just thought this is something i should explain.
every Filipino without fail when seeing out white skin will either smile wave or shout "hey Joe"
at first the concept of them being astounded by the fact i was white and waving at me just because of the colour of my skin was bizzare enough. But then they were calling me a name which is just short of my own was beyond odd. i still find it strange that when so many other countries including our own shunt out anyone with a diffrent colour skin and will mutter ruse things under there breath Filipino's are always more than obliged to wave and smile and seem happy to see us and for all i have found so far for completely innocent reasons and have not tried to steal my money kidnap me or rape and declare war so maybe someone should tell nick griffin that there other races are kinder warmer and more welcoming than our own. British haven't quite worked it all out yet instead we are still mostly ignorant lazy and easy to complain and not that shy of war.
Which leads me on nicely to the origin of hey joe
back in the second world war the Americans settled here in order to fight the Japanese off the coast so there were soldiers everywhere and apparently the Filipinos used to call them all G.I Joe and the Americans finding it funny encouraged it and so it stuck and now every time they see a white face they associate it with that and say "hey joe"
this is just one story i have been told but i think it is kind of all those lines
this is not a great historical essay but parts of it kind of must be true
dont believe me then go ask the old guy i got talking to on Apo island called Tito boy
and see if you can get a clearer story
Friday, 21 August 2009
Thursday, 20 August 2009
the last few days down by the sea have almost become a blur but as my week of relaxation comes to a close i have time to reflect and although this was meant to be a time without hard work and harder situations that would make me question every fibre of humanity it has still brought some questions into my head particularly the story of the young man on the scooter
As we drove the final stretch to the well needed beach resort after 9 hours stuck in the back of a sweaty and very cramped van we were close although not completely certain as to were we were actually going we were still close we got along the final stretch too our thoughts too far along the final stretch so we signaled to the other cab that was loaded full of our luggage and two adolescent relatives to turn round and we could look along this road again sure we had already passed it tempers were beginning to be tested and boundaries of how long we could all stay crushed together so closely we being crossed. making for some very irritable travelers me and my father being to in particular but always have been like father like son. it was as we were turning i looked out the back window completely by chance and watched the other cab turn closely on our tail when out of no where comes a huge thud and the for a good 100 feet down the road there was sparks and all in one moment having seen this i heard the thud the sound of crushing metal and the scrape mixed with a 125 engine. I looked round to everyone and said "shit that guy just came of his scooter....and hard" there was a flurry in the back of the van and for the first time in the last four hours of the journey some movement and interest "he hit the mini cab" "he came out of no where no lights no nothing"
some of the phrases past around declaring the situation and everyone feeling they want to be part of it "thats slightly irrelevant should we not be worrying if he is okay he seems to be standing up"
the doctor who is studying and traveling with us gets out and grabs his bag for his first aid kit
he and Emma rush down to check whats going on as this happens they are met by 14 or so Filipino guys who run down and are claiming him as there friend sitting him down on the back of the mini cab they look to see his head is busted as is his knee and ankle also there is a strong smell of rum about him which could partly be the reason he wasn't screaming in agony about the fact his bare arms head and legs just ate a 100 foot of tarmac. His friends dont seem dangerous but you would not want to mess with them and they begin to get frustrated not sure what happened and making there own stories to protect there friend. my father and i go out to see if they need any help and to keep the angry friends at bay everyone then seems to wander out of the van which for some reason which is still a blur annoys them more. no more harm is done and eventually all parties agree to get him to the hospital we take thee luggage out the back of the mini cab and help him in. I usher the kids and my mum and cousins back into the van with the luggage crammed inside with them leaving my dad and uncle the doctor with the driver to wait for the guys family and take him to the hospital. one image that will stay in head and make me think this the hardest bastard i have seen in a while is the fact even though all of which just happened to this bloke he was just sitting in the cab perfectly silent texting with a slight smirk and whispered "hey joe."
we got to the hotel and they got him to the hospital which they said was fine and the general verdict that he was a legit tough guy. there was fear that he would try and milk us but pops said he was more than happy they had got him to the hospital feeling aware that his family may not be able to cover it they paid the hospital bill and left it at that which everyone seemed happy with.
