viii. UI INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL '86

Despite the very small number of Filipino students at the University of Iowa, we participated in the International Festival on April 12, 1986 at the Main Lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union. There was an international art and cultural exhibit from noon to six. All the international student organizations were expected to participate.

UI Filipino students did not have any official organization. Aside from my fellow PRODED fellows, we did not know other Filipino students except Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr. (Film Studies) and Lemuel Torrevillas (Theatre Arts). We had heard of names like George Aquino and Eric Pangilinan, but we never had the chance to meet them. We wanted to participate, so we had to come up with a name for our group. I thought of calling our unofficial group SAMAHANG PINOY. It sounded okay to everyone, so we adopted the name.

With Marina Espiritu coordinating our participation, we were able to put up a Philippine exhibit out of anything Filipino that we could take hold of. Effie Hall was very kind to lend items from her own collection, including and "anito" statuette and a bamboo flute from the Mt. Province. Rowena and Dreena added variety to the exhibit with their personal contributions.

 

As regard to our participation in the cultural show, we thought of presenting a folk dance, but no one would dare try to dance opposite me. It was unanimously decided that we do a rendition of "Bayan Ko". We succeeded in persuading Doy del Mundo and wife Deng (Dreena), and Rowena Torrevillas to join us. Effie Hall came to the rehearsals, but did not make it to the actual performance. We used a minus-one tape. Lemuel Torrevillas took care of the technical aspect. I was assigned the opening solo part. On the instrumental portion before the chorus repetition, Rowena would narrate an English translation of the song.

There was an international dinner before the cultural show in which every international student organization shared a native dish. We did not have a Filipino dish, since no one among us did not have the time to cook. Our simple participation became our concern.

The first portion of the cultural show was an international costume parade in which Evelyn, Marina, and I were among the models. Evelyn wore a cream embroidered mestiza gown, while Marina modeled a sequinned kimona with a long skirt in floral prints. I wore a hand-embroidered Barong Tagalog with a Roman collar. After the show, Doy and I had a good laugh when I told him that I wore the Barong Tagalog on my wedding day.

because we were not there," referring Ours was the second number in the main cultural program.  After a folk dance exhibited by Indonesian students, were finally on center stage before an international audience: Doy and Deng in jusi Barong Tagalog, too.  Rowena was wearing a cream chiffon dress. Her daughter, Roema, was on stage with us. Rowena gave a short introduction to our song. She ended it with, " We are singing this song for our people because we were not there," referring to the recent People Power revolution in the Philippines which put Corazon Aquino in the presidency.

 

MEETING SCIENCE MENTORS

On the first week of April, 1986, I received na invitation from the Stanley Foundation to a dinner and meeting with other teachers throughout the world about science teaching. It was to be held at Hotel Muscatine in Muscatine, Iowa.

 

Marina Espiritu and I attended the gathering on April 26th. We went to Muscatine with Dr. Edward Pizzini and Dr. Daniel Sheldon, members of UI science education faculty. We passed through wide open farms before reaching Muscatine. The great Mississippi River suns along the borders of Iowa and Illinois. We arrived early se we strolled by the river. A barge transporting corn grains passed by.

Attending the dinner were UI Science Education faculty and international graduate students, science teachers of Muscatine Community College, Muscatine High School, and Central and West Middle Schools. Cocktails were served before the dinner.