I asked the Deaf trainees at my work placements this: "what do you feel or think when you see 'Deaf'?"
This was the result:
Not fair
Unequal
Pity
Sad
Can't communicate
Mercy
Love
Community
Enjoyment
The negatives were by the girls and the positives were by the boys, one of which has a Deaf parents.
I wasn't so surprised at this, since the Filipinos' perspective on the Deaf is very low. Florita (OIC) told me that a lot of the Deaf go into work and leave because they get bored or they get kicked out because of their attitude. I strongly believe that they get bored because of the lack of communication. I also believe that they get kicked out possibly because they don't understand what they have to do. I may be wrong, but that's my perspective.
I asked why they felt like this, most of them said they felt like they were neglected by the hearing people, they were asked to do a lot of work while they do nothing, they feel like why can't they communicate 'normally' like the hearing people and they feel pity from them.
We, the volunteers, wrote the positive things of being Deaf, on the back of the whiteboard, such as language, culture, community, feeling proud and that we can do anything except hear.
They looked stunned at this and thought that they were wrong for writing the negatives things down. Joe explained that he had graduated from university, and that they can do the same. I explained that they can point or write things down for communication, and they have interpreters. We tried to make them realise that being Deaf isn't a bad thing and they should be proud. At the end of this session, they looked happier and I hope that they will feel this way forever.
Ciao!
Sunday, 5 October 2014
Appreciate all the small things... and a little more about the Filipinos! Oh and ants!!
Today marks the one month anniversary since I landed in the Philippines! So much has happened whilst I've been here, my stay here has made me realise how many things I take granted for, such as a functioning flush for the toilet or the variety of food we can cook at home! My trip in the Philippines has made me promised myself to appreciate all the small things more!
I'm ever so grateful for a washing machine at home, an over and grill, knives (believe it or not, they cut their foods with their forks or spoons), the typical 'British' weather, yes, I miss the cold fresh air at home! I roamed around in my host home's kitchen and fridge to see what kind of food they have- rice, vegetables and meats. At this moment, it really hit me how they can eat almost the same food everyday and not complain, whereas at home, I know I would probably complain. (However, there is one thing I don't get, if the Filipinos had a choice of rice or spaghetti- they will still pick rice over spaghetti! Maybe they just really love rice?!)
They are not rich, so obviously they have to live on a budget and spend their money on other valuables, whereas we can apply for a loan to have a better life, or apply for benefits so that we can have TVs, an upgraded phone and take aways- the 'normal' in the UK.
One of the other thing that I will appreciate in the UK is the Health and Safety Act, one of the UK volunteers went into a school asking for directions to his work placement. But there was a miscommunication, the teacher thought the volunteer was volunteering in this school and took him into a room with two deaf students and gave him a pen so that he can't teach.
This would never happen in the UK, as a child protection check would be needed, DBS check and a CV. But clearly, in the Philippines, all you need to do is to walk into a school and inform them that you're a volunteer and helping out the Deaf community- bam- there you have it.
I miss the buses at home! I will never complain about why someone has decided to sit next to me when there are other available spaces! The jeepneys here are unbelievable, the jeepney workers literally cram everyone on the jeepney, it's so irritating! I want to scream to them saying 'CANT YOU SEE THERE IS NO MORE SPACE FOR AN EXTRA PERSON?!' But I refrain myself from doing that, I haven't gone that mad yet........ Sometimes there's a man who works on the jeepney, at he back collecting money and getting people on the jeepney. They bang the jeepeny's side for it to stop and shout every word there is- which is unnecessary. They also try to encourage people to get on the jeepney. I also want to scream at them saying 'THEY WILL ASK YOU TO ATOP IF THEY WANT TO GET ON THE JEEPNEY, SO STOP BANGING AND SHOUTING!' But like I said, I try and stop myself from doing that. But I do give looks to hint that it's annoying. It slows down the transport!
The taxi drivers here slow down when they approach you, assuming that you need a ride. I don't understand this, because if I want a ride, I will signal for you, you do not come to me.
This is why I miss the UK, the buses stop when you signal for it to. The taxis come if you ting for them or signal for it.
Being white in the Philippines really gets me sometimes, the Filipinos will stare at you if you're white. I've had many staring contest with the Filipinos (I always win, by the way!) lol! I attended to the closing of International Week of the Deaf, and so many Filipinos wanted to take a photo with me, it got to the point where I got so annoyed, but I couldn't be rude and say no even if I wanted to! They get so excited seeing a white person.
Sometimes the Filipinos do give you a dirty look, I feel as if I'm experiencing racism in the Philippines! But I try not to get bothered by it.