they came back to the hotel within a time that would of put southend a&e to shame and so began our week of sun and swim.
with the most amazing two days of diving and my first two which are beyond words
but if i had to put it into 2
"windows screen-saver"
its been a surreal week of tarmac eating lion fish diving boat journeys along side turtles
and and a guy that came up to us on the street asking if we wanted to change money he pulled out a massive wad of peso's and showed a good conversion rate so very curious we agreed it went fine accept that he wouldn't accept a 20 pound note because the corner was ripped !
at fear that we were ripping him off
confused yeah
well i think this week has been only just the start of the bizzare stories to fill this page
and spill from my brain
now for my last night here at the beach then back to Baccolod
(with a 7 hour journey in between)
my one final thought
...........always use protection
As we drove the final stretch to the well needed beach resort after 9 hours stuck in the back of a sweaty and very cramped van we were close although not completely certain as to were we were actually going we were still close we got along the final stretch too our thoughts too far along the final stretch so we signaled to the other cab that was loaded full of our luggage and two adolescent relatives to turn round and we could look along this road again sure we had already passed it tempers were beginning to be tested and boundaries of how long we could all stay crushed together so closely we being crossed. making for some very irritable travelers me and my father being to in particular but always have been like father like son. it was as we were turning i looked out the back window completely by chance and watched the other cab turn closely on our tail when out of no where comes a huge thud and the for a good 100 feet down the road there was sparks and all in one moment having seen this i heard the thud the sound of crushing metal and the scrape mixed with a 125 engine. I looked round to everyone and said "shit that guy just came of his scooter....and hard" there was a flurry in the back of the van and for the first time in the last four hours of the journey some movement and interest "he hit the mini cab" "he came out of no where no lights no nothing"
some of the phrases past around declaring the situation and everyone feeling they want to be part of it "thats slightly irrelevant should we not be worrying if he is okay he seems to be standing up"
the doctor who is studying and traveling with us gets out and grabs his bag for his first aid kit
he and Emma rush down to check whats going on as this happens they are met by 14 or so Filipino guys who run down and are claiming him as there friend sitting him down on the back of the mini cab they look to see his head is busted as is his knee and ankle also there is a strong smell of rum about him which could partly be the reason he wasn't screaming in agony about the fact his bare arms head and legs just ate a 100 foot of tarmac. His friends dont seem dangerous but you would not want to mess with them and they begin to get frustrated not sure what happened and making there own stories to protect there friend. my father and i go out to see if they need any help and to keep the angry friends at bay everyone then seems to wander out of the van which for some reason which is still a blur annoys them more. no more harm is done and eventually all parties agree to get him to the hospital we take thee luggage out the back of the mini cab and help him in. I usher the kids and my mum and cousins back into the van with the luggage crammed inside with them leaving my dad and uncle the doctor with the driver to wait for the guys family and take him to the hospital. one image that will stay in head and make me think this the hardest bastard i have seen in a while is the fact even though all of which just happened to this bloke he was just sitting in the cab perfectly silent texting with a slight smirk and whispered "hey joe."
we got to the hotel and they got him to the hospital which they said was fine and the general verdict that he was a legit tough guy. there was fear that he would try and milk us but pops said he was more than happy they had got him to the hospital feeling aware that his family may not be able to cover it they paid the hospital bill and left it at that which everyone seemed happy with.
they came back to the hotel within a time that would of put southend a&e to shame and so began our week of sun and swim.
with the most amazing two days of diving and my first two which are beyond words
but if i had to put it into 2
"windows screen-saver"
its been a surreal week of tarmac eating lion fish diving boat journeys along side turtles
and and a guy that came up to us on the street asking if we wanted to change money he pulled out a massive wad of peso's and showed a good conversion rate so very curious we agreed it went fine accept that he wouldn't accept a 20 pound note because the corner was ripped !
at fear that we were ripping him off
confused yeah
well i think this week has been only just the start of the bizzare stories to fill this page
and spill from my brain
now for my last night here at the beach then back to Baccolod
(with a 7 hour journey in between)
my one final thought
...........always use protection
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
so close in love
only so far away.
