Christmas Time

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! I know its still a couple of weeks away but I don't know if I will get the chance to write again. Things have been so crazy here and it has been a really difficult time here the past two weeks but things are starting to look up. Yesterday I took my GMAT and unfortunately it didn't go as well as I wanted it too but I not really surprised. I have been studying my ass off the past two months but being aboard and dealing with emotional strain everyday I knew that I wasn't mentally prepared. So after the holidays I'll be looking into taking a prep course or something similar to get my quantitative skills up to par and then just take the test again probably in February ... maybe. It feels so good to have the test complete though ... it has been pretty stressful the past couple of months just working and studying but finally had a chance to go out last night and dance and drink all night which was so much fun ... I just needed to let go. I had a great time last night and I know that it was a Monday night but it was great to get out ... open bar all night and pretty good music ... can't go wrong with that combination.

Headway's Christmas party was this past Saturday and it was very well put together. We had a four course meal and good conversation, however, I did leave early cause my test was Monday morning but one thing I must say about the Philippines is that their catering and partying stills are very well put together. Anyway it was really great to enjoy a Christmas party because I don't really feel like its Christmas time ... I think its the whether and well we don't have a tree or anything like that. However, Gosia and I will be making Christmas cookies this weekend so it should be a great time :)

So my big adventure from last week was my fight with the cab driver in the middle of a business street. Imaging this ... busy busy street on a Friday afternoon around 4 pm and its pay day so it is even more busy then usually and since Filipinos have money from pay day they all decide to take cabs so its really hard for me to get one. I have been trying for about 30 min which is not actually bad and then one cab is dropping some people off and I am about to get in. The people that are getting out of the cab only have 500 pesos and of course the cab driver doesn't have any change for them ... if you ever come to the Philippines always keep some small bills on you. So I search in my pockets and I can get about 300 pesos in change so I give that to the cab driver and he gives me the 500 peso bill from the lady and then he gives the lady my 300 so she paid two hundred for her cab drive ... which was fine cause I was going to get in the cab he would have taken me home which is like a 90 or 100 peso drive with meter and then I would just pay the cab drive the 200 pesos on top of what I would have owed him so it would have been easy to get change for the 500 I had and I thought I was doing this guy a favor. Well it wasn't that simple when I get in the cab "Ma'am 250 pesos" ... excuse me ... remember its only a 100 peso ride at the most. "Ma'am 250 pesos" ... "No boss meter" ... "250" ... No meter or I'm taking the bus" (which I know how to take but I was really tired and just wanted to get home). So by this time I'm tired, sweaty and pissed off at the cab driver for trying to rip me off. So I just get out of the cab cause I don't put up with that bull shit. Anyway it had slipped my mind that I owed this guy 200 cause I was so mad that he was trying to take advantage of me. I start walking away from the cab and then he gets out and runs after me saying "Ma'am 200, Ma'am 200" and by this time I'm so pissed and we start arguing in the middle of Shaw Blvd and Shaw is not a popular place for white people so I get looked at all the time even when I"m just trying to get a cab but now I'm hysterical and I'm yelling at this guy and of course I'm making this big scene. To make it worse he can't speak English ... all he can say is "Ma'am 200" and then the traffic guard comes over (a lady) and she can't speak English and all she can say is "Ma'am you owe this man 200". Now I would definitely have just given the cab driver the 200 pesos but I gave all my change to him earlier and I'll I had now was 500 and I'm still pissed that he tried to rip me off. Now were outside yelling and its hot so I'm sweating and I'm tired and feel like shit and by this time I"m crying cause I don't know what I'm going to do. The cab driver wanted to take me to a store so I could buy something and pay for the cab ride there to get change but I really didn't think that was the best solution for me plus I was the one that was trying to help him out in the first place. Anyway Shaw is only 2 minutes away from my work so I called Rey (one of the employees that is always around to help out when he can) and I asked him to bring change for 500 pesos so Thanks to him I paid the cab driver the 200 pesos and then Rey and I went back to the office. It had to be one of the worst experience I have had here. Rey said that it was because it was close to Christmas and a busy Friday afternoon that he was trying to rip me off but that seems backwards to me ... if its close to Christmas don't you think that they would be in the Christmas spirit and not try to rip people off. It true though they think because its almost Christmas they can try to rip you off because you will be more giving. Don't get me wrong I give a tip whenever I can and if they don't ask and they do a good job I don't mind giving extra but every cab I have got into the past couple of days I have had to asked several times to put the meter on and then they would say "Merry Christmas Ma'am" like that is going to change my mind. Anyway that was my cab driver experience that I had last week. I definitely laugh at the situation now but at the time it was so messed up and a terrible experience. I hope that if any of you come to the Philippines you will never have to go through something like that.

Well I'm off to New Zealand in less than a week and I will be having a great vacation and time away there. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays and a great New Year.

Take Care :)

Filipino Life Update

Its December and Christmas is in less than a month. Crazy Right. Well it doesn't really feel like Christmas here without snow and without any of the traditional stuff we do in Canada its pretty hard to get into the holiday season but I'm managing. Next weekend will be our office Christmas Party so maybe that will get me into the spirit of things. So everything is planned for New Zealand pretty much ... have a few more things to rap up but its coming together. I can't wait to get out of here for a bit and have a vacation and get some rest.

