A Few Known Facts About the Islamic City of Marawi, Philippines

Islamic mosque on the way to Marawi City

I happened to pay a visit to Marawi City in one of my business trips to the area.  I could have taken a detour from the main road and visited there before when I was on vacation with my family, but we didn't have the guts to go out of fear for our lives.  Rumors had already created walls around that city, making it virtually off-limits to Christians.

Marawi City is a Muslim city in the province of Lanao del Sur in the Philippines. It is the capital city of Lanao del Sur in Mindanao. The people from Marawi speak a dialect called Maranao language, the name originated from a lake which is known as Lake Lanao, which is also called as Ranao in Maranao.

Starting the Trip
The journey to Marawi starts with a fork on the road.  There is a huge stone landmark in the middle that reads, "This way to Marawi City" and points to the left, while the main road is to the right.  The moment you turn left, it's an hour-long ride until you finally reach your destination.

Along the way you pass through small towns - Muslim towns - along wide, neatly cemented roads traversing the mountain.  It's a long way up, but the terrain isn't so steep.  About thirty minutes away, you will be overlooking Lake Lanao, which practically looks like an ocean what with its vastness and placidity.

Before reaching the city, you pass approximately six checkpoints - there's one of the Army, another of the local police, and a few more.  They didn't let us out or open the trunk or anything; we just had to zigzag through alternately blocked points on the road where guys in fatigues with guns were on guard.

Army Checkpoint

The City of Streamers
Another thing you'd notice along the way is that every 2 meters or so, there are banners screaming congratulations to certain graduates and licensure exam passers - new Muslim professionals.  And when you reach the city proper, there are even more of these "tiny billboards" with a lot more smiling faces reflecting the honor and joy that comes with a professional degree or title.  Marawi City: The City of Streamers, they call it.

You'll know you've reached your destination when you see a huge landmark that says, "Welcome to the Islamic City of Marawi."  Since it is situated at the top of a mountain, the air is always chilly.  The wind is cold 24 hours a day, even at the middle of the day.  And even when the sun shines on a hot, lazy afternoon, there always is a cool sting whenever a gust of wind traverses the scene.

Food
Practically all businesses in the city are owned by Muslims.  And most of the food you order in locally-owned restaurants and foodstops will either be hot or spicy - that's the way they like it.  There are no fast food chains - no McDonald's, no Dunkin' Donuts, no Jollibee - anywhere.  Local businesses thrive in the city.

Evening Prayers
At around 6 P.M., the silent air is broken with the thin, soft sounds of distant worship and praises to Allah.  I could not, of course, understand what the prayers were about, but as we made our way down the mountain and approached a mosque or two, the chants became louder and more vivid.  When we turned on the car radio, a man was chanting prayers on air.  We turned it off instead.

Peace?
Even when I was there, I heard a few stories about kidnapping, robbery, shooting, etc.  However, thank God, I didn't get to see these stories materialize before my eyes.  That's all the fear I had - from those stories.  The entire time I was there it was as if I was always holding my breath and waiting for something to happen - but nothing ever did, thank goodness.

The stories surrounding Marawi City will always be there, and whether they are good or bad ones, they will always be part of the culture that colors the place.  The city is like a haven to the Muslim community, considered a minority in the Philippines.  It is the one place where THEY make the population.

The Games Children Play

In one of my trips to Marawi, I came across this child pulling around a little toy truck.  The thing was moving steadily, its wheels rolling smoothly against the rocky pavement.  From far away I could see that it was gray, strangely shaped, and was tied at the front end with a length of straw.  The little girl ran around, with the pull toy trailing behind.  She finally ran towards me, and I finally saw the truck up close.  It was made from an empty container of what I think was either gasoline or motor oil, with a sturdy wooden stick piercing through from underneath it where the rubber wheels were attached.  When scrutinized, you'd see that the wheels were carved from heels of old rubber slippers.  Ingenious, I thought.

A Day in the Life of the Staff

Early in the morning the review center staff wake up and make sure the lecturer has taken her intended flight to make it early to the day's class.  They either fetch her at the airport, or wait for her at the site.  When she arrives, they carry her bags, lead her to the bathroom to get changed, take care of breakfast, and set up her laptop and the projector before the lecture begins.

