Klaus Doring

Admittedly this sound a very easy request. Already Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), establisher and founder of the Scottish Free Church, treated that topic with plenty of flowery words. Innumerable human being live, move and have to pass away - free form worries but unknown and unnoticed. Incomprehensible and inscrutable: no line written and no word talk by themselves are still in the memories of their bereaved. Their gleams of light switched out in the darkness of the night… . Why do people like to live like this even knowing they have to leave the platform of their lives on day? Still in my mind is the one question of Brother Francis Castro of the Little Brothers of Jesus about “the burning flame inside him that makes him junp out of the bed … and hurry to work…”.

I observed that many foreigners living in the Philippines got bored and not “knowing what to do”. Of course, it’s easy to get bored while not knowing what to do. How much more, if we are not in our home country anymore!

Open your eyes and ears - and then move! Kindness, hospitality, helpfulness, obligingness, ready to do favors - and your moment of virtue will not be destroyed by time’s storm. Love and mercifulness from the bottom of your heart shared with people who will cross your way (Filipinos and/or your own countrymen) - and nobody will forget you. In our daily life we have plenty of situations where we can show our real calling. Thomas Chalmers describes it as follows:” Good deed aare shining like stars from heaven!” So guys, tried to forget intrigues and all such bad habits. Do live for something. For your beloved fellow creatures and for yourself. Do it now, because time is always limited.

I wish us time. It seems that many people don’t have time. I really wish everyone of us time, but not for haste, hurry and precipitation, but time for contentedness and satisfaction. I wish you time to sort out yourself every day and every single hour to find strength, as I do i.e. while writing. I wish you time to help somebody to solve a problem.

Let’s do live for something, even as a pensioner living in the Philippines… .

Series of images or thoughts in the mind of a person asleep, the idle fancy, the vision, the aspiration, the yearnings - are dreams that have interested, puzzled and frightened people for thousands of years. All kinds of strange explanations have been written about dreams.

Interpreters of dreams have published innumerable books. I bought plenty of them, and I caught myself reading them and analyzing my dreams, resulting in my becoming unsure and sometimes really undecided about the many different explanations regarding the same dream’s meaning.

At one time, people thought that the figures appearing in dreams were messengers from the Gods. It was generally believed that dreams came from something outside the person’s special skills. Today it is believed that the dreamer himself creates dreams; and, because dreams are something a person creates they may have special meaning for a dreamer. Just why should one have a dream when one may depend on many things. Your health may have an affect on your dreams. A person who is ill or feeling uncomfortable will have different kinds of dreams than that of a person, who is well and happy.

I still dream of a better world, yes, it’s blue-eyed, but I dream so. I dream of a better world without ignorance and arrogance; a world with honest friends who don’t turn back if we need them; a world with people who will stop killing each other because of incomprehensible reasons.

I dream of a country named Philippines, where leaders are guided by national and not personal interests. I dream that the typical Filipino dream to leave the country and work abroad may change into another dream. I dream, that Filipinos will not sit back and laugh about the sad joke, as voiced out by Philippine Star columnist Alex Magno: “Asia’s first republic is nearly Asias’s laughing stock!” This hurts… .

I dream, that Filipinos will not always talk about an unfinished revolution and an inchoate nation still in the process of becoming.

Dreams are foams. Maybe. Maybe not, Confucius said long time ago: “The one who steals our dreams brings us to death!”

So, let’s dream hard and let’s work harder!

The meanwhile 52-years Philippine-German partnership has been celebrated again in Manila. 52 years partnership characterized by the strong ties between both countries can be tracked back to 1521, when Magellan landed on Philippine soil with German sailors on board the Concepcion and the Victoria. The German banker Jakob Fugger from Augsburg, who might be regarded as the first German investor in the Philippines, mostly financed the voyage.

German priests and nuns like the German Jesuits (1673-1729) were part of the religious orders that Christianized  the Philippines. In 1859 the first German  scientist Karl Semper arrived. He worked in Bohol and Mindanao till 1864. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero stayed in Heidelberg (” A las flores de Heidelberg) and studied later in Berlin where in 1867 he wrote “Noli Me Tangere”, which inspired the revolution of 1896. In Germany Rizal sought out scholars and exchanged ideas with them, nurturing their friendship till the end.