the wedding taught me a lot about how much i used to take for granted with Sophie but how love can rage on even a million miles away i have spent nights here crying and ones laughing recently because i have been able to get contact although nothing ever quite feels the same as the days of holding here in my arms and tickling and giggling and late night kisses conversations and it wont at least not until im back the last few days seems to have gone so slow but perhaps because i have been left alone too long at times and got lost in my thoughts and drowning in my tears just like Alice and i feel just about as small i guess i took the pill that makes you smaller because these last few days have made me feel tiny and scared that what could one small person ever do to change such a huge country but anyone who knows me that if i am knocked down i will get back up i have to this is something that took me along time to realize through my life and its the same in love this is one big knockdown but i know that when i get back ill be straight back off the canvas and come back fighting to do what ever i need to make things the same.
love is a strange thing but a thing you always miss and if i miss the feelings now god only knows how i feel when im stuck without anyone in a couple months
but there is no point falling down before i need too right now i have regular contact and im just going to have to store these memories while i can for the hard times with my face on the floor and use the memories to pick my head back up
i love you sophie and ill never stop loving you but please dont wait for me
i want your happiness and maybe we can see how things work out
xxxxxx
the wedding taught me a lot about how much i used to take for granted with Sophie but how love can rage on even a million miles away i have spent nights here crying and ones laughing recently because i have been able to get contact although nothing ever quite feels the same as the days of holding here in my arms and tickling and giggling and late night kisses conversations and it wont at least not until im back the last few days seems to have gone so slow but perhaps because i have been left alone too long at times and got lost in my thoughts and drowning in my tears just like Alice and i feel just about as small i guess i took the pill that makes you smaller because these last few days have made me feel tiny and scared that what could one small person ever do to change such a huge country but anyone who knows me that if i am knocked down i will get back up i have to this is something that took me along time to realize through my life and its the same in love this is one big knockdown but i know that when i get back ill be straight back off the canvas and come back fighting to do what ever i need to make things the same.
love is a strange thing but a thing you always miss and if i miss the feelings now god only knows how i feel when im stuck without anyone in a couple months
but there is no point falling down before i need too right now i have regular contact and im just going to have to store these memories while i can for the hard times with my face on the floor and use the memories to pick my head back up
i love you sophie and ill never stop loving you but please dont wait for me
i want your happiness and maybe we can see how things work out
xxxxxx
Saturday, 15 August 2009
pinoyyyy
after the longest flight ever which i thought i slept all the way through but woke up and found out i still had two hours left i have the biggest bum pain ever it actually is starting to hurt to be lazy and sit down
we then had a shuttle bus to the other airport where we then had twenty minutes till our flight to Negros (its a place not an offensive term for our black brothers) to where cousins and uncle were waiting for us.
while sitting at the airport i realized how sad it was that we were the only western people about to get on a flight for the right reasons to help and too learn from an amazing culture there was three other white guys on our flight all in which seemed to be with a filipina wife all who seemed to have become so westernized and that of the Essex girl type commons i had come to get way from (not that there arent some very lovely people in essex and one of which i am very fond of but you get whaat i mean) it was almost quite sickening to watch these men turn somthing of too me an aalmost perfect culture into there own insecurities and ignorances.
landing in negros we walked down to collect our bags we walked into the baggage reclaim after having a text from my uncle saying we had a welcome committee outside. we were bombarded by a small girl all in purple who ran from the other side of the baggage room it wasn't till she was clinging to all of us we realised it was our friend from manila 23 year old Lourdes "come quickly everyone is over here" we were then welcomed by four other familiar faces. presuming this was our welcoming committee we all walked outside smiling and laughing at the thought of old friends it was then when we got out side we found the real welcoming committee who looked just as surprised and happy we did to see our friends from manila it seems they had flown from manila at the same time as us but on a different airline and had come for the wedding so we piled into the back of a van crammed full of smiling sweaty people jokes flied in a mix of both Tagalog and English.
We arrived at Emma's to the smell of cooking and all shared three whole chickens and a pile of rice before heading back to our hotel for some well needed sleep.
then after the morning trek back on to the massive subdivision i arrived back at Emma's house ready to go to a traditional Filipino wedding/BBQ the sweaty walk taought me one thing after nearly being mowed down by a moped
KFC deliver!
