fly with mhe

Sean Porter: Everybody listen up. The Gridiron is a football field. On the Gridiron, we do it my way, not your way. Your way got you here. Whatever gang you claim, whatever hood you’re from, this is your hood now.

Sean Porter: Most sixteen/seventeen year old kids, they make a bad choice. Something gets broken, they screw up in class, hurt somebody’s feelings, show up at the prom drunk. They get sent to the Principal’s office, have their car keys taken away or get grounded. Then there’s kids that make a bad choice, somebody ends up shot dead in the parking lot. Those kids get sent here.

Lines from the movie “Gridiron Gang”.

The “Gridiron Gang” is about making a difference, one person at a time, in small but significant ways, in the lives of troubled youths that societies the world over would just as soon ignore. Much like the situations we have in our communities nowadays.  Whenever there’s violence, the youth gets blamed for it. Whenever there’s resistance, the youths gets tagged into it. What are we doing about it?

Had a talk with a fellow youth worker and an apprentice last night. He was asking how they’re doing, their activities until our talk touched to our effectiveness as youth workers. When people look at them, specifically the boys or rather guys, they’ll conclude that nothing really has changed. They get frustrated and was on the verge of giving up because their desired results were not met. It isn’t like that as we all know. Life can’t be changed instantly like snapping a finger. It is not done overnight. It is a process. I had been closely with them for over 2 year now and I could say that they’ve really changed. Not with every member of the group though. For some, the changes were obvious to us. At times, their parents, brothers and sisters were the once telling me about it. While there were instances also that I hear complains about them from their parents. Some changes were in their choice of company, in their decision-making, in perseverance to continue on with their studies and in their choice of activities. I wonder what their lives were when they weren’t together, when they’re at school, when they’re with friends other than the group we have. We’re they good examples and influence to them? I certainly hope so. They live in a society were drinking, smoking, youth and adult violence, teen pregnancy and youth drop-outs were rampant. Older brothers who hadn’t finished college because they see school as a waste of their time and laziness with studies. These are what they usually see in their society. Deviating from their society’s norm could gather up praise and ridicule at the same time. Yet they still persevered and strive to do good and make a better future.

Two years, the changes may not be that big but at least we had planted a seed and continue to nurture it until maybe it is ready to be left alone. It is still worth it. Our effort is not in vain. The journey is not over yet.

With the entries I posted, I’m sure you’ve come to know the nature of my income generating job. You’ve known of the struggles I endured to defend myself though there were times that I wasn’t successful. I get to receive punches, kicks, spits, slaps, shoes thrown, etc. every now and then and I just address it as part of the job. Why? Because even if I wanted so much to restrain, scold or punish her, she wouldn’t even understand why I had to do it nor would she understand that it hurts. Unless maybe if  I do to her what she does to me, revenge. NO, can’t. With the case of the ADHD kid, it was his impulses that made him do it. And that’s what he is trying to control. That’s why he is my student. Patience is an essential virtue in my line of work, much patience that is. Even if my student had punched me on the head 5 times, 2 on my back, 1 on my right temple, 1 on my right jaw and 1 on my face, I could only cry from the pain. I could not hit her back or restrain her with my anger, I might hurt her and I don’t want to do that. My license will also be at stake. I just don’t want to mind it and concentrate more on how I can help my students. Even if sometimes, waking up to another teaching day is hard, much more when upon entering the gate, my students would then show hyperactive gestures. Expect that I’d be stern with my ADHD kid and merciful with my MR student. My Bipolar student was also different, I still had to get to know her more. As well as my other 2 students who were not so difficult to deal with anyway.

I am very glad we have Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I sometimes wish that there won’t be Tuesdays and Thursdays to deal with. Hehe.. I’m glad there’s Fridays to end the workweek. Saturdays and Sundays to wake up late, have some alone, quiet time without my students, leisure, meet up with the youths, jam with them and be recharged.

Thankful also to the food that relieves my stress, even if it makes me fat.

What an experience it was.

The Sunday afternoon was quiet as the youths were treated for a birthday lunch at KFC, Limketkai Mall. After which, to make their time useful and not just wander around the mall in pairs or groups without unified direction, we revised a game with the objective of surprising the birthday celebrant. It was very spontaneous, was only planned and organized then and there but was fun nonetheless. We made the youths race around the mall to find key persons to accomplish the tasks. This was not the highlight of my Sunday though. It was after the youths went home at around 5:30PM.

