after midnight] are starting to wear and so it was another dilatory morning. Only, this time....we woke up much later than planned. Mike squeezed in his breakfast, but not I. Wanted to do a FBook update. A text from Ron and one from Raymond asking how we are is the obvious, "Where are ya?" I like their friendly Filipino nudging method.
What an awesome day. I’m thankful. We’re thankful.
I wasn't prepared for the congested intersection [by the hotel] of bulging traffic and pedestrians on this momentous Monday morning. Apparently, during the weekdays, there are traffic directors to help keep the pedestrians safe and keep the intersection roulette somewhat tamed. We took every crossing queue from the surrounding packs of pedestrians. Once one foot is put out, the rest of the body must follow with speedy caution. Full commitment is key. With authority, your right of way must be established and made clear, to all behind the wheel, no matter the level of risk. Just do it and move like heck.
Laser beaming the congested traffic, I found myself whelmed again. Was this day going to be another one of those where it seems there is no place of peace and quiet from the high volume of life? This city girl had experienced enough country living in America to forget Manila New York City
It's only two blocks to the office building. As the sun beams and collects 2x the heat atop of the heavily humidity-kinked black strands, there is much appreciation for that short, though sweltering, distance. Just what I was hoping for when I picked the hotel location....short. Mike finds himself in recalcitrant laughter as he takes a good look at what the short distant walking has done to my hair. I didn't have the time to straighten out the waves after my shower so it kinked into the new look: African American wanna be. Yah, kinkier than kinky.
There is a Seven Eleven right next to the office building. Not a gas station. Just the convenient store. Later in the week we would discover that they are the convenient store chain laying claim to nearly every other block in this business district. [In some cases, every block]. The typically stocked items are similar to American Seven Elevens....with a few added Pinoy faves....of course.
Stop the Presses. Approaching the station building was a heart thumper. It's the other moment we've waited over a year for. I'm jacked. He's jacked. Heck, we're all jacked happy! There is no A/C in the lobby. It's a reminder that Manila Hong Kong gets first place. For a quick moment the mind can't help but wonder how in the world the security "guard" survives these conditions. Oh, the floor fan. Unable to recognize our faces, she mutters something tagalog to us. Amid the surreal moment of anxiety, all I could intelligently muster is a friendly [but quick], "Morning." She was likely asking where we were headed. The elevator seems hotter. The sweat multiplies. The drab looking 3rd floor is no different. To the right is the hard-to-miss "The Edge" labeling, on the glass door, at the end of the hallway. Thump-a-d-thump thump hear that heart beat go. It's just right after 10am and we've surely missed the staff meeting. As Mike opens the door, the refreshing wave of A/C air welcomes us in. The door chimes to our entrance and Raymond is the first friendly face and embrace. It's the first day we happy hearts get to see Ron, Raymond and Mama Luz in [business] action within the confines of their titles. Yeah, it's so nice to be here!!!!!
After a few friendly "Hi, my name is..." we make our way towards the "war room" as Ailene and Owie proudly put it. Aka, conference room. Looking around on the walls of maps and written on glass, I ask questions trying to get a feel for what happens in here. Owie and Ailene appear stationary in two seats. I ask, "Have you all not had your staff meeting yet?"
"No," they reply.
"Oh, were you all waiting for us?" They give friendly nods. For a fraction of a moment I felt bad... in the rest of the moment [and more to follow] it seemed maybe there was a particular re-assuring reason. Soaking in these first few moments is such as challenge. Laser beaming every surface on a first day's [and first hour's] introduction to a new place, where there are faces attached to hearts we want to get to know....trying to absorb it all is almost sensory numbing. It's easy to miss comments/statements or questions. A freeze button would've been perfect. Just long enough to....well, you know.
Everyone else makes their heart-happy way in. It feels as if we've finally [and officially] approached the Knight's round table. Only it's rectangular, in 2011, and it's two combined metal framed banquet tables. Some contribute a few sweet indulgences to accompany coffee. Ricki, of Egyptian blood, had just gotten back from Canada Faith Academy
Ron starts out with, "This is not going to be the typical staff meeting." After about ten more sentences, I'm pulling out the HD video camera again and recording....everything. All the re-introductions that are, this time, accompanied with titles, job/volunteer descriptions, testimonies and enlightening [station, country and culture] factoids of sorts. This went on for quite some time: There are 100 million people in the Philippines , There are 14 million [plus] in Manila Manila business and population wise. The Mall of Asia sees four million people a day. The Edge radio only has 2 FM frequencies up and running with hopes to have seven total by the end of the year.
There are several youth challenges: Many of the young people don’t have parents raising them because the parents are OFW’s [Overseas Filipino Workers] working overseas to send money back home. So, it’s the yayas [nannies] that are raising them. The Philippines has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Asia . The 2009 statistics showed that seven out of ten pregnant women were teenagers and most of them being under the age of 19. There were 3.6 million pregnant teens. In a nation where abortion is illegal, 46,000+ abortions are conducted on teenage girls. Rugby is the name of rubber cement glue most commonly inhaled by street kids. It’s like a drug. It is a drug. The children use to temporary numb their hunger and emotional pains. I could go on and on with horrifying statistics. But, for now, the point has been made.
