Manila 2

How do I describe Balic-Balic? A brief sensory portrayal...

Sights of garbage covering the tracks and choking the canal, the black and rotting teeth of these little kids hugging me, smiles on strangers’ faces as they say hi, little kids’ bare feet running over the train tracks and the trash and broken glass, watching the community come outside their houses in the evenings and chat on the railroad tracks while the little kids play, small rats running up the walls of my homestay’s tiny room

Sounds of train horn, thud thud thud as the trains thunder by our house, “magandang umaga”—learning to say good morning in Tagalog, my new friend Kulot laughing as I try to pronounce words she’s teaching me, the satisfying smack! of smashing a cockroach with my flipflop, the glorious music and singing of worship songs in Tagalog and English, clap clap of little kids playing hand games, soft sound of guitar as Scott (SP teammate) plays during our reflection times

Touch of cold water cooling me off during each bucket shower, hot fried bananas burning my fingers, sweat dripping down my back, little kids’ hugs, uncomfortable plastic chairs during our meetings, whispers of wind as the fan blows in the heat, sleeping on a mattress on the floor

Smell of rotting garbage, clean laundry, choking in the pollution as we sit in public transportation, delicious smells wafting at lunch time, the scent of rain

Taste of pan de sal—hot bread buns for breakfast every day, Ate Emma’s delicious Filipino cooking, sticky sweet mangos, banana chips, prawn chips (oh yes, Mom, they have them in Manila too!!), the treat of peanut butter on our pan de sal, the cheap rice and soy sauce we ate to understand what our new friends often only have to eat when there’s not enough money for food