sojourn: a temporary stay; stop; stop over; vacation
As some of you may know, this semester I’m taking a photojournalism class. We will be required to submit 5 photos for each assigned topic every week. This week we were assigned to shoot in a dumpsite. I was totally shaken when I found out. And imagine, this was just the first assignment. I was overwhelmed and I didn’t know how I would be able to do it.
Good thing two of my friends, Mico and Ella, from Life Box QC offered to go with me. They were both up for the adventure, and boy was it an ADVENTURE.
The initial plan was to go to Payatas but we were advised not to anymore becaause we needed a permit to go in. So, we decided to go to Smoky Mountains instead. I don’t even remember how exactly we got there. All I know is that at we took a train and a couple of jeeps and BAM, we were there. Mico’s a genius.
We were brought around by a baranggay tanod. Yup that’s him in pink (below)
We met a group of boys on the way down the mountain. They were laughing at Mico cause he stepped on a pile of poop.
This is the view at the top.
A couple of the locals were playing cards under the shade. They got mad at me for taking their picture. You can actually see that guy in glasses about to reprimand me.
These two boys (below) were collecting “sumpit” (some sort of dandelion-ish thing that sticks to your pants) and blowing them at each other.
A man (who didn’t want to look at the camera) was collecting talbos ng kamote that they planted on top of the mountain.
This (below) is actually my favorite shot. The original was colored but after much deliberation (chos!) I decided that black and white was more appropriate.
This is Ate Carla. As we were walking around, we came upon her small shack. She quickly warmed up to us and began telling us a bit of her story. Her first husband had died and her second left her. She is now left with 4 children of her own and 3 (or 4, I forget) more that are her friend’s. Both women, and their children, share the same shack.
She still manages to smile despite the struggles she faces everyday.
These are some of her children.
She was kind enough to let us enter her small house and take some pictures.
When we left Ate Carla and were on our way down the mountain, we encountered two school boys. They were going up to buy some tubo which was apparently being sold for 5 pesos/2 pieces. They stopped to pose for the camera.
We passed a different route going down the mountain.
Below is my only “self portrait” (left), and a shot of Mico helping Ella go down (right).
When we got back down, we asked if we could go inside one of their buildings to see the living quarters of the locals.
There were mothers and children everywhere. It really got me thinking…
We got some halo-halo after. Here’s Kuya Manny, the baranggay tanod who brought us around.
Mico and Ella were so enamored with the baby girl.
At the end of the day I got my shots and my friendship status with Ella and Mico went up one level (as if friendship is actually quantified, haha!)
I used “we” all throughout this blog, but in truth I did almost nothing but shoot. Mico and Ella were the ones who talked to the locals and listened to their stories. I felt so helpless. I’m so grateful for my two friends that accompanied me. Without them I really wouldn’t have been able to do this. Cheesy-ness unintended.
Socially awkward kid, signing out.