This is a Christian nation. There are more Catholics than there are Protestants. So, everyone knows who Jesus is, who God is. You are hard pressed to find close minded people, generally speaking. A new church is planted in the Philippines
This portion of the table gathering was ended with Mike and I giving our own backgrounds, how we came to learn of the Edge, why the interest and what our humble intentions are in joining the Edge team. There were no bulleted notes previously made to go by. So, it was all verbatim. Mike has shared his story so many times before and ….even though I wasn’t prepared there was nothing nerve wrecking in giving a brief testimony. Then Ron had everyone surround us, lay their hands on us, and prayed for the Lord's favor in our process of fundraising for the sake of our quick return. That was tearfully humbling on another level.
By noon lunch is delivered: Grilled milk fish [I think that's the national fish], lechon manok [like rotisserie chicken], grilled pork skewers, pancit, rice....etc. Wow, what a magnificent welcome feast. The pancit was on one of those flat woven round baskets. We were amazed. We were humbled. We definitely felt loved. How beautiful. Upon noticing them I quickly turned to Mike and pointed out the calamansi. "That stuff, you can't live without here. You have to have it with almost all your Filipino meals." And there we were enjoying our first meal together as one big radio family. Ailene blows us away with her encyclopedia-like mind that spits out so much of the history of the Philippines
The afternoon starts with the abating of people in the conference room. Mike and Ron spend an incredible amount of time together in Ron’s office. They discuss several areas of operation costs, prospects for near future FM frequencies and other important subjects concerning the radio station. In the mean time, Owie, Ailene, Rory and I delight in a few hours of woman-to-woman talk. They enjoy getting to know a little more of me and I enjoy getting to know who they are outside the subject of radio. It’s the kind of thing that women are so good at. Face-to-face stuff.
Later Jibby comes walking in. Another Filam [Filipino American]…. mmmmmm… like me. As he walks in… in the middle of our conversation, he quickly notices I’m not like…well, like ….hm…. he sits down, looks at me and says, “So, what are you?....” Screeeeeetch! What was that he just said? He quickly goes on to say, “Cuz, you look like a Filipina but you don’t sound like one.” Wow, that was just too funny. After all, I could say the same thing about him. Brown Filipino looking dude with the smooth fluent English like it’s his first language. Surely, my kinkier than kinky hair left much to be desired as well to this curious inquirer. The moment just needed to be frozen in time. There was the considerable need to just soak that all in and laugh as hard as possible…for as long as needed. Oh, how I longed to in that moment of time. But instead, I just quickly excused my smooth English as a product of adoption at a young age to an American who had no tagalog speaking skills.
Late in the afternoon was a scheduled simulcasting in which there’s live feeding to all the other stations. Ron has it done once a week. Today it was with Kitchie Nadal. A well known Filipina rock star. So, the rest of the afternoon was filled with the simulcasting buzz at high live volume. It’s just incredible. It’s in these moments that this is definitely the happening place to be in. Live music, interviews, people chatting online during the live feed….it’s one of the best party-like atmospheres.
As the sun is getting lower, we head back out towards the hotel. Back out to the swarms of people…of traffic. We decide to try the Sango burger joint. It’s Japanese. We’re intrigued. I can’t remember the name of my dish, but it’s not bad. However, the senses from the day’s events are still boardering overdone. At the same time, I want to make sure everything has been sequentially journaled, photos edited and posted for those closely following our journey. Mike says his burger was loaded with onions. By the looks of it, in comparison to American standards, it overloaded. Too bad he hates onions.
A short texting interaction with Tracer leads us to the days last outing….coffee with Trace. After dropping off our stuff at the room, we start walked back up Rufino, past the station street and all the way up to Leviste. It is HAWT and muggy as all get out. That’s the longest walk we’ve done since our arrival. Well, the longest without any A/C breaks… which is what we had when walking through Greenbelt
Tracer doesn’t want to sit in her hawt condo over hawt coffee. So, we walked down to the closest Starbucks. A las…back in A/C. It truly is a luxury, at times, in such heavy humidity. We spent so much time yacking and laughing over so much while enjoying my favored mocha frapp…and whatever Tracer and Mike had. Tracer has the slightly strong personality that goes well with the quirky kind of verbiage I so love. Hm….Have I found a kindred spirit? I totally love that girl! We three talked and cackled. We did so until 10pm. It was wonderful.
On the way back we stopped at nearly every convenient store along Leviste looking for apple juice without corn syrup or artificial sweetner. It seemed an impossible task. But I needed it to take with the berry green supplement. We also needed to find some seriously sized water bottles. I was thirsty.
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