Random? Brothers

Namaste Readers,

My other 2 roomies are brothers, and they go to the same University as Roomie K.  Roomie L is a 3rd year studying a major similar to Computer Science.  He's thinking of switching to Geology.  He appears introverted around Roomie K and me; he's also a gamer, who likes to read Wikipedia articles and had read Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, which he lent me ( I'm currently reading it and it's awesome as per usual ).

Roomie J is a 1st year studying Business Administration ( similar to Roomie K ).  He's shy around me because I'm considered a "foreigner."  He plays with a Rubik's cube.  The brothers are mostly chatty with each other when there's no one around.  When the rest of the roomies are present, however, they follow the courtesy rule being mindful of their noise level.  A room full of people can be silent with only the sounds of keyboard and mouse clicking, a little snickering from Animes watched ( listened to via headphone ), and muffled cough from the air-conditioned coldness.

Sometimes I find the silence odd ( being accustomed to chit-chat with people in the vicinity or having background noise ).  I have to remind myself about the culture ( I find myself drifting from ).  It's difficult so I turn on the TV with MTV Asia or V ( another music video channel ) playing.

Random? sideline tutoring

Namaste Readers,

As most of you know, my food budget is tight.  In spite of this, I still splurge once in a while, and I know later that I'll pay a price for this "gluttony."  One day I was motivated to inquire about an English tutoring position at four Review Centers in the area ( in the hopes of making some income to create a Starbucks Fund ).  I was suprised to get a text from one of them to call them for details.  I was to report at their Review Center at 10:30 am the next day.

It was a spur of the moment and I knew how to talk about my various experiences ( practice from the millions of interviews I've attended ) so I didn't prepare much ( I was only going to be here until August anyway ).  I did try to review pedagogical jargon I've picked up from the recent articles I've read about ESL teaching in the secondary education level, and tried to find parallels from my own teaching.

This new approach for me didn't work so well.  While waiting to get called in the office, I got more nervous especially since 10:30 in Filipino time really meant 11:00.  When I entered the room, there were 3 of them ( not a surprise for me ).  Except one of them was just doodling, and the other 2 were going about it on the fly ( as if this was the first time they saw my resume ).

I spoke in English in the hopes of impressing them ( maybe that created a barrier ).  I talked about my 4 years experience in teaching and tutoring ( classroom and writing center experience ), and my part time availability.  They then asked about my background in teaching grammar and if I could explain the difference between TEFL and TOEFL.  I mentioned the importance of creating an atmosphere that motivates students to practice when Teaching English as a Foreign Language ( not relying solely on rote learning ).  I mentioned being flexible, adapting my approach with the materials and philosophy they provide me with.

At the end of the interview, they told me that they'd tell me about their decision by the end of the week.  I didn't get a good feeling.  For one, the nature of a Review Center conflicted with my own teaching outlook.  Whereas they focused on short-term results ( test and product oriented ), I focused on long-term ( process-oriented, meaningful, and applicable beyond the classroom ).  They also wanted somebody there full time and daily from 8 am to 8 pm to handle the regular walk-ins.  The whole thing might be a failure, but at least I got a story, and a reason to go to Starbucks afterwards.

Manila Internship: Auditing a Class

Kamusta Readers,

When I'm not working on the Library Project, or contributing to the Publications Project, or completing a practicum in ESL teaching, or doing independent Writing Center research et al ( outside my internship ), or creatively reviewing for the GRE Literature subject test, I'll be auditing a Literature class called "Philippine English and Filipino American Literary Postcoloniality" every Wednesday night ( thank goodness for connections ).  How great is it that after the 1st day of class, I'm already considering ideas and or reconsidering ideas?

Prof. C got his Ph.D. in American Studies in Brown University.  He stayed in the States for 14 years taking on Lecturer jobs here and there; he taught at Berkeley, and a mentor of his teaches/taught at Haverford College.  His theatricality and passion for the subject matter/class will keep anybody wide awake.  He likes "surprises" and often discards decorous context to enjoy language and its sounds ( a word fetish as he jokingly states to create his own context ).

The premise behind the class is an offspring from his dissertation, exploring American Imperialism instead of French and British Imperialism.  A reason why American Imperialism is not talked about as much is because of the Democratic and liberal ( in the latin sense of Freedom ) values associated with the United States of America.  During the course of the semester ( until August for me ), we'll explore decolonization starting specifically using a Philippine context and then going "general" applying concepts to other colonized countries of the "3rd World." ( using literature, reading various theories, then synthesizing theories with literature ).