It's been pretty stressful around here lately with the GMAT test coming up and my manager leaving the company a month ago. The GMAT should be ok I have been studying really hard but if I don't do how I want the first time I will just do it again.

Philippines is going ok ... been tough the last couple of months. Culture difference can get really annoying and it can be difficult at times but that is what I came here for to learn about the differences and open my eyes to a new culture.

Back to work ... I'll write more in the upcoming weeks probably before, during or after New Zealand depending on time availability.

Mindanao Weekend

Well just when I thought that the Philippines couldn't be any more beautiful I take a trip to Dipolog, Mindanao and discover the wonderful life of the South. Some of you have probably heard that Mindanao is not the safest places to go to ... to be honest there are warnings and notices all the time about staying away from Mindanao because of the situation down there. However, I ended up going with two Filipino girlfriends that knew the owner of the resort and it was located in the North way from the activist. Also, the entire time we were there we had escorts and drivers so we were never left alone which was nice to know.

So are flight was from Manila to Dipolog and we arrived around 12 noon on Friday. We got settled in and then spent the day relaxing by the pool and then all the action started on Sat. We were up early for Scuba lessons and then we headed out to a beautiful dive spot. It was my first time scuba diving so I was really exciting and it was more than I could have ever imagined. So many fish and sea plants, it is one of the most amazing things that I have ever experienced. If you ever have the chance to go scuba diving take it ... you will not regret it. Then after that we hit the water with the seadoo's for a bit and then lunch at the resort then in the afternoon a nap before heading off to visit the Rizal Shrine (one of the national heroes). After that back to the resort for supper and a tourist show of Filipino Dances which was very well done. Sunday up early again for a dip in the pool before breakfast and then out in the kayak for a while. Then we went and got some souvenirs before our flight back home. The highlight of the weekend was definitely the scuba diving but overall it was an awesome and amazing weekend. I feel refreshed and energized after the weekend so I hope that it will stay with me for the next week.

Everything is still going good here in the Philippines. I hear that some parts of Canada are starting to get snow. I'm dealing with temperatures between 20 and 25 so I still think its summer which is kind weird but I'm glad I don't have to deal with the cold weather this year. No major plans coming up just working, studying and volunteering but I'm ok with that ... I'm trying to save some money for NZ which is right around the corner.

That's everything for now ... I have a meeting at 1 pm so its almost time. I'll post again soon.

Cheers

Almost at the Six Month Mark

Quick update on my life in Manila. It's been really busy the past couple of weeks. Work has been going steady and smoothly ... hope it stays this way haha. Haven't been out of the city for a while but I'm volunteering and studying for my GMAT's so I have been keeping busy on weekends. However, that will soon be changing cause the Philippines has many holidays coming up so we have some long weekends :) On October 29, not next Monday but the Monday after is Sangguniang Kabataan & Barangay Election and we will be heading to Puerto for Gosia's Birthday (another intern with Headway). I have already been to Puerto but we will be heading to different spot please its a nice beach close to Manila so it should be an exciting weekend. Then on November 1 its All Saints Day and November 2 is a Special Nonworking Holiday so it will be a nice four day weekend. I will either being going to Palawan which is suppose to be one of the nicest places in the Philippines or I will go to Bohol to see the Chocolate Hills. Not sure yet which one I'm trying to work out the details. If I don't go to Bohol oh that long weekend I will be planning to go there the last weekend in Nov. cause November 30 is Bonifacio Day another holiday so I will have a long weekend. After that it will be New Zealand which I am getting really excited for but its still a long way away and I have to focus on getting a good grade on my GMATs before that hahah ... work first than I can play :)

Other than that not much new ... I'm still liking it here in the Philippines. I did have some rough patch with culture shock and all that but I seem to have got through the hardest part and hopefully the next six months will be a breeze haha if it was only that easy.

Thats all for now ... sorry this one is short, next time I'll write more especially after the next couple of busy weekends.

Cheers Amy

Rainy Manila

Update on my life in Manila ... It has been a long three weeks here in the Philippines. Were being hit hard with rain, rain, wind, and well more rain so it makes things pretty depressing. Haven't been out of the city since Korea but I have been catching up on some personal stuff that need to get down like student loan stuff (my heart goes out to all my friends that have to start paying them back soon ... sucks). Also, I have started to think about what I will be doing after the Philippines. Oct. 5th, this Friday, will be exactly 5 months that I have been in the Philippines so only another 7 months to go. In some ways that seems forever way but I know that it will come sooner than later. So for any of you that know me I'm really organized and like to get a head start on everything. Therefore, I have started to update my resume and looked into some universities. I have not decided yet whether I want to go back to school and get a masters but I feel pretty excited about the idea. I'll keep you up-to-date as time goes by and how the process is going. Some of you might be wondering if I will stay in the Philippines longer and right now I don't know. I really like the Philippines but this experience has shown me that the world is so big and I have so much to learn and I really want to see more of it. So we will see ... I'm so unsure of my future right now but I know some how it will just fall into place haha.