As for trade relations, after a treaty was signed 52 years ago, German has become a major trading partner.

My mentor Professor Dr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza, a Divine Word Missionary and former Chaplain of the Philippine Community in Berlin, describes in his book “A History of Philippine-German Relations” many details, being of great importance and topical even nowadays as follows:

” Historicall, the Philippines and Germany have been bound by special ties for a long time. Unfortunately, however, modern Filipinos as well as Germans do not have a clear and comprehensive of Philippine-German relations. To many Filipinos who have never read a book about Germany, this Teutonic country is commonly associated with cold winter climate, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz, potato and beer, industry coupled with stubbornness and arrogance, Hitler and Nazism. On the other hand, to many simple, rural and less educated Germans who have never had the chance to come to the Philippines or have never cared to learn something about this country, think: Filipinos are small, brown, cheerful, easygoing and primitive people inhabiting a cluster of 7000 islands in the Far East!”

Far East? I even met a doctor before, who asked me, if he could “find the Philippines somewhere in the Caribbean Sea”… (!).

Basta - the Philippines, a developing country in the Third World!

This blog should also help for a better mutual understanding in future, especially between Germans and Filipinos, which doesn’t mean, that “other strangers, living in the Philippines” should stop reading this blog. Ideas, questions and comments are very welcome.

“I’ll just write him a quick note”, yes, sure, why not? But guys, please don’t mail it! What I mean, don’t mail it through the post office. E-mail it, fax it or let it be deliver by a messenger.

The Ambassadors of the European Union in the Philippines, the Delegation of the European Commission, and the City Government invited me (again) to join the “Cine Europa 10″. Ten years, since the European Commission and the member countries first gave the gift of films  to the Filipino people to mark their 100th year of independence in 1997. Two years ago the invitation has been mailed as express (EMS) in Davao City and reached my residence after 14 days!!! During that time only a phone call from the Davao Association of Colleges Schools made my attendance sure. This year I got my invitation by e-mail. Thanks God!

Another invitation letter from an Embassy in Manila got lost. A very important file, sent by registered mail, didn’t reach Manila since 18 days! I complained such things already many times. I am sure I will not change anything. But it should be mentioned. Maybe some responsible authorities will wake up one day; in this case the Philippine Postal Corporation.

I could easily fill up many pages with innumerably similar examples - sometimes it gets really ridiculous. With the advent of technology, “the Mail-coach-century” should already be behind us. Renting a post office box seems to be the better route. Sometimes. I do it since 18 years at the Davao Central Post Office. Incoming mail, especially from abroad, reach me faster. But can everybody afford to rent such a box?

Christmas is coming soon! How about the stories we hear every year about disappearing mails during the season? Yearly, “I advice my people abroad” to send season greetings by fax or by email.

I learned a lot of patience from Filipino people. Maybe this write up could wake up some Postal authorities before it’s Christmas Eve.

Als ich das erste Mal zu den Philippinen reiste, waren Hepatitis und Malaria die Hauptthemen. Von Dengue sprach niemand. Ich hatte nur waehrend meiner damaligen Afrikareisen etwas davon gehoert.

Seitdem nicht nur meine Nichte vor einigen Wochen an Dengue erkrankte, und weil ich mit meiner Familie hier auf den Philippinen permanent lebe, habe ich mich fast taeglich mit dem Thema beschaeftigt.

Dengue und das Denguefieber sind Akuterkrankungen mit einer mittlerweilen globalen Ausbreitung. Dengue tritt ueberall auf, selbst in tropischen und hochentwickelten Gebieten wie zum Beispiel Singapur. Es gibt keine allgemeine Generalprotektion, da inzwischen unterschiedliche Erregertypen festgestellt wurden, die durch Aedes aegypti Muecke uebertragen wird. Am Tage gestochen, und abends bereits starke Kopfschmerzen, Muskelschmerzen und extrem hohes Fieber… . Sie sollten sofort in das naechste Krankenhaus eingeliefert werden. Es gibt (zusaetzlich) Heilpflanzen, die zusaetzlich zu Antibiotika verabreicht werden. Jeder Filipino kennt “tawatawa”. Weitere Information bei Ihren zustaendigen Tropeninstitut und natuerlichem im Internet.