The class begs several questions: Why are Filipino writers ( Native/ Fil-Am/ Diasporic/ et al ) often overlooked in a postcolonial literary canon when they were considered the first to create literature in the colonizer's language (English)? What are the effects of bringing up the issue of being marginalized? Does it promote further marginilization? Or is it necessary for analysis, critique, and transformation? And many more...

Random? McDonald's, spirituality, and hypertextuality

Namaste Readers,

Runner J, the MA student with a writer's block who finally found motivation to continue his dissertation revision after our talk, was so happy to have direction that he treated me to FOOD.  Even if it's McDonald's, who can turn away kindness ( diba?, such an offer only appears once in a blue moon ).

He told me that he visited the States ( Kentucky ) once, where he was delighted with the supersize portion of a McDonald's meal ( compared to the portions in the Philippines ).  When he found out that I grew up in the States, he asked if I had a religion ( during a Habitat for Humanity trip in another island in the archipelago, he met Americans who were agnostics ).

I told him I was raised Catholic, but started to veer away from anything fanatical or dogmatic.  I focused on action and practice.  After all, does one need a religion to be kind and compassionate to others? To help others? "Oh, so you're spiritual, then?" He stated.  "I guess so---"

Then he added, "Sometimes I'm like that. Some only talk, but they don't walk the walk.  I like to do the walking and listening... letting silence speak for itself."  The conversation meandered from critical thinking skills to prisms of perspectives to reading strategies.  "Sometimes I read 'backwards' or I'll skip around, for example when I'm reading the newspaper, sometimes I'll start with the 3rd paragraph and if I'm interested I'll read the paragraph before that one... is that strange?"

Before answering him I thought about the recursive writing process that goes back and forth; I thought about the typical format of a newspaper article using the inverted pyramid scheme, then I remembered an article mentioning hypertextuality.  "That's not so strange.  There's a theory called hypertextuality that's similar to that approach."  I used a wikipedia article to illustrate the point of how one doesn't necessarily read wiki articles in a linear fashion especially when one keeps clicking on the various links.

He finished his Big Mac, and I finished my Chicken McDo with Spaghetti.  Jesus Christ doesn't just appear in a McDonald's hash brown, interesting conversations can bubble up in the vicinity as well.

Manila Internship: freelance tutoring

Kamusta Readers,

Being at the "right place at the right time" can be interpreted differently here in the Phil.  According to a Catholic runner I met during the biweekly nite run, our meeting was literally translated as a "drop from heaven" ( or heaven-sent, fated by God ).  During our warm-up jog, I revealed that my BA is in English, and I have experience in teaching and editing writing.  It so happens that he can't finish his MAs dissertation because he has writer's block.

This was a chance to work with an English as Second Language student and ESL writing so I didn't mind volunteering my time.  Thank goodness for my general knowledge of Health, Environmental Science, and Chemistry, I was able to follow the overview of his paper on "Domestic Wastewater Treatment using Natural System, UV Irradiation and PV Cells."
 
The gist of his research: take away harmful bacteria from septic water with nutrients intact so it can be used safely to water plants ( that don't spread harmful bacteria ).  Using this clean version of septic water can conserve the already limited water supply for human consumptions ( in developing 3rd World Countries ) [like the recent James Bond movie] ( the ecosystem of wetlands and cost-effectiveness were considered ).

Listening to him explain his research and the story behind it was fascinating.  His BA is in Electrical Engineering and he was inspired through observations of problems and previous attempts at solutions to explore and experiment to fill in the gaps ( He turned an unused bathroom into his lab ).  He even created a garden, and applied his research to sustain it.  It would have been difficult to believe it, except I actually walked through the garden ( prior to him explaining his experiment ), and the garden was beautiful.

At one point I started spacing out, maybe getting lost in my mind's own secret garden.  I thought: Wow, his field of study seems more relevant and applicable to the greater world.  I started re-evaluating again ( for the millioneth times ) the relevancy of my English major.  So I tell stories, so I write, so what? I snapped back in to reality and remembered the task at hand.  This engineer was having writer's block.  "So where exactly are you stuck on?" I asked.

