EDIT: Please help me judge if this post is actually relevant to intercultural behaviour. I really want to talk about it, but I'm not very sure if it's relevant to the subject matter, actually.
In this post, I will write about my observations about the culture of poverty in Philippines, taken when I went to Calumbang, Philippines for my overseas community project last summer. Before that, my only experience with real, rural poverty was on televised news and the occasional beggar-sighting along underpasses in Singapore. It was a real learning experience for me as I began seriously observing the causes and effects of poverty first-hand, for the first time.
When we arrived at the village of 'GK Jose Rizal" (village A), we were greeted enthusiastically by a horde of children. We weren't the first team of foreigners to have ever arrived there and we definitely wouldn't be the last; the villagers of village A were no strangers to teams of foreigners staying over in their village for weeks, trying to make a difference.
Nearby village A, there was a village B, which was significantly more affluent than village A. And there was also a nearby village C, which was for all intents and purposes, a slum. A was the only village that was open to foreign help; B and C wanted to be left alone to their own devices.
From anecdotes and first-hand observation, my team realised that the villagers from B and C were significantly more unfriendly and territorial. They didn't respond to greeting, smiling or waving, they simply stared passively. It felt strange because my team had grown accustomed to the warm enthusiasm that was so prevalent in A. When we brought children from village A to a local, upscale shopping mall, people kept staring at us as well.
My team's native guide explained that the population of Philippines is separated by a huge cultural divide. On one side are the affluent, on the other are the poor, and both sides resent each other for reasons as old as they are irrational. However, most importantly, some of the poor have resigned themselves to a culture of self-defeating negativity, selfishness and hostility towards all outsiders. They live in isolation because they believe that nothing good can come from strangers, a self propagating myth that is reinforced by the behaviours created by that very belief. It makes it nearly impossible to extend a helping hand when they might bite. Combined with a strong attachment for the status quo, a self-defeatist mentality and a self-centered outlook on life, the guide explained that this was why efforts to reduce poverty in Philippines are taking so long.
Village A was already largely reformed after years of effort by the native aid organization, and they can only hope that B and C will take notice and follow suit.
2 weeks later, the team left the village for Singapore. I hope that the work we did made some difference, but I know that we definitely matured and learnt a lot from the people and experiences there.
Hi Han,
ReplyDeleteI will say from the start that this perhaps not what is traditionally understood as cultural behavior however I will be glad to consider this as intercultural experience.
I once heard from one very well-traveled Singaporean that Singapore younger generations did not understand what poverty is and are often too pampered. You were an evidence that his statement is not a baseless stereotype. I was born in Indonesia where poverty is often just a stone's throw away from rich people gated community. I was part of middle class and thus can observe this yawning gap.
Societal divide among this group is so huge that it transcends their shared religious beliefs and cultures. My take on the situation is this: people from village A is friendly towards foreigners because they know that foreigner often bring aids and assistance toward their community.
People from a more affluent village often avoided village A because they associated poverty with disturbance and crime. This is especially true in Indonesia where rich people is afraid that poor people will steal or vandalize their property. That is why houses of rich people in Indonesia are often enclosed with tall walls and gates and even security posts.
It is also sad to see that the rich often view the poor as lazy people who refuse to work hard. They are also afraid that associating themselves with the poor will tarnish their image among their peers. When you ventured out in to the world, some of the things that you observe may disturb you. But those which disturbs the most often teaches the most about life.
Hi Han,
ReplyDeleteI'd actually like to think your post is relevant to the topic. Just as how Ronald has pointed out in his post the giving up of seats as part of a culture, poverty is yet another crucial aspect of the much larger bubble.
Poverty prevails almost everywhere across the world, yet the culture of the society itself also affects how poverty strikes the people who suffer from this. Though I’ve never seen such a jarring sight overseas as you’ve described so vividly, I have definitely seen some jolting ones over here, not just the ones who beg along underpasses, but those who are there right in front of us, yet so far out of reach.
