the next morning we flew straight to cebu.
fine with me. honestly this was just a trip of 'going with the flow.'
we were not in cebu for too long and we were trying to find a way to get to moalboal (a beach town with good diving and waterfalls). as the boys were bargaining with a car driver...i looked around. ok...i straight up stared.
there was a very dirty little naked boy who didnt even look two years old, he was wondering around, really close to the street. he didnt look like he belonged to anyone. two other small boys were begging us for money. other kids were playing around us...one of them fell and i instinctively went to help him, all the other kids pointed fingers and laughed. he started to cry. and i tried scolding the other kids. ha. and then they started pointing fingers and laughing at me. and then in the middle of the chaos a marching band comes by. a full out marching band, with trumpets and drums. no one really reacted. there are kids trying to sell us water and corn and the sound of roasters is inescapable.
where the hell are we?
as we took the bus to moalboal, you realize we (me and the filipinos) are staring at each other. some of the towns we went to had never had tourist (i dont really like that word). in fact one town we got surrounded. and the police came because they thought there was a riot or something. we were just looking for an ATM. and everyone smiled at us and wanted to give us a ride on their tricycles (and our money of course).
i came for unknown reasons...knowing that it would be an experience none the less.
philippines is a place i will never forget. and although all these 'experiences' may change me and may be 'enlightening'...there are times during my trip when i get this fear and agitation that my traveling has become trivial. and nothing seems more important than being home. not because of the shallow comforts that i have done nothing to deserve. not because of a warm shower or clean water. not because i want to sleep in my own bed. but because this is where the people i love that most are. and i wouldnt really consider it 'home sick.' more of a calling. a calling to to go. and a calling to come back.
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