Looking Back

It's hard to believe, but it has been over a month since I had to say goodbye and leave the Philippines. There were so many ways that I was so impressed by the people that I met and I feel that I need to take the time to reflect on the things that I have learned through my International Field Experience.

Hospitality
If there is one thing that defines the Philippines in my mind, it is the ultimate sense of hospitality that each and every Filipino demonstrates at every turn. Never in my life have I felt so welcome as I did when visiting the Philippines. As we entered each classroom, the students would rise and greet us in unison with "Good morning, visitors!" (And they didn't do this just for us -- this was the standard practice whenever anyone would stop by a classroom.) What a great way to make a visitor feel welcome! The other way that Filipinos show hospitality is through the food! Wherever we went, we were served all kinds of treats, from elaborate lunch "snacks" (full meals, of course!) to sweets. Often we were sent home with leftovers! I hope that I have learned the lesson that hospitality makes a difference.

Resilience
Many people in the Philippines are facing challenges that we just don't have here in the United States. One of these is poverty. Another is lack of access to schools -- many students have to walk long distances to attend school. A third challenge is lack of running water, electricity, and technology. However, these challenges, while daunting, do not hold the Filipino people back. The people that I met were constantly rising above these potential problems and coming out the other side stronger.

Community
Here in the United States, we have a very individual mindset. In the Philippines, it is the opposite. Individual achievement is good, but it is recognized as reflecting on the community as a whole, not just on one person. People work together and help one another in a much more active way than we see here in the United States. In the week before school starts, the whole community comes together to clean and paint the school to make sure that it is ready for the students. In the mornings before class begins, students can be seen cleaning their classroom and school because they take ownership and pride in it.

These lessons have been important for me. As I come back to the new school year here at home, I hope to bring these messages with me to my own students.