The moment she starts it's minute after minute of either sitting down or doing paperwork.  They also make sure that the sound system is working right, that the microphones don't echo too much, and that the air conditioning keeps the room cool enough.  They should have had anticipated to ask her about food choices for the morning break, so that snacks would be ready by 10A.M.  And before she resumes the lecture, they should have already asked her about lunch.  The same thing happens during the afternoon break.  Dinner, however, is a different story.  When the lecture ends at around 5 P.M., there's fairly ample time to wait for supper.

If the lecturer has to be someplace else by the next day, they accompany her to the bus terminal and facilitate her trip either by riding with her, or simply coordinating with the next branch to make sure somebody meets her there when she arrives.

Today I had my very first chance to do staff duty.  The branch at our place was lacking manpower because some of them had to do marketing someplace else.  My boss called me up the night before and asked if I could fill in, and so I did.  It was also supposed to be a chance for me to sit in at the lecture - which was all about Community Health Nursing - as part of my training for the subject.  In the near future, I might get a chance to handle it.

Working on the other side of the ship made me realize a lot of things:  First, that staff work wasn't a piece of cake.  Just because they don't do the lectures doesn't mean they don't feel worn out at the end of the day.  Second, taking into consideration that some of the staff are also nurses brought to light the realization that somehow, the work that they do could also be seen as a form of underemployment.  It's not easy serving your fellow nurses in such a manner, but the task can still be gratifying depending on how you see it.  And last, aside from handling classes, I will definitely want to do more of this someday.

What to Pack to Keep Yourself Entertained on a Long Trip

Traveling with friends and family has its advantages – you can hardly get a spare moment of boredom. There is always room for conversation or just laughs. Traveling alone, however, often isolates you from the rest of the crowd unless you are truly socially adept at introducing yourself and mingling with strangers.

Being a solo traveler myself, here are a few things I always keep inside my backpack to keep boredom from crawling in:

An iPod, mp3 player, or any media device always comes in handy.  Listening to music can keep your thoughts running and speed up travel time.  Also, having earphones on keeps away unwanted advances and conversations from strangers.

A novel, pocketbook, or anything to read is always useful, especially when your iPod runs out of batteries.  If you enjoy literature and the written work, indulge yourself in a story and you’ll get caught up in no time. Some advice: Avoid reading while you’re on the bus or the train or any moving vehicle, specifically during road trips.  This may cause you unwanted headaches.

Crossword puzzles and the like are really good if you want some brain activity.  Sudoku would be a good idea, too. 

Laptops and such portable computers are extremely good boredom killers. However, bring them only if you necessarily have to – for instance, on business trips where you make corporate presentations – and not only for the purpose of entertaining yourself.  They are much too bulky and might bring you unwanted attention from muggers.

Food should never be taken out of the list. Finger foods are best when you are traveling.  High carbohydrates and proteins keep you energized for the rest of the trip.  Don’t forget to bring along some water, too.

Pen and paper are the ideal time killers for writers.  Scribble some poetry or a short story when you catch an inspiring scenery or something that interests you.  You could also keep a travelogue to document your journey.

 

Back to Iligan

October 20-21, 2010

Instead of the usual schedule (Cagayan de Oro after Pagadian), my boss decided to make some changes and told me to go to Iligan instead.  After all, on the way to Cagayan from Pagadian, I would have to pass Iligan City.  So for the next two days, my lectures were in Iligan.

Among all my classes, the students here threw the most questions at me.  It's a good thing, though, that I knew the answer to them, and I thanked God every single time. It was here, however, that I learned about the release of the new CPR and ECC Guidelines released by the American Heart Association just 2 days ago, on October 18.

A Little Help from Judges

October 19, 2010

I was a little worried, to be honest.  I didn’t feel I was able to bond with my students yesterday the way I bonded with those in Ozamiz.  I don’t know, but I wanted not only to teach them, but also to build rapport and gain their trust.  This group wasn’t as reactive as the previous ones, and that bothered me.

I opened the Bible that was on the dresser in my room (hotel provision), and it led me to Judges 7:  “Then the Lord said to Gideon, ‘By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand.”… “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.”

I felt more confident afterwards.

So I went upstairs where the lecture hall was, and began my class.  The seats were full; they had all come. 

It was a good class.  They laughed at all the right times, reacted more, answered my questions, and when I asked if they had learned new things they shouted, “Yes!”  After the session, while I was keeping my things, one guy from the class approached me and said, “Ma’am, can I ask a favor?”  I asked him what it was.  He said he and his friends wanted to take pictures with me.  Apparently they did it with all the lecturers, to have something to remember us by.  And so we had a few minutes worth of pictorials, and that ended my day with a bang.  I took pictures with the staff, too.  After all, this was my last day here and I’d be leaving at dawn for Iligan for my next mission.