Since Kevin had to finish some drawings with the help of Patrick, I decided to join them and Mari since we also go to the same direction going home. I didn’t know when they’ll finish the drawing assignments of Kevin for his Architecture course. To while away time, Mari and I talked and wrote just about anything while Kevin and Patrick were busy sketching and talking at the same time once in a while we didn’t notice that it was time for Limketkai Mall to close. It was already 8PM. So we decided to transfer to McDonald’s outside the mall. Had dinner and finished their drawings. By that time, Kevin was already shading while Patrick was figuring out the designs, structures and details of an old church. After dinner and some talk, the guys proceeded back to their work while Mari and I got bored and talked about anything, again. Until Mari got sleepy and I helped out at shading Patrick’s work while he continued to worked on his detailing. It was the only help I could give since I am not talented with arts. It was already past 10PM and we still had a long way to go but enjoyed our company as well. Talking just about anything, life, the designs, a little orientation about Architectural designs, terms, and techniques from Kevinski and singing as that’s what we commonly do. Unknowingly, McDonald’s Limketkai closes at 10PM on Sundays so we overstayed. We didn’t even bother to look at the time I guess. We were aware that we were the only customers left, but we weren’t aware that they closed early. The staff didn’t even bother to approach us and advised us that they were already closed, until we went to the counter to buy snacks which was hidden from our view where we sat. Bad. By 12AM, we left the store since the crew has already finished cleaning up the place and was about to turn off the lights.

What an experience that was. Two stores closed on us on a Sunday night as we were enjoying each other’s company. Though bothered a bit with the fact that Monday is a school and work day but we all had a common goal, to finish the drawing before we leave, that overpowered our reasons why we should have been home by that time.

Upon leaving McDonald’s, the crew jokingly stated that we had spent 2 days at their store, since it was minutes past 12AM that we had gotten out of their premise. It was the first time for us. They were friendly and nice people too. We were indeed grateful.

What did we learn from our experience? When someone has projects, call a friend. Hehe.. Seriously now. Kevinski shared that he could have worked on his projects at home and avoid the reprimands of thier parents for coming home late, vey late in tonight’s case, and spending for dinner, he had no regrets about spending time with us while doing the work. Though he could have finished his work sooner if he stayed at home, it would have felt that the load was heavy carrying it alone. I totally agree. I’m glad he came along and shared his assignment with us.

Do you know what mountaintop experiences are? These are the moments when you experience a breather after a very stressing day or event or a relax from the pressures of daily life. I’m not sure if I did justice to Kevinski’s word about mountaintop experiences, but its more quiet like it.

Like last Saturday night, I know it was supposedly a rest day or night and a respite from all the hustle and bustle of workdays. And to think that it was already late in the evening so basically for workers like me who have a regular day job. Saturday night is suppose to be a rest night. But not tonight. After our practise and jamming at Cugman, we visited a friend at their residence for a little talk. He was on his guitar that time with his cousin on the beatbox. Without wasting much time, I and a fellow youth joined in on the soundtrip while his cousin asked permission to go on his way as he was only passing by as well. And so that started our 2-hours soundtrip and short talks in between. It was truly spontaneous. It just happened that we 3 wanted to have a respite and craves for the sound of our own music rather than getting it from a radio or from our music players. We had fun laughing at our own made lyrics, actions, the way we cut a song and instantly changed into another, changed its pitch, etc. All for 2-straight hours and none of us wanted to end it. Sad to say, it was truly late, t’was almost 11PM and to think that I still had to take 2 rides going home. It was a fun night though, no regrets.

Truly a mountaintop experience for me. Event though my body is craving for rest already and I so wanted to go home for some tasks to be done, yet I chose to stay with them and make music. My way of relaxation. Music. And their company most of all. It has become my life. It was also the first time that we 3 had jammed and bonded. Truly great. Hope it’ll happen again.

I just discovered this afternoon the Boiz‘s new hang out place. They invited me over at their tambayan a couple of times for some soundtrip and jamming with acoustic guitars and beat box. Sad to say I hadn’t been with them for those purposes since they held it usually at night, under the stars when it is not raining or in weekdays wherein I’m not able to visit them. But this afternoon, I had finally gone with them since I still had a task to be done before I leave their place.

Guess what. Their new tambayan is in an unusual place yet nice. It was in a small parcel of land, rather a platform in the middle of the river when the water is low, enough for them to gather in a circle. Sweet. The sound of the shallow, rushing river in itself is soothing. Not to mention the music that they make. Really a nice place to relax. I wasn’t able to be with them in the river though because I was wearing a skirt and it would be impossible to scale the dike with a skirt on, even if I do it in barefoot. Maybe next time. (pardon the picture, it was taken through my camera phone)