What did I get myself into?

Yesterday was the official start of our 6-month training program as community organizers, and this was the question I was asking myself while I listened to the stories of the veteran organizers that shared to us their first days on the job.

From how they describe it being a community organizer is not an ordinary job. I think the word insidious describes it best. The experienced organizers told us how they go into the urban poor communities and infiltrate them by scouting the layout of the area, making small talk here, randomly chatting up people there, hanging out at the spots where people come together, even going as far as going house to house to strike up a conversation anyway they can. They fabricate identities and establish cover stories so as to be able to talk to people and get them to lower their guard. Their purpose is to try to get a ‘feel’ for the situation of the community by how the residents tell it and to hopefully eventually gain their trust as well. They’ll get known one way or the other; as the friendly newcomer or the overly curious person who people suspect is an NBI asset or drug dealer - but the point is, the people will get to know them and trust them. And then like agents provocateur the locals realize there is something more to these newcomers when finally their covers are blown and they start their work as organizers.

We were all laughing nervously. All the veterans said the same thing: “make 25 contacts a day” and the thought of going us through the same thing daunted us. It even goes against common sense - one would think of approaching barangay officials first if your task is to know the community but no, they purposely don't go to them. Can you imagine what that is like? Going to an area you know nothing about, casually walking up to a stranger and chatting them up, and you have to get to know at least 25 people a day? We sure can’t. I can’t. My policy in life is to remain inconspicuous, to be quiet, to be an observer. No unnecessary interaction. If I will just get to be with a person only for a while I won’t bother establishing a relationship. No attachments, easy to let go. I’m also introverted.

Besides, I don’t wanna lie. Well, not lie to people I don’t know. Making cover stories, fabricating identities doesn’t sit well for me. Starting of relationships by deception doesn’t sound right. Well at least, when we thought about it, we won’t go through that same method. The veterans will already be established in the area and we could introduce ourselves as their trainees. But the thought of what the first-time organizers did still amazes me.