blog número dos // Philly
I would like to apologize for the tardiness of this post, I was definitely instructed to upload a new blog once a week. But what good is freedom without a little rebellion? Anyways.. This is post is intended to bring you up to speed with what I have been doing.
I have been living in Philadelphia for over six weeks and have experienced A LOT. I’ve experienced cultures I never knew about, i’m in a community where I am the minority, and I’m learning about ideas and beliefs that don't align with mine. The last 45 days have been eye-opening; I am seeing how the other side of America lives and am getting a taste of what being an adult is like.
Biak and Sung Sang. My home-stay ‘parents’ are a Burmese refugee couple. They fled to the United States four years ago and have been living in South Philly ever since. I am not exactly sure how or when they met.. but they are a badass couple. Biak, an avid trump supporter, loves beef and eats rice with every meal. His joke game is mad and is a formidable volleyball opponent.Sung, a Hillary supporter, loves to cook and also enjoys rice for every meal. She watches cooking tutorials and America’s Got Talent in her free time. The two have been amazing to me and I’m so thankful for everything they have done. I was embraced as one of their own the minute I walked through their door.
I sleep on the top bunk in a 9’x6’ room which I share with my roommate, Jake Musgrove. We all use one bathroom, which has been a challenge in itself. I eat white rice with every meal and Biak continually peer pressures me to eat... unfamiliar food. I have tasted things in Philadelphia. I have eaten intestines, brains, and eyeballs. To be honest, I think I’ve enjoyed it. I play volleyball with Biak and his friends every Saturday and Sunday, obviously my height and skill are valuable assets, and when I show up the Burmese chant my name. I think I have officially become their man child.
Nationalities Service Center. The Nationalities Service Center is a non-profit organization that resettles refugees in Philadelphia. I have been interning here for five weeks and honestly it was not what I expected. I envisioned that I would be given responsibility and important jobs. It turns out that this organization does not function that way. For the first couple weeks my only job was to organize the donation closets. Truthfully I still fold clothes, however, I’ve had opportunities to learn about the Resettlement process, the history of corrupted countries, and a better understanding of the political and social issues in other countries. I have also learned that Everyone should hate Trump, conservatives are the enemy, and the idea of protecting U.S. interests is tyrannical... But that is for another blog.
Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a unnerving place with a unique ability to become more complex whenever I venture to explore. With every new discovery I realize that I have only scratched the surface of what this city has to offer. There is so much I haven’t seen. I feel perpetually lost in the maze of streets. My fellow Philadelphians have not aided my confusion either, and I’ve realized that hospitality is only a southern thing. My social life has not been flowering like I initially thought. I haven’t been doing much here. I’ve become a regular at several coffee shops, this I am ashamed of. I’ve been going to sports bars alone... I have also been exploring quite a bit, i’m training for a half-marathon, and focusing on re-applying to colleges. Also.. Philadelphia has been voted the ugliest city 2 years in a row, so if you know of any cute girls in the area, send them my way. I just want to be friends.
Life. I spent the weeks prior to leaving for Philadelphia dreaming of traveling and of how amazing my journey would be. I was constantly thinking about the lessons I’d learn and how different I’d be when I left. But, I never considered what it would be like to just live here. It’s with a sense of bewilderment that each day I find i'm not arriving or leaving the city, but simply living on. It’s certainly not the adventure I envisioned, I still have to wake up early, I still have responsibilities, and I still have to work. And as the days pass I am realizing what living in the city entails. But, I am also figuring myself out, what I like and what I don’t like, what I need and what I crave. I am not content with living a life of complacency, and I recognize now that the life I want hinges on how I spend my time when I’m simply living on.
Ryan.
