Day 9: A Bollywood Ending

Today is the last day before we end our challenging yet glorious trip to Baguio and Sagada and I was given the honours to document it in a diary entry. Well first and foremost I would like to warn readers that my memory is failing me nowadays (old age catching up) so I would like to apologize in advance if I missed out on anything important.

Well, the first thing we did in the morning, was the visit to Camp John Hay. It was an eventful visit, simply because of the numbing walk uphill and of course the making of Aaron’s Bollywood musical flick. But, before I go there, it is worth mentioning that we went to a very classy hotel indeed, can’t remember the name though (Ed: it’s called Camp John Hay – The Manor Hotel). Just to enjoy the environment and use the comfort rooms (known as toilets and restrooms in Malaysia) of course. The point I wanted to make, well actually Susan made me realize, was that there is a vast and obvious difference between the rich and the poor in the Philippines. Here we see rich guests mostly from foreign countries with their expensive coats, Gucci handbags and an aristocrat feel about them and after witnessing the poverty going around Baguio City, the world seems to be really quite cruel.

After the hotel visit were more excruciating walks uphill and finally to the spot to film Aron’s newest production. We all tried out best to dance although honestly I think we looked like a bunch of monkeys getting excited. The best part of it was definitely Rommel and Mau running around in D-I-Y slow motion mode. It was simply hilarious. After all the hard work, all of us being actors and all, got tired, and me as usual, got hungry. So off we went to find food and we ended up at what was that name again? Sorry I forgot, told you, old age catching up. Anyway, it has one of the best burgers I’ve tried, I think Aron would agree with me or he would probably still choose the ever so wonderful 7/11 hotdog.

Well, fast-forward till night and we attended an annual Christmas concert at UP Baguio and we rocked the house down.

The dancing lessons this morning seriously paid off as Monash students simply took center stage. Right back at ya UP Baguio peeps! We were then treated to a very nice dinner by our very own Prof. Daniel. Thanks a lot sir, I appreciate it, the rest as well I’m sure. Then came the emotional goodbye at a music bar of all places (Ed: it’s Ayuyang Bar at Governor Pack Road.) The emotional goodbye was spearheaded by Jojo and Pooi Yarn who both eventually began a chain reaction. But anyways, I love you guys to bits, best friends forever. So that’s it, I am in Manila now and you guys are missing out a lot, seriously, wish you guys were here.

P/S Me and Susan got harassed by a street thug on the way to the CC to do this story. One of the many sacrifices I go through to help complete this blog. (Ed: and the editor sincerely thanks both of you for sparing time on your short Manila trip for the life of this blog =)

By Zeck

Three

Here's a poem that is found behind the back of a University of the Philippines shirt that some of us were so gung ho to buy. The 'three' represents the minimal grade a student at a UP can get in his/ her academic year. Here's a similar cheer for the Monash Arts students who still have one - two sems more to go in the next year to come, all the best for whatever you achieve and may it never be lower than a 'three'.

I think that I shall never see

A grade as lovely as a three

A three that's earned with

Blood and sweat

When failing is a serious threat

A three I've asked from

God all day.

Knowing praying is the only way
Exams are taken by fools

Like me

But only God can give a three

By Shu Yi

[im]press[i]ons

What would five students of UP Baguio who don't know what to expect get when they meet eighteen students from Monash University in Malaysia who speak English with what, at first, seems like a British accent? They get nosebleed. And what more would these five UPB students get when they spend a week with these eighteen students from Monash? Indeed, more nosebleed. That is a word young Filipinos use these days to describe anything not easy to deal with or anything that requires effort. Despite our professed proficiency in English, we Filipinos prefer to speak the idioms of our languages. Thus, playing the role of a "student guide" to students from Malaysia is not nosebleed; having to constantly speak English is.

Owing to my ignorance of Malaysia, I was surprised that our visitors from Malaysia spoke good English. I expected them to be like the Koreans and Japanese in the city who spoke a halting and simplified English. While observing them the first day, I came up with a tentative hypothesis that these students spoke English so well because they belonged to the upper middle class, if not upper class families. I based that on the situation in the Philippines where a good command of the English language is a status symbol, and it may be said that children of rich families speak English as their first language. I found out later though, that there are three races in Malaysia, namely the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians, and they have to speak English in order to communicate. So much for my hypothesis. Nevertheless, rich kids or not, these students from Monash University aren't bratty at all, thank goodness. They are actually very eager to learn as much as they can about Baguio and Sagada. During lectures and discussions with the various groups we met they were always teeming with questions, no matter how soporific the session had been.

Nosebleed aside, being with eighteen students from Malaysia during their stay here was almost like being a tourist myself. Seeing the city I grew up in and the province where my parents grew up in through the eyes of first-timers allowed me to experience things I had taken for granted-- mountain scenery, bumpy winding roads, hiking, cold weather, rainbows, balut and one day old chicks--with child-like excitement. They say they came here in search of Baguio and Sagada, and I hope they found it.

