No name

Today is my last full day in the Philippines, and it has been an appropriately Filipino day in many ways! This morning my local advisor sent me on a trip to one of the desperately poor barangays in Pasay City (near the airport) with a local health worker that he has known for many years. It was truly sobering, something I hope I never forget. The barangay doesn't even have a name--just a number. When you walk down the "streets" (which are only wide enough for people or bikes), it's hard to tell whether you are inside or outside--everything is wet, and there are children everywhere because many slum families cannot afford to send their kids to public school for lack of the 400 pesos/year (about $8) required to pay for school uniforms. The streets are also crowded because there are ROOSTERS everywhere, which often look better fed than the children. Cockfighting is all the rage in the Philippines, so I've seen roosters all over the place (including the street outside my local shopping mall!), but it is very strange to see so many in such a context. After seeing both urban and rural poverty up close in the past week, I would take rural poverty any day! Filipinos apparently feel differently, however, as my host informs me that some of the barangay residents are new migrants from the provinces (the same places as the one I was so sad to leave this weekend!).

Even in the midst of these conditions, some good things are happening, though: the local health center has at least some drugs (courtesy of UNICEF and other NGOs), and I also met a woman who works with a Japanese-sponsored program that provides scholarships for kids and employment for slum moms. They make beautiful handmade greeting cards that are sold on the Japanese and European markets--although apparently I can get some too if I put in an order. Does anyone want some? I'm planning to look into it with my advisor when we meet for the last time tomorrow.

The barangay experience was followed by a meeting with the dean of the best nursing school in the Philippines in an elegant hotel near my place--totally a jarring juxtaposition. She was awesome, though; we talked longer than we were supposed to, and I feel like I got some inside scoop on what people are thinking about in the nursing education world here! This was followed (naturally) by two less fruitful meetings, including a completely pointless schlep to the hospital where MD-RN classes are given. It's in a neighborhood I can't stand, and I got the total brush-off from the instructor, an MD who didn't appear to understand English very well (in a country where higher education is supposed to be in English--yikes!). It's OK, though--I feel overloaded with information anyway...and very ready to see friends in Japan!!! We will be together in less than 24 hours. I can't wait!

Happy Friday--or almost-Friday, as the case may be! Have a great weekend. :)