shape U.P.... My first filmed, edited, directed and produced....

  This is the first of many to come.  A warm-up if you will.  I think I've found my niche/calling, what have you.  No, I have.  I loved every moment of this.

  This is a project for my humanities course (HUM 2) at the University of the Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB).  The project was to show a human artistic performance by our class section.

  We completed the filming on a Monday morning over about 2 hours.  The editing took about 3 days.  I realized at one point during the process, that this is the kind of stuff I had better get used to for the rest of my life.  And, I liked that feeling.

  Thank you to all that have thus far supported me and given me the encouragement to get out and do it.

MJ

My independent experience.

Currently, I reside in the island nation of the Philippines.  I have an address in the city of Los Banos, but my travels have taken me coast to coast on the island of Luzon, and Mindoro.  These are two of the larger of the 7,107 islands that make up the country.

Fact: Traveling outside Los Banos, even if just 20 km, is further than most Filipinos will travel outside of the city in their entire lifetime.  A sad fact indeed, but becoming more understandable as I engage with the Filipino culture and people. 

From what I have gathered, Spanish Rule from centuries back, is still deeply engrained in the lives of Filipinos.  As an American, I have come to realize that there are certain cultural liberties and freedoms that I have taken for granted, for most of my life.  Personal independence is one such.  

In the Philippines, family ties stronger than a noose are most common.  It would odd and possibly wrong to not leave the family home before the age of 25, even if married, male or female.  Some Filipinos live with nuclear family members for their entire lives, if not within several kilometers proximity.  

Rather than being expected to get a job and get on with your adult life at or around the ages of 18-21 in the States, Filipinos are expected to stay with the family beyond secondary schooling, college, marriage, and the like for as long as there is no good reason not too.  In fact, in most families here, it is looked upon as rude or disrespectful to not stay in the home grew up in and to visit on a weekly basis, even when far away at school.  Subsequently, elder rule is a way of life.  

My Filipino friends are sometimes astonished when I tell them of my experience with independence.  I do my best not to flaunt or seem as though my experience is better, but they all seem to be very receptive to the idea of personal freedoms in adulthood.  They cannot believe their ears when I tell them that I live on my own and like it, unmarried.  They are sometimes astonished to hear that I have family living over many miles away, and that I see my father and brother twice a year, at best.  And moreover, that it's not a driving concern of mine.  

The fact that I have a job and go to school full time is probably one of the most puzzling things to Filipinos.  They find it hard to comprehend making time for both.  This is understandable to me having experienced the college curriculum for only half of a semester thus far, and will be explained in another blog, entirely.  A rant that I'm saving for...

For now, I think the importance of this entry relates to those freedoms and liberties that I have taken for granted for so long.  I have taken for granted developing my own values and sets of rules to live by, and my ability to deviate or make exceptions in given situations.  I love my parents and family, but it has been long since I have 'lived under someone's roof', and not my own.  Similarly, I have always been encouraged to go out and to do whatever I dream and to make the most out of life as I see fit.  That is not the case for most Filipinos, and I can't help but think to myself how fortunate I am to be independent as I am.  

I haven't had a curfew for over 10 years, and I haven't had to check in, or really ask for any type of parental permission for about the same time.  I have Filipino friends of my same age, that still find themselves under someone's roof.  I can't imagine.  I appreciate the perspective I have gained, and without being too culturally insensitive, I will wrap up saying, 'Thank you Mom and Dad for encouraging my hopes, and dreams, and endeavors, and for letting me tinker with life, even if it bit me in the ass sometimes.'

MJ

Banca's, banca's and more banca's...

  What's a Banca?  It's a boat.  Not just an ordinary boat.  Not just a boat limited to one form, either.  Banca's are a way of inter-island travel in the Philippines.  They are typically associated with a long hull, bamboo supports beams perpendicular to the hull, as well as bamboo out-rigging.

    Most of my weekend Philippine adventures have found me on a banca at one point or another.  They are one of the most affordable means of travel outside your local island here.  Skimming across the ocean never felt so free.  Well, I haven't skimmed across the ocean any other way, so free I feel.

  My first ride on a banca was nerve racking.  Looking out from the port to an undetermined expanse of aquamarine blue, and seeing that I'm about to ride a boat held steady with bamboo, across it, is quite intimidating.  This is not to mention the dark clouds in the sky that day, the waves crashing hard on the cement pillars at the port-of-call or the endless reports of tragic losses at sea from capsizing.  Never in my life did I think I would put so much faith in bamboo.

  After my first ride though, I was completely at ease.  It's amazing to look over the side and have the Pacific deep at fingertip length, the wind in your face and the air of the open sea fill your lungs.  It's a Titanic moment every time, if only they'de let me out onto the bow.  Still working on that persuasion.