'Nuff Love&respect
we then had a shuttle bus to the other airport where we then had twenty minutes till our flight to Negros (its a place not an offensive term for our black brothers) to where cousins and uncle were waiting for us.
while sitting at the airport i realized how sad it was that we were the only western people about to get on a flight for the right reasons to help and too learn from an amazing culture there was three other white guys on our flight all in which seemed to be with a filipina wife all who seemed to have become so westernized and that of the Essex girl type commons i had come to get way from (not that there arent some very lovely people in essex and one of which i am very fond of but you get whaat i mean) it was almost quite sickening to watch these men turn somthing of too me an aalmost perfect culture into there own insecurities and ignorances.
landing in negros we walked down to collect our bags we walked into the baggage reclaim after having a text from my uncle saying we had a welcome committee outside. we were bombarded by a small girl all in purple who ran from the other side of the baggage room it wasn't till she was clinging to all of us we realised it was our friend from manila 23 year old Lourdes "come quickly everyone is over here" we were then welcomed by four other familiar faces. presuming this was our welcoming committee we all walked outside smiling and laughing at the thought of old friends it was then when we got out side we found the real welcoming committee who looked just as surprised and happy we did to see our friends from manila it seems they had flown from manila at the same time as us but on a different airline and had come for the wedding so we piled into the back of a van crammed full of smiling sweaty people jokes flied in a mix of both Tagalog and English.
We arrived at Emma's to the smell of cooking and all shared three whole chickens and a pile of rice before heading back to our hotel for some well needed sleep.
then after the morning trek back on to the massive subdivision i arrived back at Emma's house ready to go to a traditional Filipino wedding/BBQ the sweaty walk taought me one thing after nearly being mowed down by a moped
KFC deliver!
'Nuff Love&respect
Friday, 14 August 2009
it has been an emotional morning that has tested me and my faith in what im about to do
staring at polaroids of happy memories and reading the writings of a lover i will never forgetit fills me with a warm happiness but a sad bitterness at the same time and one i can only hope will fade away when i start to do all the good i came for
sitting in a airport in the middle of the middle east officially the loneliest place to be sitting and waiting for five hours with nothing but my laptop my thoughts and the sound of weary travelers snoring in the background people come and go from the so called quiet room some too catch a few hours sleep and some apparently to bring there screaming babies in and piss everyone off
thank god for my music and Arabic wifi about the only two things keeping me sane
as they both connect me with my baby
the songs we listened too and the words we can share right at this very moment
with a 6 hour flight gone and a 8 hour one too come
im left with one thought more than any
my bum really hurts
sorry its not very profound but its true
'nuff love&respects
staring at polaroids of happy memories and reading the writings of a lover i will never forgetit fills me with a warm happiness but a sad bitterness at the same time and one i can only hope will fade away when i start to do all the good i came for
sitting in a airport in the middle of the middle east officially the loneliest place to be sitting and waiting for five hours with nothing but my laptop my thoughts and the sound of weary travelers snoring in the background people come and go from the so called quiet room some too catch a few hours sleep and some apparently to bring there screaming babies in and piss everyone off
thank god for my music and Arabic wifi about the only two things keeping me sane
as they both connect me with my baby
the songs we listened too and the words we can share right at this very moment
with a 6 hour flight gone and a 8 hour one too come
im left with one thought more than any
my bum really hurts
sorry its not very profound but its true
'nuff love&respects
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
i feel to blame
the conversations with the people who i am close too are becoming very difficult as i get closer to leaving. although they are excited for me i this big feeling in my stomach that im hurting them and leaving them behind. im so excited and determined to make the most of the time i have left. it just becomes very hard seeing the sadness in the eyes of the ones i hold closest.
1 week
not long at all
1 bloody week
i have never felt such fear mixed with excitement
its a cocktail of disalusioned feelings
and one i cant wash down.
'nuff love & respect
1 week
not long at all
1 bloody week
i have never felt such fear mixed with excitement
its a cocktail of disalusioned feelings
and one i cant wash down.
'nuff love & respect
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