I have noticed from the Filipinos volunteers that they love to tell their story in details! No offence to them, but I don't actually need to want to hear everything. Let's put it this way so you really get what I mean, they will tell you who was sitting where and what directions they walked in from a certain place to another. Need I say more?
I detest ants so badly that I want them all dead, literally. I've had so many bad encounters with these tiny unnecessary creature- oh, one had just crawled over my iPad -.- anyways, my host home has three trails of ants army in the dining room/kitchen. It is disgusting. I killed two trails before and they stopped coming in that way and found another way of getting in, there are three trials now, mainly on the wall. I found ants in a bowl of foods. I found ants in my work placement's bathroom carrying a big fish bone- I'm not lying- I have evidence of this. I drank coke with ants in it when I was 12. I had my backpack invaded by ants in the summer, in Venice. Gahhh!!
I hope you've enjoyed this blog! :)
Bye for now! See you next Sunday!
I'm ever so grateful for a washing machine at home, an over and grill, knives (believe it or not, they cut their foods with their forks or spoons), the typical 'British' weather, yes, I miss the cold fresh air at home! I roamed around in my host home's kitchen and fridge to see what kind of food they have- rice, vegetables and meats. At this moment, it really hit me how they can eat almost the same food everyday and not complain, whereas at home, I know I would probably complain. (However, there is one thing I don't get, if the Filipinos had a choice of rice or spaghetti- they will still pick rice over spaghetti! Maybe they just really love rice?!)
They are not rich, so obviously they have to live on a budget and spend their money on other valuables, whereas we can apply for a loan to have a better life, or apply for benefits so that we can have TVs, an upgraded phone and take aways- the 'normal' in the UK.
One of the other thing that I will appreciate in the UK is the Health and Safety Act, one of the UK volunteers went into a school asking for directions to his work placement. But there was a miscommunication, the teacher thought the volunteer was volunteering in this school and took him into a room with two deaf students and gave him a pen so that he can't teach.
This would never happen in the UK, as a child protection check would be needed, DBS check and a CV. But clearly, in the Philippines, all you need to do is to walk into a school and inform them that you're a volunteer and helping out the Deaf community- bam- there you have it.
I miss the buses at home! I will never complain about why someone has decided to sit next to me when there are other available spaces! The jeepneys here are unbelievable, the jeepney workers literally cram everyone on the jeepney, it's so irritating! I want to scream to them saying 'CANT YOU SEE THERE IS NO MORE SPACE FOR AN EXTRA PERSON?!' But I refrain myself from doing that, I haven't gone that mad yet........ Sometimes there's a man who works on the jeepney, at he back collecting money and getting people on the jeepney. They bang the jeepeny's side for it to stop and shout every word there is- which is unnecessary. They also try to encourage people to get on the jeepney. I also want to scream at them saying 'THEY WILL ASK YOU TO ATOP IF THEY WANT TO GET ON THE JEEPNEY, SO STOP BANGING AND SHOUTING!' But like I said, I try and stop myself from doing that. But I do give looks to hint that it's annoying. It slows down the transport!
The taxi drivers here slow down when they approach you, assuming that you need a ride. I don't understand this, because if I want a ride, I will signal for you, you do not come to me.
This is why I miss the UK, the buses stop when you signal for it to. The taxis come if you ting for them or signal for it.
Being white in the Philippines really gets me sometimes, the Filipinos will stare at you if you're white. I've had many staring contest with the Filipinos (I always win, by the way!) lol! I attended to the closing of International Week of the Deaf, and so many Filipinos wanted to take a photo with me, it got to the point where I got so annoyed, but I couldn't be rude and say no even if I wanted to! They get so excited seeing a white person.
Sometimes the Filipinos do give you a dirty look, I feel as if I'm experiencing racism in the Philippines! But I try not to get bothered by it.
I have noticed from the Filipinos volunteers that they love to tell their story in details! No offence to them, but I don't actually need to want to hear everything. Let's put it this way so you really get what I mean, they will tell you who was sitting where and what directions they walked in from a certain place to another. Need I say more?
I detest ants so badly that I want them all dead, literally. I've had so many bad encounters with these tiny unnecessary creature- oh, one had just crawled over my iPad -.- anyways, my host home has three trails of ants army in the dining room/kitchen. It is disgusting. I killed two trails before and they stopped coming in that way and found another way of getting in, there are three trials now, mainly on the wall. I found ants in a bowl of foods. I found ants in my work placement's bathroom carrying a big fish bone- I'm not lying- I have evidence of this. I drank coke with ants in it when I was 12. I had my backpack invaded by ants in the summer, in Venice. Gahhh!!
I hope you've enjoyed this blog! :)
Bye for now! See you next Sunday!
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