Thanks to www.wikipedia.org for the very important article “Knowing in the evening”, published in Philippine Daily Inquirer on September 26, 2007.

Our globe and its whole population bear innumerable strange facets. Following many people’s opinion, this world shows mostly worried characteristics and symptoms. It’s a world with quickly bridged distances; a world becoming smaller. Any tourist, even with little time and only a small budget can travel to other far away cultures. But joining different cultures, races and religious communities into an “international or multinational group” requires, first of all, great care, tact, instinctive feelings, empathy and logical ideas.

And, don’t forget: it procures an overload of refugees, unintentional confusion of familiar and intimate places. The stranger, whom we meet for the first time, might be an uncommon, odd or an extraordinary guy. He might be somebody from another country, town or place, who acts like a newcomer. I also was a newcomer in the Philippines during my first visit 1976. The stranger might be somebody, who speaks another language and who has another skon color. The stranger and strangeness: the immigrant, the emigrant, the restless hiker or the overstaying stranger in our neighborhood.

The “foreign body” as an “alien element” besides us can become a provocation or a challenge. Strangeness can become exoticism. Why don’t we try another newly opened restaurant with its strange but exotic food?

Going abroad can open other and better horizons and will not let us feel as “the stranger in paradise“. However, an immigrant, wherever he or she is living right now, bears a juxtaposition of (calculated?) optimism, confused feelings, nostaligia, and homesickness, The round trip ticket remains always in mind, because no one among us can escape his native roots,

A stranger in a foreign country needs first of all tolerance - practicing tolerance. Being tolerant means being supportive, forbearing and broadminded. I still have this ideal in my mind and heart, that we all could mix our cultures and become friends without giving up our own identity.

Not all gays and lesbians are unnatural, not all Jewish are swindlers or con-men, all blacks are dirty, all foreigners in a country are dangerous criminals and not all white people are rich…!

Where? Staying for good in the Philippines? Mmh…!

My view, and not only mine, on safety and security has changed over the last 25 years. As I said before, I did stay in 61 countries worldwide. The rise of terrorism and natural disasters told me that there was not and that there is no place on earth, which is entirely and absolutely safe.

Foreign travel advisories, especially regarding the Philippines and mostly never well proven. Man friends of mine abroad want to retire in the Philippines, but they are becoming more and more discouraged because of negative news mentioning kidnappings, insurgency, and lack of leadership and dependable police and military action against burning problems and criminal elements.

I even said this, when I visited the “dangerous place” Black people Soweto in Johannesburg/South Africa, the Golan Heights, and some known infamous parts of Los Angeles, being the only White among Blacks parties. Maybe (or for sure) the Lord was always with me. But I also learned how to accept and respect other people and they did it likewise. I came to Mindanao first time in my life in 1982. Since I stayed here, Davao City in particular, for good, I have been amused at hearing it is “one of the most dangerous places worldwide”! Sure?

Media. especially from so-called “safe countries” still love to sensationalize the negative aspects in the Philippines. I know a lot of foreigners, who decided to live and retire in the Philippines, are happy and safe. Living simply but enjoying their life in the beaches, everywhere and, the friendly caring Filipino people. Sensibility and awareness are always parts of our life. Here and everywhere. This has nothing to do with the Philippines. One can feel safe and secure or unsafe and insecure, wherever you are. Terrorism, civil wars, natural disasters, snatchers, killers, drug dealers - elements, who try to touch our lives can be found worldwide.

The dream that globally governments and people might build peace and unity by respecting all cultures and religions and work for equitable distributions of the world’s resources, and more for sustainable development that respects nature, as former Philippine Star columnist Tita Datu-Puangco stressed, will remain as a dream. It’s very true, that these things are in our areas of concern - things, we can’t control or influence as individuals while having to live with them meanwhile. Whatever is the decision of others, I stay in the Philippines for good and forever.

Living in a gated village or not - one can live a simple but meaningful life especially in Davao or wherever in the Philippines. Mabuhay!

Bald auch hier in Deutsch? Ich bin von vielen Deutschen angesprochen worden, auch deutschsprachige Informationen ueber das Leben auf den Philippinen zu veroeffentlichen. Dies wird voraussichtlich  ab Mitte November geschehen. Fuer Themenvorschlaege und/oder Fragen einfach Kommentar hinterlassen. Besten Dank und Mabuhay!

