“After several years as a journalist and a teacher in New York, I wanted more out of life, something a bit more meaningful. Having a good job – something I admit Americans take for granted – wasn’t enough anymore. I wanted to give something back to the world that had treated me so well.”
Julia Campbell
Julia Campbell, a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, disappeared while on a mountain hike at the Banawe Rice Terraces. She was reported missing for several days until her body was found in a shallow grave on Easter Sunday. Her foot was found protruding on the ground.
Julia's death is a national shame. A woman who dedicated her life to peace does not deserve a violent death especially in the hands of the person she was trying to help. Soon, sympathies and apologies from the Filipino people began to surface in the media and blogosphere. People are coming forward to give testimonies to Julia's kindness and generosity. Julia represents a beacon of idealism in a cynical and materialistic world.
For us who have not known Julia, we are fortunate that she wrote about her exploits in the Philippines in her blog aptly titled "Julia in the Philippines".
She talked about her friendships, triumphs and fulfillment as a volunteer. She ranted about her frustrations and disappointments. Interestingly, she has accurate insights on the Filipino.
On Filipino time she said, “I'd like to say this situation is unusual...but I have encountered this issue many times over. Many Filipinos live on what they laughingly refer to as "Filipino time." (Important meetings always start half-hour to one hour late!) Unfortunately, I think it is the very reason they are falling behind the rest of the world...they are living in a different time zone, operating on a different frequency. I find little interest in planning, preparing, setting and making deadlines. Perhaps this is the glaring clash of American and Filipino cultures...but I really think it is holding people back here. But I also wonder how much people here really want to move ahead. Maybe they don't and we are trying to push them into a world they don't want to participate in. It's hard to tell from my prospective sometimes.”
On Poverty she noticed, “It was great to be back in a city. I miss New York sooooooo much! And while Manila is no New York City, the smells and sounds reminded me a bit of home. Like the rest of the Philippines, Manila is a city of great potential but lacking in so much. On one hand, I got a glimpse of how the rich live in Makati City, a wealthy section of town. We visited the complex of mega luxury malls there -- stores which I can no longer afford! And all the expensive restaurants and wine bars. I stared through the windows in envy. Again, I can no longer afford such luxuries! Then just blocks away, there are shanty towns again. This country is like that, stark contrasts everywhere you turn around.”
She once ranted, “I have also been thinking lately about how it feels to be different. One of the things I don't like here is how much I get hassled just because of the color of my skin. How often a taxi or tricycle driver will try to cheat me just because they see my skin color and automatically think I can afford to pay more. The more I settle in here and try to make the Philippines my temporary home, the more it grates on me. The Philippines is not a diverse country. It's just not. And in brown skin countries, whiteness is always equated to richness. I understand it, but it's not always easy to be the recipient of this mentality. I have a new strategy. Instead of acknowledging people who treat me this way, I ignore them altogether. Maybe they will get the point?”
We can learn a lot from Julia.
Thank you Julia!
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