I did, through their eyes.

By Maya

Session Road

Ask a traveler where he has been to in Baguio, the answer would definitely include Session Road. If you had the chance to visit Baguio, you would most definitely have walked along Session Road at least once, unless you rarely leave your place of accommodation, of course. I was lucky enough to stay in an inn situated along Session Road itself, so there wouldn’t be any excuse to not explore this most visited section of Baguio City.



Unlike most busy streets in US, Europe and some parts of Asia, Session Road, I noticed has few, if not, no bill boards along the streets. You will, however, find many residents and visitors still enjoying their climb up and down the hilly streets of Session Road. Session Road is the main pathway across Baguio city and it happens to be the city’s main commercial district. This is where you will find establishments ranging from food to fashion and accommodations. A variety of stores, bazaars, restaurants and banks are just a few examples of what you can find on Session Road. As a result, Session Road is often crowded with people, mostly Filipinos coming from the lowlands to enjoy the cool weather in Baguio.

However, the crowds on Session Road could spell trouble especially to tourists as they would mostly like be in possession of more cash compared to locals. I myself, thankfully, never encountered any problems but the warnings you get about pickpockets and handphone snatchers does keep me on alert mode, as it’s better to be safe then sorry I guess. Being in restaurants and shops however, ensures your safety as there are security guards, as weird as it may sound in these places. Going into a mall will get you searched and possibly walking through a metal detector. Walking down Session Road is no doubt, a lot of fun, especially window shopping, looking at different types of people conducting all forms of trades or just simply walking down this lengthy road. It is advisable however, to spend more time walking along Session Road during the night as the pollution is not as bad then.

Well I guess that would be everything, in a nutshell of course, on what you should know about Session Road. I am sure that there are more alleys and lanes that branch out from Session Road ready to be explored so that is exactly what I am going to do now. Session Road, here I come!

By Zeck

Jeepney

Jeepneys are an integral part of the Filippino culture, playing an important role in the national transportation system. Therefore, I really think that if you’re in the Philippines, traveling in a Jeepney is a must. The jeepneys are the gleaming and glittering vehicles on the street and were apparently inspired by the locals the Americans left army jeeps behind after World War II. These jeepneys proudly symbolize the culture of the Philippines, attaching colorful and flashing decorations to their shiny chrome bodies.

Jeepneys cover practically all the streets in Baguio, picking passengers up at every corner of the main road. Jeepneys can easily accommodate more than 15 people (around 18, if we squeezed tightly). Charging a mere 6 pesos for students (or 7.5 for non-students), it is definitely a riveting and intriguing experience. Speaking from experience, sitting at the back of a jeepney, as the driver presses hard on the accelerator and never lets the gearshaft go, smelling the inevitable fumes was painstakingly torturous and at the same time, unusually fun. I was shocked when I saw people easily jumping on to the Jeepneys, even though it was full and just holding on to the side of the railing. According to a reliable source of information, accidents do not occur often. Amazing!

The unique thing about these Jeepneys is that each Jeepney is different compared to another. Each Jeepney is a work of art, as it's important to make an name for ones self on the streets. The ability to be creative in designing the Jeepneys is essential for Jeepney drivers because these vehicles are basically their pride and joy, as well as their source of income. It is known to this transportation culture that these Jeepney owners name their Jeepneys, often after their family name or sometimes, with tacky and unusual names such as ‘Tom Jones’, ‘Igorots’, ‘Billy Bob’, ‘I will pick you up’(Ed: there were a ton of Christian related phrases too) and etc. Jeepney owners took a fancy to decorate their Jeepneys with colorful paintings of American symbols too, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones and there were others who preferred to stick closer to their traditional designs.

I was told that Jeepney drivers depend upon the honesty of the customers when it comes to paying them. Sometimes, there are costumers who just hop into the Jeepneys, and once they reach their destinations, they just hop off without paying a single cent to the driver. However, I am proud to say that Monash students are not among these dishonest people especially after finding out that Jeepney drivers only earned an average of 300-350 pesos on a normal day. If it was school holidays or a rainy day, they can earn a shockingly low amount of 200 pesos. Many Jeepney drivers from the lowlands, especially from Manila, often do not become Jeepney drivers in Baguio because of the mountainous terrains. It is too difficult for them to get used to it.

Jeepneys are by far one of the coolest rides I have ever been on. It’s like riding a ‘tuk tuk’ in Thailand, but as a much more comfortable ride. Jeepney drivers are incredible drivers, put them into a F1 ring and they can easily defeat Michael Schumacher or even Fernando Alonso. Whoever has ridden on a Jeepney, would agree.

By Susan