Kimchi

It is now 2 am and my suggested youtube videos are filled with these Korean mukbangers. I could stare in amusement for hours as they talk and cook and chew all at the same time and then scarf down a crunchy piece of steaming-hot grilled kimchi. It's like watching Mr. Copperfield making a yacht disappear.

I hated Korean food when I was younger. I can't stand the pungent smell that emanates from the petri dish of fermented chinese cabbages and dried capsicums. I never understood then that it was a culmination of Korean cuisine tradition and culture for centuries and that it actually tasted good -if done right.

See, I tried to buy kimchi from someone near my place months ago. I bought 2 kilograms of the stuff since it was a lot cheaper compared to the original place that I buy it from (which was authentically Korean made).

Anyway, they were proud of their product, the container even had fancy stickers with Hangul texts to make it look legitimate. I was so excited when I arrived home, grabbed a fork and tasted the motherfucker. I spat some of it out because it was sweet! Why was it sweet? It wasn't supposed to taste like candy! It was an abomination, a Filipinized, bastardized version of the kimchi that I love (we should've stopped at spaghetti.) The seller even messaged me asking for a nice review or feedback and I did not respond back because I was seething with anger for she wasted my money and time. A few weeks ago, she messaged me if I wanted to buy some more.

"sir, bili po kau uli? gbu po :)" 

I let her know that I've seen her message through that small "seen" text on Facebook chat. I let it steep for a day or two, then I blocked her altogether from messaging me completely. I hope she got the message.

Today, all-you-can eat Samgyeopsal restaurants have started sprouting left and right like your typical fastfood joints. This was how I acquired my liking towards Korean food (others acquire it through k-pop and k-drama lol) Some would say this is usual but I'd like to let you know that I'm interested to recreate and learn more about their food and cuisine in general. With the help of Youtube videos, I have began cooking the easier types of Korean food at home if the ingredients are accessible. That's how I ended up watching and salivating to Koreans eating their traditional food at 2 in the morning.

I just bought an electric grill a week ago, maybe chopsticks should be next.

Last Day

“Ang panget ng drawing ni Precious eh, mukhang tsong-go!” I tried not to laugh, I really did but I can’t help asking myself how a child this young can say something so unpleasant. I mean, if it was an adult who said it, meh, big deal. You’re an adult, act like one, you immature prick. But it was a kid, and kids aren’t supposed to say such things. I was obedient as a child but if my memory serves me correct, I do recall some of my pre-school classmates to be restive and difficult to control. Either way, I found the situation hilarious so I went on and just laughed about it.

I was getting comfortable with the kids, but unfortunately, today would be my last time to teach them art. Today, it was all about “Dioramas” and even without Kath, I was able to give the kids the instructions about what they needed to do. I got Bob to help; he was there to assist, same as with Vincent and Ed (thank you guys for dropping by!)

I could tell how much they enjoyed making the diorama. From a flat piece of paper, we were able to make their drawings stand up and make a somewhat close impression of their little community inside a shoebox with some cutouts of houses, the GK School, trees, some really big flowers, a sleeping dog, and something that’s supposed to resemble a tricycle.

From my experience, I learned that like adults, children have their own personalities. Mix those personalities to the environment that they are growing up in, as well as their upbringing, and you get yourself an interesting character. Some of their actions may seem senseless to us adults but to them, it makes perfect sense and it is the right thing to do. Like I have said, they are just kids being kids.

I like kids now, and I would like to think that I understand them a bit better.

It will be their graduation the following week, I wish them all the best, and may all of them have a bright future ahead.

Little People

Today, I am going to teach the kids about “Cities”… or the concept of communities. I asked the kids to try and recall what they see around them on their way to school and to draw it on paper. 

Marwell, the rowdiest of the bunch, was trying to remember his neighbor’s name, and for some reason, had the urge to shout the name out loud after he remembered it. Teacher Grace shushed him but he won’t stop talking, even purposely forgetting to say “po”. Ramsey, another kid (who I think is the brightest) shouted at Marwell “Hoy, ang bastos mo, wala kang galang!” Marwell, feeling humiliated, smirked and quieted down to continue with his artwork. I can only guess what other interesting things happen inside the classroom during the days when I’m not there.

Moving on, it was a fun activity for most of the kids. But for JM, he doesn’t quite feel like doing the task. He seemed bored; as if his thoughts were wandering away to some fantasy land where kids can do anything they want and eat all the sweets to their heart’s content--that or according to teacher Grace, maybe JM wasn’t feeling too well.

I gave them all something to eat after class and they were all ecstatic. I’m finally getting used to being around the kids. :)

So it begins

I have to admit I never really liked children. They’re noisy, whiny and most of the time, annoying. That’s why I was quite nervous when the dreaded day to teach art to a small class of eight children finally came.

It was “Foam Art Day.” Before the session started, all I can think about was “I did not sign up for this, I was supposed to be planting trees somewhere or having a fierce gunfight against illegal loggers or animal poachers or something something whatever.”

I was lucky to have Kath as my teaching partner. She brought pre-made styrofoam cutouts of all shapes and sizes for the kids to use. The problem was, the poster paint won’t stick to its smooth surface, so we tried thinking of something that would work. Luckily, we were able to find scrubbing sponges in one of the many sari-sari stores near GK (Gawad Kalinga). We used that and we’re finally ready to begin.