I’m finally gonna be able to ride the grand tricycles.  Yahooo!

Sophisticated Clothes and Upward Tricycles

October 18, 2010

a tricycle in Pagadian

I had a class of a hundred and plus.  Half a day of discussion left me yearning for the comfort of rest.  It was a rather enjoyable lecture, and a productive one, if I might add.  Some students approached me after to ask for copies of my slides and teaching aids. Unfortunately that was against the rules, but I appreciated that they tried anyway.  That only meant that they learned something from my continuous babbling.  One guy seated at the back also asked if I were returning the next day, and he seemed pleased when I said that I would.  It’s little things like that that keep me going – knowing that I was getting through to them and knowing that they found my discussion relevant.

One of the staff told me that the guys asked her if I was married.  And then I thought, “Oh my gosh, do I really look that old?  Did I look old enough to be married?”  Days ago I looked in the mirror and thought that I was too young to be a lecturer and that I had to choose outfits that made me look more mature and sophisticated to maybe give me more integrity or believability – my boss had warned me that being young was a problem because people usually find it hard to believe what you’re saying.  I of course, chose clothes that were in tune for my age, but also projected a sense of class.  I don’t know.. I don’t know why the age thing is bothering me that much.

I don’t lie about how old I am when I introduce myself, but I always get gasps of surprise whenever I tell them I’m only 21.  I just think of it as a compliment; that I’ve come to have this job at a very young age.  And I thank the good Lord for that.

The motorcycle rides here are unbelievable.  By motorcycle, I mean the ones that have a third wheel and an extension compartment for passengers – you find that everywhere in the Philippines, except maybe in Manila where jeepneys and cabs rule the road.  Such motorcycles here, they call tricycles.  What’s unique about the ones here in Pagadian is that the passenger seats are inclined about 60 degrees facing up.  When you ride them it’s like you’re taking a trip to heaven.  You get the feeling that they might tip over, but remarkably enough, they don’t. 

They said the tricycles were designed that way in order to fit the terrain.  If you were going up the mountain the weight of the passengers wouldn’t be so hard on the motor, and if you were going down, you wouldn’t tip over and fall.  And another thing of note here is that there are no taxis or jeepneys anywhere.  The staff said jeepneys are for long-distance rides only – amazing.  When you look out the highways are filled with tricycles and a number of private cars.  I’ve never seen another city like this before.

Pagadian, Baby!

October 17, 2010

Thus I went on with the rationalization of the 300 questions from yesterday. 

There were lesser students today, considering it was a Sunday and to conduct a whole-day class would be so absurd an idea to a regular student.  But I liked it better than yesterday because those who came were the ones who were actually serious about the lecture and consequently there were no unnecessary disturbances by the ones who just wanted attention or the ones who kept throwing senseless jokes to maybe crack up the class but insult the person in front – and that would be me.

The students went back after lunch, too.  And that was a very good sign.  In the morning when I asked if they wanted to take a break or proceed, they chose to proceed.  So I was like, “Oooh.. I must be getting better at this.”  The class was interactive the entire time, and we had fun too.  I was getting better at jokes.

After the class the staff told me that I was indeed getting better. Wow, what a nice and refreshing thing to hear.

From class, we took a short ride to the terminal, where I went aboard the bus headed to Pagadian, Zamboanga.  And so here I am at my new hotel, missing Ozamiz and the warm and friendly staff that helped me through my first classes as an official lecturer.

My First School-Based Lecture

October 16, 2010

I had my first school-based lecture today.  To get there, we had to ride a tricycle to the pier, and then get a ticket and board the barge which takes around 15 to 20 minutes to finish boarding passengers and cargos, and then take a motorcycle ride to the highway where a public van drove us to the terminal, and then take a tricycle again to finally reach the school.  It was a hot sunny day, but the room was air-conditioned so it was no trouble.

My audience was going to be a group of graduating 4^th year Nursing students, who were going to take the board exam next year in December – such a long time away.  I discussed for half a day – although the entire process above made me an hour late – and then waited at the back of the room the entire afternoon while the staff facilitated the exam (300 items of Emergency and Disaster Nursing, which I had submitted weeks before).  I had gotten a headache right after the lecture, and my head kept bothering me until I arrived at the hotel at around 6:30 in the evening (the entire trip to the school and back took 2 hours or so).