Very soon, hopefully next month this blog will also provide only German speaking readers with informations regarding the “life in the Philippines“. Any comments, questions or suggestions? Leave your comments. Maraming salamat and Mabuhay!

I wake up early every morning. I get into the kitchen longing for a cup of coffee or two, while feeling this terrible rheumatic pain. I slide a cup of water into my ten-years-old microwave. I feel a little bit chagrined because I have never figured out how to use it other than heat water for instant coffee or a one-minute-fast-food-soup.

My freezer showed its red emergency light a couple of days. I tried to ignore it even knowing that this indifference could only let the problem become worst. A friendly neighbor, a really blessed high-intelligent electrician and technician, solved the problem within a minute. In Germany I would have pay an horrible prize for it.

In the car i fumble with the new digital radio. Before I know it, I am tilting sideways at a 45-degree angle, trying to drive and figure out the radio numerous controls at the same time. Don’t even think about doing it in the same way. Since living here I got already scared about the traffic. But that’s another topic… Anyway, in my case, an urgent and uncomfortably close horn jolts me upright. Chastened, I only manage to turn the radio off and drive in silence.

Do you know how to operate your telephone unit in the office, if you urgently have to transfer a misdailed incoming long distance call to the right person and his local number? You have been using this system for a year or even longer, but you have never mastered the transfer function. “Just a moment,” you say as you hit the wrong button and accidentally cut the caller off. Congratulations, it was the president of a known company calling…

Do you believe me, that only after a couple of years (!) I had been able to change the paper roll of my fax machine? Many times I told myself, “Keep your shirt on!” I really got into a sweat about it. Finally I did it! Sometimes while writing another piece I couldn’t “delete” my fear how to change the ink cartridge of my printer in a proper way as requested or demanded by he manual. Later I found out how easy it was. Let’s press the ink button, and let’s be patient for 90 seconds or so during the charging process, and then, hopefully… .

Sometimes I got mad reading or trying to understand manuals or instructions. They looked like the blueprints for an airplane construction. That’s why, I, as an “old fashioned” writer (with typewriter and sometimes a glass of wine) hesitated many years to buy a computer or to get connected to the Internet. Living in the Philippines didn’t make the decision easier. “Welcome in 2007″ emailed me one of my very good friends, when I informed him about my new email address.

Another good lady friend from Davao Oriental told me: “I am still ignorant on computers. Just let me ride a carabao, and I am more comfortable rather than touching computers!”

I am sure, when something new comes on the market and we’re good in funds, we will march out and buy it, probably knowing very well that the infernal machine will, in the end, defy our mastery. Mmh, if we feel stupid for doing that, we’re really good in good company. Up to this moment high tech still gets me down. I have to buy a new computer. I am blessed I know a very good friend, who helps.

The majority of Filipinos face mostly each day of the year the disquietude and uneasiness how to live and how to survive in fear and uncertainty. I experienced that Filipinos are incorrigible optimistic. Only then one might be able to dream that the future will eventually roll up in their favor. This wishful thinking about a better and glorious future let many prayers become a monotonous refrain of asking, dreaming and hoping.

Yet, the wake up in the morning or the plenty sleepless nights make it very clear that not knowing the difference between yesterday and today is at least much painful then without seeing the promise of a tomorrow.

There are official and unofficial figures about Filipinos Oversea Workers. No one exactly knows considering that,many are going out illegally equipped with their desperate situation. “Bahala na ang Diyos” … “God will take care” - and so they put their life and future at risk. Of course, a lot of Filipinos and Filipinas have already prospered materially. They risk their lifes abroad to save their families - and the Philippines from economic collapse and poverty. No need to mention the importance of remittances of those oversea workers.

But in spite of the awe-inspiring and formidable dollars and euros, this is never enough to fill up the emptiness in a Filipino heart. I guess it’s the bravery and fearlessness of the Filipino heart, that helps to sustain him in a better or worse situation in a foreign land, separated from partner and family and having no other choice, if the next generation should survive.

I learned that most Filipinos dream to be free from all kinds of bondage, because only in freedom they can see and enjoy life’s beauty. Deep in the heart, the years and years of separation from the love-ones has cut wounds, which may never heal again. I observed such things more now since I decided to stay in the Philippines for good.