I was anxious to meet the children. But, of course, silly thoughts kept running through my head. “What if they won’t listen to us? Oh yeah, I’ll just let Kath do all the talking. But, what if they become too disorderly for us to handle? Hmm, about that… Teacher Grace, the class adviser would be there to guide us.” Okay, great, let’s start!

It wasn’t so bad after all! Although the kids can get a bit unruly at times, it was expected. I mean, they’re just kids being kids. Right from the beginning, I can tell that each of them has a different personality. Rico, another classmate who taught the same class a week earlier, told me to remember the name “Marwell” and boy, was he right.  

Of Mediums and Perspectives

I started drawing at an early age and I still vividly remember doodling my very first concept of a house on a piece of paper. It was an amazing feeling to see a simple sketch of lines and shapes turn into something detailed right before my very eyes which my mind has perceived beforehand. I even remember being one of the few in my elementary school to get chosen and join drawing competitions.

I never really understood then why we have to portray the Filipino concept of bayanihan--saving Mother Nature, recycling, or doing acts of goodwill towards others in our drawings instead of fighting robots, funny cartoon characters, or carnage and gore (I was a kid). I enjoyed the challenge, though, because it made me ponder and look at the things that really matter in the world. Never would I have thought that what I was doing was a form of social artistry.

According to Pauline Salvana-Bautista, a professor at the UP college of music, she defined the term social artistry as “the process of becoming aware of one’s goals and potentials, expressing these in ways that can be experienced by the senses, and defining values and habits to animate these experienced goals and potentials, in the context of improving self, community and environment.”  In short, art can be used as a medium that can convey an idea that is both relative and subjective. It can be easily and openly interpreted making it the perfect language to capture the curiosity of a person for whatever purpose. In our case, this means opening self-awareness towards the improvement of society.

But then again, before one can start using art to help the society, one must learn first its 7 key concepts to pinpoint its problems.

(1) Society

(2) Values

(3) Poverty

(4) Human Rights

(5) Good Leadership

(6) Contribution of Teachers and Parents to Nation Building

(7) and Sustainable Human Development.

I don’t know about you, but I would enjoy reading a comic strip or watching an interpretative dance about saving the planet and helping other people. Heck, I even took pleasure listening to Smokey Mountain’s "Paraiso" as a kid.

Source:
Ayala, Joey et al. SINING-BAYAN: ART OF NATION BUILDING: Social Artistry Fieldbook
to Promote Good Citizenship Values for Prosperity and Integrity. (2009). "SOCIAL ARTISTRY IN CIVIC WELFARE TRAINING SERVICE, Building the Self to Extend to Others (p 189-196). 

Seven Months Ago Today

I was sitting alone on a bus that gloomy Monday morning. I tried my best to sleep but the chilly atmosphere kept me awake. The air con was humming full blast mercilessly. I figured the driver wasn’t too sympathetic towards his passengers either. Peering outside, looking at the endless road made me forget the cold atmosphere and it was even enough to put me in a daze to make my mind wander.

   

Seven months ago today, was a life-changing moment of realization. I wasn’t happy with my everyday routine of sitting my ass off for a six-hour travel just to sit for another eight, doing a mind-numbing job behind a desk. Don’t get me wrong though, despite a highly competitive job market, I was thankful to even have one. I remembered myself ecstatic at first. I thought I could easily get used to the pressure, the competition, the long commutes, conflict among colleagues, the racist boss, the drunkenly wasted Friday (or Monday) nights; not to mention the impossible goals and quotas we need to achieve. Reaching the end, it eventually burned me down. Working for the man has its toll. Sooner or later, I was bound to realize that I was the cog running the capitalist machine. I suddenly pictured myself as a mule, pulling a cart that won’t budge because it’s loaded with heavy stones. It’s just pointless, impossible, and never-ending--and I didn’t like it one bit. The futility and idea itself made me lose my significance and question my fulfillment. “There must be something more to life, there should be.” I mumbled to myself.

Seven months ago today, was a moment of pure clarity. I’m back and full of purpose, studying in the country’s top University, no less. I am trying to set my priorities straight because someday, it is my duty and obligation as a citizen to give back to my country no matter how big or small. 

The Communitarian Model of Citizenship

The trustor-trustee relationship in a social contract gives us an idea why societies need a form of government. The social contract is put in place to ensure the society’s stability, order, and progress. Looking at the other side of the coin, the individuals in a society has an equal role to perform alongside its chosen system of rule to fulfill the success of a social contract.

By definition, the communitarian model of citizenship argues that “society is made up of groups and communities and only works effectively when individuals feel part of such communities.” (Leydet 2011, Zalta 2011) It is in Man’s innate nature to seek for the meaning of his existence which he may validate through self-fulfillment. The communitarian view gives an individual a sense of purpose as a citizen with duties and obligations for the good of his community. This also gives him the satisfaction and feeling of giving something in return in exchange for his rights as a citizen. Under these circumstances, the aim of an individual in the communitarian perspective to validate his self- fulfillment is to do his duties and obligations as a citizen for the good and success of his group or community.

In a nutshell, if I were an individual with a communitarian perspective, it is my duty to give back to my community because it is in my belief that I can only be a full-fledged citizen and be allowed my rights by doing so.