I took a very refreshing shower right after, ordered room service, and went to bed right after dinner because my head just wouldn’t let me go on. 

The staff told me today that during my lecture the day before, when the class refused to have break and chose to go on with the discussion instead, that was truly actually a good thing.  The group, they said, was the kind that left if they didn’t find the lecture interesting or if they didn’t feel they could learn anything from it.  The staff had also received feedback from the students, saying that they really did choose to listen to me instead of taking a break, because I gave out a lot of relevant information – they were actually learning.  And also, I was told that the boys in that group were usually the ones to leave first, or “walk out” of class, but that didn’t happen either.  They all came back.

Yippee!!!

One Down, Hundreds More to Go

October 15, 2010

Had half a day of lecture this morning, and I wrapped up my first class.  When I asked my students if they learned something, they responded in a loud affirmative.  “A lot,” some said.  And that was reward enough for me.

After taking a hearty lunch of palabok (a Filipino rice noodle dish) and fried chicken we checked in at a different hotel, the one lecturers usually stayed in.  It was a whole lot nicer and wider and better than the first.  I stayed in my room all afternoon, preparing for my lecture the following day.

I had my dinner of beef and broccoli at the hotel restaurant. That was the first time I really truly felt I was alone – most of the time I was either in the office, in class, or in my room, so it didn’t count as much as going out and eating by myself.  But ironically enough, I wasn’t sad.  I liked my own company.  Yes, I missed my family back home – and I still do – but it’s them that I’m doing all this for.  And that’s all the comfort I need.

I had once thought that this job was too good to be true.  Well, I guess I was wrong.

My First Lecture

October 14, 2010

I left for Ozamiz from Iligan at around 6 am.  I woke up at 4:45, and waited for the staff to fetch me.  They came thirty minutes later than they said they would.  I was a bit worried, but hey, what can I do, right?  We waited for a taxi, but none came within ten minutes, so we took a jeepney instead  (a jeepney is a vehicle unique to the Philippines, having two vertical rows of cushioned seats facing each other).  When we arrived at the terminal I bought some food for a light breakfast and got on the bus which would drop me off the port where I would then meet one of the Ozamiz staff who would accompany me in the 15-minute barge ride to the hotel where I would change and prepare my things, afterwhich I would proceed to the office (the classroom was next door to it) and start my 8-hour lecture. The above process didn’t stay on the clock since I already started late, and I ended up arriving at 10 am.  Everyone was there waiting for me, and I was like… oh, this is it.

I guess I did a pretty good job all in all.  Just the fact that when I asked my students to choose whether we’d take a break and have some sort of intermission number or proceed with the discussion and they chose the latter, was a good sign, I suppose.  When I told the staff about it they said it wasn’t their usual behavior.  They usually chose the break.  I was so happy.

Now I’m back in my hotel room, thinking about how I would spice up tomorrow’s lecture.  They said they’d book me a room in another hotel – the one they usually went to for rooms – because the said hotel had no vacancy the day before and one of the staff commented that my bed was too small.  Although it was half as wide as the one I slept in last night, it was pretty okay.

But suddenly I try to speak and my voice is different. And I’m like.. Oh My Goodness. 

Iligan City en route!

October 13, 2010

So I’m given my first assignment: A lecture on Emergency and Disaster Nursing in Ozamiz City.  Class starts at 8 in the morning.  I was still in Cagayan de Oro, which is a couple of miles away, so I’d have to take the bus to get there.  The staff contacted me and told me I’d be leaving tonight at around 7, have a brief stopover at Iligan City where I’d spend the night, and then get ready early in the morning for my trip to Ozamiz.

The bus left at 8:30 P.M.  My mother went with me to the terminal thirty minutes before, and there we met with one of the staff who gave me a couple of pesos for transportation, paid for my bus ticket, and gave me last minute instructions on where I’d go and who would fetch me the moment I arrived in Iligan. 

Mom was so worried, I could tell. But she tried her best not to let it show.  This wasn’t the first time I was going to travel on my own; I had gone to places farther away from home before (I had gone to school in the Visayas).  But, she said, this trip was different.  First of all, this was the first time I’d ride a bus alone (I usually traveled by sea), and secondly, this was Mindanao.  We’ve lived here for a couple of years, yes, but traveling alone in faraway places in this region in the Philippines – especially when you’re young and a girl – is not the best idea for most.