The past couple of weekends have consisted of shopping, getting my hair done, and volunteering. So I wish I could say that I wanted to get involved and give back to the community here which I really do but it is also I requirement for my internship but anyway. Not this past weekend but the weekend before I spent the morning with a room full of children during a read along session which was actually quite fun in a way. Then after story time I helped out during Hands On Manila - Breakfast Club where we bring and pass out food to them so that they will have something to eat. The children are really nice and enthusiastic about the program and it was really nice to just learn more about the Philippines and the people that live here. Then in the afternoon I went out to the University of the Philippines where I interviewed potential candidates for AIESEC UP. It was really fun I got to interview about 20 candidates and learn more about what they thought about AIESEC and what they thought about the Philippines. Some of them really didn't get how an outsider would see the Philippines. It was a really great experience to see how people from the country see the Philippines and how I (a foreigner) see it. Hopefully, in two weeks time I will be able to help out with Hands On Manila again and get to know the children a little better.

As for this weekend we are hoping to head out of a quick trip to hundred island national park but if the rain and the weather forecast not being so great and also the fact that the weekend after is a long weekend it might just be better for us to post pone it until the next weekend but who knows we might go this weekend. We will just have to wait and see.

Well thats all for now ... everyone take care and please fill me in on your lives through Facebook or email.

Cheers from the Philippines :)

Korea and After

Two weeks ago I went to Seoul South Korea to visit a friend and see a new country. My trip was great and I had so much fun. Thanks goes out to Richard for showing me around all weekend and bringing me to the best spots in Seoul, I had a great time. Saw some palaces and some other tourist areas which were beautiful and clean compared to the Philippines which was a huge culture shock. I had forgotten what a developed country was like compared to a development country. The streets were cleaner, the infrastructure was great, and the washrooms even had toilet paper except maybe in one spot but here in the Philippines your lucky if the toilet even has a seat. Anyways it was just a big surprise to me to notice the difference between the countries because I really didn't get that shock when I went from Canada to the Philippines. Also, while I was there I got to eat and drink many different things for example at one restaurant we got to take shots out of a green apple that was hollow. So you get a bowl filled with some booze and then you fill your apple with the booze and then you shot it. Another thing was the amount of side of food they bring with your food. If you order one dish you get like 5 or 6 small side dishes and even more in other places. Overall I really liked Seoul, it was a really nice city.

Since, my trip to Korea I've been catching up on sleep and work. Over the weekend I spent Saturday in the salon getting my hair professionally straighten which I love ... I wake up in the morning take 10 min to dry it and then its straight no more straighteners haha. Then Sunday I got to get some rest and watched a few movie. Pretty boring but after not being home the last four weekends it was great to get some rest.

This weekend coming up I'm staying in Manila again. I have signed up to volunteer with Hands on Manila which is an organization that sets activities to help the community. I will be bring breakfast for some children that live on the street on sat. morning and it should be a new experience. Sat. afternoon I think I might be helping AIESEC UP do interviews for their recruitment but that is still up in the air.

Other than that not much new, my next big trip will be to NZ in Dec. my flight is booked and I'm so pumped to go. I'll be there for over two weeks and it will be really nice to have a really vacation but I will tell you more about that as it gets closer.

Well that's all for now ... everyone take care and please drop me a line if you guys have a the chance would love to know whats going on at home.

Amy from the Philippines

Boracay

Quick update on my weekend trip, I got back this morning from Boracay (little island in the south of the Philippines). It has to be one of the most beautifulest places I have ever seen ... it was paradise. Even though the island was very beautiful it was very commercialized which took away from much of its beauty but if you could look past the 100+ merchants trying to sell pretty much anything, from sunglasses to messages, to you could appreciate the wonderful view.

Boracay is made up of three different stations (1, 2, and 3) along the beach front. It is awesome to see all the restaurants, hotels, and shops along this huge beach. Not only is the merchants fun to watch you can pretty much find any water sport know to man on this beach, from snorkeling to wind surfing to water skying ... on a small Philippines budget I could only afford to go snorkeling with some of the other interns but it was great. There were hundreds of fish in so many different colors and you could feed them crackers and they would eat right out of your hands. Also, the boat that we took snorkeling took us around the entire Island and we got to see all the different beaches and the great view. Pictures are posted on Facebook for people that are interested.

Boracay is also known for its night life, however, due to the off session and my not so strong stomach I didn't really get to experience that much of it. All in all it was a great weekend. We were a little nervous that we weren't going to get much sun because its raining season but after about three hours in the sun with sun screen I have a wonderful burn that I am currently nursing, hopefully I'll get some sleep tonight with only one layer of Aloe.

Well that's all for now, this Saturday and Sunday we will be heading to Tagaytay which is just a small city out side of Manila but its suppose to have an awesome view of and from the volcano. Should be good times. So I'll let you all know how that goes next weekend.

Hope everyone is enjoying my blog and please keep the comments coming. I love hearing your thoughts on my experiences and what you guys have been up too.

Cheers from the Philippines