After mumbling something about missing information in his outline, and the need to integrate all his chapters and to follow a format, I paraphrased his ideas in a question: "So you need help in editing so you can translate for the layman?" He nodded and smiled.  Later on, I too had a bit of a revelation.  You can have all the great ideas in the world, but if you can't communicate them clearly, what's the point? Being a translator and conduit of ideas isn't so bad.

Random? Language Politics

Namaste Readers,

My roomies are interesting not only because of their own curiousities and different perspectives, but also the  minute similarities I notice that we share ( or tend to put under the microscope ).  Roomie K is from Negroes ( Visaya Region of the Phil. ), and he's studying Business Administration in UP Diliman.  He is what is referred here as a "super senior" because he's on his 5th year.  He switched major in his 3rd year, and now he's catching up. 

When he found out that I grew up in the States, he asked whether the stereotypes of Asians as smart and nerdy were promulgated/spread around.  We had a discussion about this stereotype ( the benefits and mostly the disadvantages ).  He also asked about the gang violence in school and discrimination.  I told him that it depends on the location ( also the exception to the generalization ).

We started talking about the English Language.  To him English is just a language.  One learns it and speaks it.  Some maybe perceived as snotty when using English ( Colonizer's language ) over Tagalog ( the Native Language ).  Without showing my "being defensive" I tried to show another side.  We talked about the framework of "knowledge is power" and knowledge of another language may give power to a certain group of people, who may or may not use that power in a good way.  Of course I tried to say this all in Tagalog.  Maybe the "elegance" of my Tagalog rendition prompted him to call me a poet.

On his wall is a mini poster that states, "Great Things Come to Those Who Want" ( not wait ).  He's quite impatient and ambitious; he does put too much pressure on himself.  He joined the council ( a type of organization in the University dealing with anything Bus. Admin related ), and he wants to enter plenty of "contest" so he can build up his resume.  He's a bit frustrated because most opportunities are in the marketing section of Bus Admin ( product for the masses ); he wants to focus on the people interaction side/ human resources ( hiring and advising et. al. ).

On the 2nd day of class, he's already stressed; he's already thinking of dropping certain activities ( prioritizing according to the most valuable and directly related to his end goal ).  Being the veteran scholar ( with a MAs degree ), I caught myself lecturing him about "balance" and "taking breaks" and "relaxing" And then I stopped because it was pointless.  It was best to "show" the ideas I was talking about.

He mentioned watching a movie.  Trying my luck being the devil's advocate, I prompted him to talk about the movie.  In one way, I was curious to get the summary; in another, I was hoping that by showing interest he would be more convinced to watch the movie.  A couple of minutes later, he set up his lap top on his bunk, and watched the movie.

Manila Internship: facets of understanding (w2)

Kamusta Readers,

The Library Project and Book Project took precedence this week.  I finished organizing the Fiction and Miscellaneous section ( all that's left to do is to make labels and update records of this section in the database ).  I started organizing the 400 section ( "Language" section according to the Dewey Decimal System ).  Director N eventually wanted to merge the collections from the Old Library with the New Library.

I also brainstormed a timetable with Secretary V: the Library Project should be completed by the end of July because the focus for August would be Conference Preparation for September 10th.  During our down times, Secretary V and I discussed mandatory English usage within the English Department and regional accents in the U.S.

Director N is currently working on a Book Project set for a September release during the Conference.  We discussed revision ideas for the 11 articles that outlined different lesson plans for the macro skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing; the articles' layout; and whether they met the criterias including reader-friendliness and Best Practices.  She also helped me to focus the article I'm planning to submit for the Center's September magazine issue ( paralleling UbD's 6 Facets of Understanding with Aristotle's Rhetorical Triangle ).

Through reading the 11 articles plus the section introductions to the book of essays dedicated to Father G, I learned how pragmatism plays a prominent role in the Center's outreach program providing useful tips for High School teachers ( practice with a theoretical foundation ).  Father G's Jesuit background and Ph.D. in English from Columbia University in NYC inspired him to develop the Great Books Program and lead the Philippines Studies Program for the Center's University's Liberal Education curriculum.

Upcoming projects in the works are: Project Audit a Class ( Philippine-English and Filipino American Literary Postcoloniality; hopefully Prof. C approves ); Project TA for a Developmental English class, and English Conversationals for a graduate ESL class ( both under the supervision of Director N ).