ADVANCE NOTICE - VORANKUENDIGUNG

Many things have been written about the culture shock for foreigners (expats - expatriats) after moving to the Philippines for good. I experienced my very own culture shock during my first year's stay here. I like to share it with you, my dear readers - in English and in German! Watch out for it here on this site in a few days!

Viele Dinge wurden bereits ueber den Kulturschock von Auslaendern (Auswanderer) auf den Philippinen geschrieben. Ich habe meinen ganz eigenen Kulturschock speziell im ersten Jahr meines permanenten Aufenthaltes hier erlebt. Ich moechte meine Erfahrungen mit Ihnen, lieber Leser, demnaechst hier teilen - in Englisch und in Deutsch. Klicken Sie sich hier wieder ein in den naechsten Tagen!

Philippine Food - You Might NOT Like... .

I have been travelling around the world since the age of 16. I stayed in almost 65 countries worldwide. Sure, I learned to eat a lot of things. Many times, as a real newcomer I started shudder while tasting a new dish.

Of course, every country has some disgusting special food that foreigners are forced to eat. It's an invitation rite before strangers are allow to enter the new community. Here in Davao City/Mindanao, where I am residing since 1999 for good, one can find for example the fruit Durian (smells hell but tastes heaven!). Yeah, it's true... .

In other parts of the Philippines you might be forced to try cows stomach pickled in vinegar. Not such strange as monkey brain (China) or "drunken prawns" (Japan).

Back to the Philippines: here one can really find a first class disgusting dish, which is called BALUT! Heaven forbid! Give me a million, but I wouldn't try it again. Fear Factor! Yeah... .! Howard Belton, in the Philippines living U.S. columnist, voiced it out: "How can a good Catholic country enjoy eating aborted duck?"

Going native in the Philippines? Maybe - but without me... !

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Ein philippinisches Gericht (?), dass Sie bestimmt nicht moegen... .

Seit meinem 16. Lebensjahr bin ich einige Male um die Welt geflogen und habe mich in fast 65 Laendern aufgehalten. Klar, dabei habe ich gelernt, eine Menge Dinge zu essen. Tja, und als "Neuling" habe ich mich manches Mal geschuettelt und geekelt, wenn ich ein neues Gericht ausprobierte... .

Natuerlich hat jede Nation einige ekelhaftige Gerichte, die man trotzdem als Auslaender kosten soll. Man gehoert erst zur lokalen Gemeinschaft, wenn man es versucht hat. Hier in Davao City/Mindanao, wo ich seit 1999 permanent lebe, gibt es zum Beispiel die Frucht DURIAN (stinkt wie die Hoelle, schmeckt wie der Himmel!). Ja, und das stimmt wirklich!

In einigen anderen Gegenden der Philippinen bietet man Ihnen vielleicht Kuhmagen (in Essig eingelegt!) an. Das mag vielleicht nicht einmal so fremdartig sein wie Affenhirn (China) oder "betrunkener Hummer" (Japan).

Zurueck zu den Philippinen: hier findet man ein wirklich 1. Klasse (fuer mich ekel-erregendes) Gericht, das BALUT heisst. Ein sogenanntes "angebruetetes Entenei"! Also, man moege mir 'ne Million geben, aber mich kann niemand mehr ueberreden, das noch einmal zu probieren. Howard Belton, ein auf den Philippinen lebender U.S.-Kolumnist, hat es so ausgedrueckt: "Wie kann ein katholisch-religioeses Land ein fruehgeborenes Entenkueken im Ei essen!" Vielleicht ein wenig ueberspitzt formuliert, aber ICH versuche es NICHT noch einmal... !

PLDT gives twice as much!

This holiday season every member of the household gets a turn to share an update very time you call your family or friends overseas because PLDT (Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company),  has slashed per minute rates to America and Canada. PLDT Budget card gives you the longest talk time when calling abroad, at affordable call rate and with ever reliable service and clear connection that only PLDT can provide.

Might sound like a promotion article, but it isn't... .

I tried it, and it's so very true. The prepaid overseas calling card allows subscribers nationwide to make financially-smart decisions about those traditional holidaya calls at the lowest per-minute-rate of 1.50 Pesos to the U.S. and Canada, with any PLDT postpaid landline and payphone nationwide. Also European countries can be reached by 5 Pesos per minute - unbeatable rates... .

Go to your nearest PLDT office or selected branches of Cebuana Lhuillier and Tambunting Pawnshops.

Happy Season Calls!!!

Rotary Club East Davao helps ENDING POLIO

We have seen the ravages of polio many times in the past. An individual with an underdeveloped limb, a child who cannot walk because of an absence of muscular development, and a young girl who has drag herself on the floor because of her abnormal legs. These are all images of how this disease can hamper the quality of life of its victims. Rotary International has long been at the forefront of the fight to eradicate polio throughout the world.

As a part of this organization, the Rotary Club of East Davao realizes the urgency of totally eradicating this disease as soon as possible. Therefore in spite of the challenges in securing funding RCED believes there are benevolent individuals and groups out there who can help to erase this devastating disease from the earth.

As such and as Project Chairman, we have decided to embark on a fund raising event that will allow us to contribute to this noble endeavor.

WE WILL BE HOLDING A CLASSIC MUSIC CONCERT entitled "The Music We Share Will Show the World that We Care". In this concert we will be featuring four talented pianists, who will perform for a diverse audience from Davao City and other parts of Mindanao.

THIS WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE 5TH OF DECEMBER 2009 AT 6 PM AT THE CAP AUDITORIUM, ANDA STREET, DAVAO CITY.

Purchase tickets NOW and be a part as an invaluable supporter in making this concert a very fruitful and successful one.