I arrived in Iligan at 10 o’clock in the evening.  I waited for a couple of minutes at the terminal for the Iligan staff to fetch me.  The moment they arrived, they briefed me on what I would do and where I would go.  We rode a taxi to the hotel – we used the money that was given to me back in Cagayan – and they helped me to my room.

It’s 11 o’clock and I’m getting pretty sleepy.  I still have to wake up at 5:30 tomorrow morning for the continuation of my trip.  I had already set the alarm, taken a shower, and am ready to go to bed.

Praise the Lord for a safe and happy first trip.

When in Doubt

What if I can’t do it?

What if I bore my students to death?’

What if they won’t like me?

What if I say something wrong?

What if they ask a question I can’t answer?

These lines are going over and over in my head right now.  Right after my first tutoring session yesterday, they’ve begun to come in whispers.  And now that I’ve finally gotten my schedule, they’re louder than ever.  In fact, they’re so loud and annoying that I’ve already gotten myself a headache from thinking too much.

I know firsthand that young people today are hard to please; as a student, I was a critic myself.  I wasn’t easily impressed, and I got bored pretty fast especially if the discussion didn’t interest me. Now that the tables have turned, I pray my students won’t be too hard on me when I finally take the floor. It may be an unfair request, but hey, I’m doing my best here, too.

So as I was saying, the voices kept going … and then something else entered my mind, which I can only describe as something that ran along these lines:

You were put here for a purpose.

You were chosen for this job.  You didn’t ask for it exactly, but it was given to you.

Success does not always come in a silver platter.

It’s usually the first step that’s the hardest.

…and the last line that’s the most important of all:

“Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”  -Exodus 4:12

My First Teaching Schedule

Today I received my first lecturing schedule:

October 14, 2010: Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines
October 19, 2010: Pagadian City, Zamboanga, Philippines
October 20, 2010: Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
November 3, 2010: Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines


...and now I'm getting butterflies in my stomach.

A Premature Start

During my lecture demonstration weeks ago, I ran across an old friend from high school.  She was reviewing there, in the same review center I was gonna lecture for.  And since I got the job, she and some of my other friends in high school will be my students when I finally take the stage. How weird is that?! 

It's not that I didn't know they were reviewing there; I had known all along. I just didn't expect to see Kate that day, and I wanted it to be a surprise.  And since I did, she spread the word to all my other friends. So after my interview I got an assignment - to make 300 multiple-choice questions and be ready to rationalize the answers, and to complete my lecture for my area of assignment: Emergency Nursing.  I worked on it for days. 

Not long after, Kate contacted me and asked if I could do them a little favor and attend a tutoring session with them where we would "discuss everything I felt like covering, but most specifically, Oncology Nursing."  They were eight in the group, she said, so that meant there were a couple of people I didn't know who were gonna be there.  I was going to have my debut appearance at a private tutoring session! I was, of course, doubtful about whether or not this kind of thing was allowed, so I contacted my boss and asked.  She said that it was up to me to decide if I wanted to go.  According to her, it was more of a personal favor.  "You can't expect them to pay you, though."  But it wasn't about the money for me.  They were my friends, and I just couldn't say no.  My employment at the review center in which they were students didn't change that. 

So we set a date - today.  We met up in the lecture hall, and had a little reunion before we formally started.  Kate and two other friends were there - Lorry and Anne.  It was so much fun seeing my old friends again.  I didn't see them much, because I was away in Cebu City studying. Minutes later two other members of the group arrived.  I didn't know them, so my friends introduced us.  And thus pushed me to formally start the session. It wasn't only them who was doing all the learning though (I'm pretty sure they learned something out of it), 'cause I also asked them to give me a few tips on how to capture the audience's attention when I finally get to teach them someday.  

It sure was hard to be a lecturer... having to please people.  And I wasn't too confident with myself, either. As additional help, my friends suggested that we keep our former relations a secret. We were not going to tell the rest of the class that I used to go to the same school with them.  They said it was best since I was still establishing my credibility.  People have this tendency, you know, not to believe in someone so easily, especially if they find out that someone is just one of them.  And for that reason, I have to project myself as a person of authority and that would mean hiding my ties with Kate, Lorry, and Anne.  Only the other two, Rose and Cherry, knew about it, and Lorry made them swear not to tell. They seemed trustworthy enough. 

So the day ended, and we had covered a lot: Oncology, Pediatrics, Emergency, and many more.  I also mentioned some test taking tips and shared a couple of my experiences.  As difficult as it was, it felt good to be a lecturer.  That feeling you get at the end of the class, when you know that a part of you leaves with them, is truly priceless.