I awoke fairly early today--it's clear that I'm still trying to get by bearings on the time change. I had coffee at a small cafe next to the hotel, was able to speak to Daniele, Rocco,and my mom via Skype, and had a nice workout before heading off to mass and then the mall. Randdie and his friend, Marge (as well as her adorable daughter whom we call "Princess"), accompanied Jeanette and me to a local church for a father's day celebration. It has been a while since I attended a formal, Catholic mass, and I have to say that it was a wonderful experience. There were many families there, and the focus of the sermon was on the importance of fathers and their roles as members of a family unit. After the sermon, the fathers in the congregation were invited up to the altar to receive a blessing. It was all very touching, and I found myself missing Rocco and Dani something fierce. Dani and Rocco will be celebrating Father's Day with my family at my parents' house later in the day, and I do wish I could be there.
I've been thinking quite a bit about the importance of family in the context of education, and when we consider the critical role parents play in the development of their children. The sermon at mass today gave me an opportunity to reflect more deliberately on these ideas, and I'm certain to write more on the connection between family and education in future entries.
Following mass, we headed to a local mall. Tomorrow is a national holiday in the Philippines. It is called the National Heroes Holiday and it is in celebration of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Dr. Rizal was a Filipino patriot who advocated for peaceful resistance to Spanish Colonial rule. His execution by the Spanish is widely considered to be a turning point towards ultimate Filipino independence. Because Monday is a holiday, the mall was packed with people. It was a scene, frankly, very much like that of the malls in the U.S. whenever families have some extra time on their hands. With the added dimension of Father's Day woven into the mix, it was a good opportunity for our group to capture some of the more realistic aspects of the Filipino culture.
The mall itself is enormous--and again, I cannot help but make some connections to what we see in the west. There is a great deal of emphasis on fashion, here, as well as a passion for technology. I must have walked by fifteen electronic stores filled with digital cameras, mobile phones, accessories, etc. I'm desperate to buy a new shoulder bag to carry my iPad and various other accessories (I have no idea how Daniele let me leave the house with the bag I am using), and Randdie has promised another visit to the mall some time soon. Jeanette wants to buy some souvenirs for her daughters, as well as some jeans for herself. Hopefully we can visit again soon.
After lunch, I returned to my hotel for the remainder of the day. Because Jeanette is having trouble with Internet access in her hotel, Randdie and Marge are going to help her locate another place with better service. To this end, I must admit that I could not be happier with my hotel, L'Fisher. It is a beautiful place to stay--clean and comfortable--and the employees are extremely gracious and helpful. My Internet service is excellent, as I have noted. What is cool is that I can access the wireless network from just about any place in the hotel. Presently, for example, I'm having coffee on the rooftop area of the hotel surrounded by the sea and looming mountains in the distance. Very cool.
Later today we are going to visit the Mambukal Mountain resort to do some hiking and swimming (http://www.mambukalhaven.com/). It is supposed to be a glorious place, and I'm looking forward to one final day of enjoyment before we get into the guts of our visit.
Some photos, including the view from the top floor of my hotel and some scenes from the church.
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Location:Bacolod, Philippines
Hey Antonio...great to hear about your first two days...I hope you have a very rewarding experience! Enjoy your time abroad. I'll keep an eye on your blog from time to time...looking forward to future enties.
ReplyDeleteJack Kernion