Please contact SHEILA, Rotary Club of East Davao, CP# 0920-9534196 or landline (082) 302 8956 or KLAUS DORING, CP# 0927-4963149 or landline (082) 227 1761. Tickets are still availabe for PHP 1,000, 500, 300 and 100.

God bless!

Ein klassisches Konzert ganz besonderer Art erwartet Sie am 5. Dezember 2009 im CAP Auditorium in Davao City. Und Sie helfen!!! Beim Kauf einer Eintrittskarte spenden Sie automatisch fuer END POLIO IN THE PHILIPPINES! Der Rotary Club East Davao ist der Schirmherr fuer diese Benefizveranstaltung. Helfen Sie mit - und geniesen Sie Musik in hoechster Klasse und Guete!

Off to Davao Oriental

If you're looking for "nature pure" should you travel to Davao Oriental. I did this several times - and surely not for the last time!

Suchen Sie "Natur pur"? Dann sollten Sie, wenn in Mindanao, unbedingt Davao Oriental besuchen. Ich habe es schon einige Male getan - und sicherlich nicht zum letzten Mal!

Several months ago I stopped for the first time at the "Sleeping Dinosaur Peninsula" - visible upon passing the 8km Zigzag road downtown Mati. The 57-hectare island resembles a sleeping dinosaur.

In Barangay La Union, San Isidro Mt. Hamiguitan is home to thousands of centuries-old pygmy trees. Nearby is an upland lake called Tinagong Dagat (Hidden Sea) that serves as a haven for various species of rare and exotic birds and other animals.

When in Mati, a visit of Waniban Island is a must. It's just a 15-minute boat ride from Cinco Masao Resort in Mati. This 40-hectare island is surrounded by white sandy beaches and is home of local tribes who make a living through hunting and fishing.

A closer look, please!

Do you know the African proverb: "The camel never sees its own hump, but that of its brother is always before its eyes!"

Maybe it's true, because most of us forget to see our very own self. But does it really help, if we always see "this way" - US in a mirror?

Our tendency to focus on the irritating faults of others most of the time obscures our vision of the positive aspects of others, as Karyl Yvette stresses already several years ago in "Pinoy Balita Korea". Yes, we lose sight of the good and decent qualities of others, the true essence of who and what they are, and we all see only the humps in life. Also as expats living in the Philippines... .

Shouldn't we use our own eyes clearly and effectively? So, let's start a new day with a positive look over our own whole, even being in front of our mirror, then taking a glimpse on the good things around us. Have you watched a butterfly over a flower? Wow, we have a lot here in the Philippines. Have you used your freedom of expression over loud music? I mean, not the whole day or during night time, if others want to sleep.

Yes, I must confess, many times I also forgot those simple rules - and, I forgot how to stay young, happy and healthy. It's so easy, especially while living in the Philippines.

Did I say "young"? Yes, because it's not a time of life - it's a state of mind. Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years; people grow old only by deserting their ideals. Yes, wrinkle the skin, but to surrender enthusiasm wrinkles the sou. Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear - these are the long, long years that bow the head and turn growing spirit to dust.

Susconsciously we 'cook our ideas' while being passive. I met a lot of fellow expats, who are doing so. Of ocurse, Newton relaxed, when he saw the apple falling from the tree - and got the idea of gravity, Watt relaxed in the kitchen while watching the jumping steam boiler cover - and got the idea of the steam engine. We have much more good ideas during two hours of creative muse and leisure time, then waiting eight hours in an office... .

I love nature... - and you?

When I still stayed in Germany, I always dreamt of an own (wild) garden. Wild means natural. The more flowers and trees, the better. The more nature - the better.

My dream became true!

Climate Changes - A Global Problem

While writing this piece another typhoon hits the Philippines. One of many other natural disasters worldwide... .

My worries and fears that nothing would happen to preserve and project our nature have been proven to be well founded. Sure, climatic change is a global problem, but even while writing this piece, I do have again and again this disgusting smell of burning and plastic and rubber "basura" in my nose. My neighbours don't care! Bahala na! how gruesome and horrid! I would love to pray for more rain to "kill these fires". But the Philippines got rain more then enough!

The term "hothouse earth" as well as 'hothouse effect" describe the dramatic climatic changes in our daily life conditions. Here in the Philippines and everywhere in the world. The hothouse effect has its cause and origin on the way we are living. Effects and consequences of excessive consumption of so-called "fossil fuels" are one of the main reasons. Our industrial society's ecological footprint becomes too big; its ecological rucksack becomes too heavy. Remaining "ecological niches' become smaller and smaller.

The report of the "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes from March 2001 (!) showed us the startling dramatic scenario:

- The 1990s have been the warmest decade (1998 the warmest year) since 1861.

- The eternal snow and polar ice have become dramatically smaller.

- The average sea level rises and will rise up to 88cm in the year 2100 according to this report.

Now it's 2009! Heat waves, increasing tropical cyclone activities, intensified precipitations (heavy rain and landslides) are also reasons for tourism destination changes. Losses of human life, appearing epidemics, increasing of erosion - as well as infrastructure damages, especially in coastal areas are more complex extremes.

The essential and vital resource water becomes a scarce, meager and barely sufficient good.

National and international climatic policies have born fantastic rules and regulations, such as 'Emission Trading', 'Clean Development Mechanism' or the 'United Nation Environment Programmer" as well as the 'World Environment and Development Organization'. So far so good. Where are the deeds?

We sing our praises as the most stable and secure form of human knowledge, but we leave the practice to others without envy. Fixed in their views worldwide, politicians accept oppression from company monopolies and allow deforestation and burnt patches. Fishing with dynamite, pale corals, sick animals, melting icebergs and the ozone hole... .

Climatic changes are a global problem. But every one of us should start cleaning up his own compound first without burning poisonous garbage while only a short distance away our little children are playing!