  Some research has shown that 'banca,' as it is known here in the Philippines is specific in name to the nation.  Most other parts of the world, specifically Indonesia, know them as 'Jukung.'  Some banca's have inboard motors, other's outboard.  The affordable mass-island-transit one's have inboard's and a carrying capacity of 150, on average.  Some, for small groups, to small private islands to go camping on and run out of water because someone left the spout open on the jug, overnight, and be parched the next day until the banca comes back late in the afternoon after we're all sunparched,  are no larger than your family inland lake canoe... but still ocean worthy.

White Beach, Mindoro

Real Beach, Luzon

Small Banca, Real Beach

Small Banca, I rode this back from the deserted island, and one-third of the way to it....

Low tide in Calapan, swam two-thirds of the way to middle island....

Flagging down our captain, decided to swim for the island, before he got there....

Dusk, taxiing into Mindoro.

Mindoro, first time.  Gorgeous!

Back of banca, with i/o exhaust.  Mmmmm.

Chillin' on the way home.

Justin's b-day trip to Mindoro, with J, Ena, Steph and Matt.

I wanna be that guy when I grow up.

Yeah, name your life vest after a horrible nautical disaster.  Great.

Sea-foam blue?

Pacific blue, bamboo holding steady.  

A tour of campus....

Hello all,

  This being much overdue, I have got hold of an interactive campus map of the University of the Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB).
  This site is pretty simple and it appears as if the creators spent some time with it.  I spend most of weekdays roaming around here and going to class, so I suppose this is pretty significant in the general scheme of my abroad experience.  Enjoy exploring.
  Thank you Angela Minas, for providing me with the site address!

Regards to all,

MJ

Philippine Flora

  No, this isn't a re-cap of what I've learned in my Wildlife course at UPLB.  This is a few of the gorgeous pieces nature shows in its tropical galleries....

  I remember watching a movie this last winter that stood my hairs on end with the colors and the beautiful CG... Can't remember the name, but I remember thinking how amazing it would be if there was such a place.

  I think I'm as close to that place as I'll ever get.  The flowers and the trees and everything in between here, give me that not of this planet, 'hair standing on ends' feeling.

  Some of these new photos are from gardens and some from the forest and farms.  They are all naturally occurring, which I myself find most incredible.

  I'm of the understanding that nature by design means that certain species of life have adapted to their surroundings, in physical and physiological aspects.... But maybe, just maybe, these are some exceptions.  Maybe these are just there to be admired, and nothing else.  I'd be okay with that.

MJ

Our New View

   I am a grown-ass man.  I follow rules and in my adult life, I am relatively responsible.  I do live under a curfew and I will have friends and aquaintences over to my home, whenever I feel compelled.
 
   These were not such common liberties in the dorms of University of the Philippines Los Banos.  It's not that we felt the rules unjust, just that we, Justin McKinley and Elyse Kraussman and myself, thought ourselves competent to make our own rules and regulate them ourselves.

  So we moved.

  We now live on the 5th Floor of One Silangan Place, with a view....

  We can see to Laguna de Bay, and at night we see the lights of Southside Manila... Pretty nice diggs.

  Also, the rent is cheaper and we are closer to all of our courses... with the exception of Justin's ballroom dance course that's right across the street from the old dorm.  Sorry J.

  With this familiar, yet still new found independence, this new place is starting to really feel like home.  We cook, we keep it cleanish and we all get along pretty well.

   I enjoy coming home and feeling the breeze more prevalant as I ascend the flights of stairs.  Did I mention the view??!!!

   Common amenenties include our individual fans that come in handy except for the morning.  For in the morning there is no stopping the piercing fiery heat that is the Tropical Rising Sun.  And it comes straight through the east facing windows.... Downfall = waking up in an oven around 7 am.

   A small price to pay for the feeling of "Home."

   More to come!!

MJ

  

No more abandonment....

   Looking back to the last post, I realize that I've left a lot to be speculated on.... Or at least somethings to wonder about.  I feel like I've left some of you in the dark.  I really need to keep myself more accountable.

   For the lack of posting, I apologize.

   If there were anything that might suffice as a valid excuse, it would be this:  There has been so much to do, see and experience!!  I've done my best so far to keep it visually recorded, and these next few posts promise to inform and shed some light for those of you left in the preverbal dark.

   Not keeping my posts up-to-date has also brought the realization that keeping it all in my head is an impossibility.  So, there may be some patchwork thought processes going into the next few updates.... Bear with me!!

   As for video footage.... I have begun filming with the Sony HVR-A1U (review), and have been working on the tutorials provided by Final Cut Studio Student Edition in conglomeration with a brand-new 15" Macbook Pro (review)... Both are gorgeous machines and I feel so blessed to have such capability at my fingertips... Thank you to each and everyone of you that has helped me to realise the dream, thus far.

   You all know who you are!!!

   This all said.... I am very open to constructive suggestions for keeping myself more accountable to updating the blog.

   For those far from me, and those in close proximity... I'll do my best, from now on to keep it real and tell you all the experiences on 'The Phlip Side.'  

  MJ