Your description of their attitude and behaviour couldn’t be more apt. It is indeed detrimental and even pointless to close up to strangers when some of them are actually coming forward with the sincere intention of wanting to help. Still, a self-defeatist mentality coupled with self-isolation probably weren’t conjured up overnight too. Some of them have faced the worst kinds of treatments from people like us, yet all they wish for is survival. When they’ve been shoved with apathy, I guess it’s pretty tough to ask them for empathy too.
I’m sure regardless of what your team has done for the village, you guys have already made a difference with your mere presence. Let’s hope for the best for Village B and C and all the other people who are stuck in this unfortunate vicious cycle of poverty!
Thanks for writing such a heartfelt post! (:
Thank you, Han, for broaching a topic that many might shy away from. I appreciate your effort and your "heartfelt" perspective. There is no doubt, too, that you are making a cultural observation in this post. My only question is about the paucity of concrete details in your description. For anyone not familiar with the poverty apparent in much of the Philippines (whether urban or rural), your post is rich in clear assertions but a bit short on imagery.
ReplyDeleteYou mention "foreigners staying over in their village for weeks, trying to make a difference" and "that the population of Philippines is separated by a huge cultural divide." But where is the stench from the open roadside sewers, the squawk from scrambling chickens running a lane just beyond the wheels of a rusted motorbike, and those cement walls topped with barbed wire that separate the homes of the haves from the cracked sidewalk beds of the have nots?
As a reader, I expect something more here after you state that "I began seriously observing the causes and effects of poverty first-hand." Okay. But first show me what you saw, Han. Stick my nose in what you smelled.
I am at heart the sympathetic audience member, but you need to appeal to my senses more. Then discuss causes and effects.
Aside from the criticism I've provided about your description of what you experienced, I want to offer you praise, true praise, for the effort you have made at making a difference in the lives of people who reside 1500 miles and a world away from you. For that you really need to be commended!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I am perplexed by the social inequality in places like the Philippines, where on a single street one can see Hummers carrying ritzy yuppies to upscale malls, and five minutes later, walk past an entire family living in a cardboard box.
Here's a post I wrote this past January, Han, wondering aloud how to make a difference: http://daddypeet.blogspot.sg/2012/01/kids-of-ermita-i-was-in-taxi-christmas.html
I'm happy to know that you already have given of yourself with that intention.
Hey Han!
ReplyDeleteReading that post makes me want to go to the Philippines during the 2 months of travel time I have in the end of the semester. I want to go there and observe and I want to do social work so maybe you could give me some information in the next lecture?
About the blog post itself: I think it is understandable that you focused on the cultural divide between poor and rich in the Philippines and the different mentalities of the poor towards accepting help, since the blog post was supposed to be about intercultural behavior. I did get a very good idea about that and think the observations you are describing are very interesting - like I said - they make me want to go to the Philippines. What I am personally missing though, is an actual description of what you did there in order to understand the "degree of poverty". I think besides the visualizations Brad mentioned an insight into what you did would have been cool in order to make it more graspable. Also the introduction you chose "In this post, I will write about my observations about the culture of poverty in Philippines, taken when I went to Calumbang, Philippines for my overseas community project last summer. " is very "factual". I think it could help the reader to enter into the realm of poverty in the Philippines if you chose another type of introduction. Less of an announcement and more of a story telling approach. I must say though, that I am impressed by your choice of expressions and there were points where I thought "Wow, that's a well crafted sentence!" - for example this one: " On one side are the affluent, on the other are the poor, and both sides resent each other for reasons as old as they are irrational." It reminded me of story-telling and it created images in my head.
Thank you for this inspiring post!
Laura
Thanks everyone for your inputs. I agree with Brad that the post needs more concrete details to give the reader some vivid imagery, I was probably too self-centered when I subconsciously conjured up images from my memory and assumed that my readers saw the images too. Actually, I think I need a lot of help in this aspect. Laura, I'll tell you more when I see you in class!
ReplyDelete