Mabuhay from Manila!

Missing her already...

2010-04-06T17:59:00.002+08:00

Cassey has come and gone and we had an amazing time together! She arrived early Sunday morning and I met her at the airport. I had to stand outside for almost an hour waiting but I was able to see her inside. She looked a little distraught and I noticed she was missing a suitcase. Turns out they left one behind in Vancouver. After filling out some forms, they told her they'd deliver it to the hotel the following day.

We got back to the hotel, had breakfast, packed our overnight bags as we watched the Habs vs Devils game and then headed back to the airport for a short trip to Boracay. Just two hours later, we were barefoot on the powder sands of White Beach as the waves broke at our feet.

We stayed in a nice little hotel called One Crescent Place. The hotel was just a short walk away from the beach and absolutely gorgeous. Two balconies gave us a great view of a tropical garden filled with banana and coconut trees.

We spent the afternoon on the beach and planned to head back out to the beach for supper and sunset but ended up falling asleep for several hours. We woke up close to midnight and headed down to the beach to see the party scene. Several night clubs and shows were happening and we passed by a place just in time to watch a replay of the UFC fight between GSP and Hardy that had taken place a few hours earlier. After a bite to eat and a few drinks, we lay on the beach listening to music and watching the stars before heading to bed.

The next morning, we were served a nice little breakfast on the hotel's terrace and then headed back to the beach to enjoy coffee and fresh fruits. We did plenty of souvenir shopping, worked on our tans a little more and then started to make our way back home.

Boracay is served by two airports; Caticlan and Kalibo. Caticlan is closer to Boracay and requires a 10 minute tricycle ride, followed by a 15 minute boat ride and another tricycle ride to your hotel/resort. We flew in to Boracay via Caticlan. Kalibo is further away and requires a trike ride back to the boat terminal, a boat ride to Caticlan and then a 90 minute bus or van ride to Kalibo. We flew out via Kalibo as it was much cheaper and the flights left much later. The ride to Kalibo was interesting. Plenty of winding roads along cliffs with no barriers, lots of traffic jams caused by slow jeepneys and tricycles and a big dose of local life in the Provinces.

I'll have pictures from Boracay once I edit them and upload them. Expect another update shortly about the rest of our time together :)

Still, I love technology... Always and forever!

2010-03-25T09:29:00.002+08:00

Oh, technology... Thank you for bringing me closer to home! Some of the ways technology has been great to me in the last few weeks:

My BlackBerry and Cassey's iPhone allow us to keep in touch all day long via email
BlackBerry Messenger allows me to pester all my friends just like I would if I was in Montreal
Calling cards allow me to call Cassey at any time for a relatively low price ($0.06/min)
Facebook lets me see what all my friends back home are up to
Justin.tv allows me to stream the Habs games live on my laptop which I output on the 37" LCD in my apartment
Webcams allow me to see Cassey every night before we go to bed
The Justin.tv app on my iPod allows me to watch the Habs anywhere that I can get a wifi signal, including the patio outside the café where I eat breakfast

My love for technology aside, everything else is going much better now. My spirits are high, I'm sleeping better and work is going great. Cassey gets here in less 3 days (68 hours, to be exact) and I'm so excited! A few hours after she lands, we're flying out to a resort in Boracay to spend a day and a night in tropical paradise. So can't wait!

I'll leave you with this:

Love in the Philippines

2010-03-19T10:37:00.003+08:00

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the importance of love in the Philippines. Friends, family and significant others are more important than anything else in this country. Couples get together young and stay together through thick and thin. Children move across the world and send their hard-earned salaries back home to their parents. Classmates become instant friends and walk arm in arm just days in to training.

It is really inspiring and has given me a new found appreciation for the important people in my life. I miss you all terribly and look forward to getting home next month.

The Countdown Begins

2010-03-11T12:51:00.002+08:00

I left home two weeks ago and I can't wait to get back! It's funny, because for the last year, I couldn't wait to come back. Now, I can't wait to leave. I've got that "been there, done that" vibe going and nothing seems new or fresh like last time. I've also got a really bad case of homesickness.

The first week was really rough. I felt depressed, lonely and isolated. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't eat. I was absolutely miserable. I've never felt worse in my life. I missed the first two days of class because I was in such a bad state.

After work on Saturday, I went to the dentist and had two teeth extracted. I walked out of the dentist feeling like a new man. My mood was upbeat and the anxiety was gone. That day, I slept a good 10 hours. The next day, I slept another 8. Things were good.

After my shift on Monday, the sleeplessness and anxiety was back. Same thing for last night, except not as severe. My mood is down again, though not as bad as last week. At this point, I suspect my anti-malarial drugs are to blame (I take them every Monday). Side effects of Apo-Mefloquine include depression, anxiety, sleeplessness and unusual behaviour. Those are just the mild side effects. So I'm not taking them anymore. I didn't take any last time I was here and Manila is a safe zone anyways.

In more positive news, Cassey is coming to visit again! She gets here in 16 days and Icouldn't be more excited. We plan to spend a night in Boracay or Palawan during the weekend that she arrives and then the next weekend in another country. Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand are amongst the options. If all goes well, I'll be returning home just a few days after her.

So there's my long awaited updated! Leave me some love :)

The Last Few Days...

2010-03-01T11:57:00.002+08:00

So I've finally arrived in Manila. OK, I've actually been here for over 3 days... I've just been too lazy to update.

Tuesday night, close to 20 friends came out to McLean's to see me off. After a few beers, I went home and finished packing, slept about 3 hours and then headed to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, I realized that I had forgotten my passport! Cassey and my dad headed back to pick it up for me and then I was on my way to Vancouver.

I landed in Vancouver close to 11, put my luggage in storage, put on my red mittens (despite the 12C weather) and made my way downtown to soak in some of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic festivities. In less than 8 hours, I watched hockey in the rain, saw the Olympic cauldron, got my picture taken with the Stanley Cup, carried the Olympic torch and stood a few feet away from Ashleigh McIvor as she held up her Olympic gold medal for ski cross. Team Canada won 4 medals that day and the men's team destroyed Russia with a score of 7-3. What a day!

After a day spent walking around downtown Vancouver, I made my way back to airport to catch my flight over to Manila. I had the privilege of flying business class this time which made the flight amazing. Despite the Philippine Airlines having an old fleet, business class was still very comfortable and the service was amazing. Foie gras and duck appetizers, luxurious toiletries and big reclining seats... Impressive! I watched Surrogates and slept 8 hours before landing in Manila at 4 AM.

Later in the day, I headed to the office to say hi to everyone and was greeted with a hero's welcome! There was applause, a video montage of team members welcoming me back, banners, food, drinks and even my Olympic torch picture had been printed and put on the wall. Simply amazing and humbling! After a short nap, we all headed out for karaoke and beers.

The rest of the weekend was spent sleeping, watching the Olympics and shopping for amenities for my apartment. I woke up at 4 AM MNL this morning, cranked up my air conditioning (its over 30C here), put on my Canada Olympic hoodie and watched Team Canada take gold in a nailbiting final against the USA. Go Canada Go!

Class starts tonight, so I need to finish preparing, then I'll hit the pool for a bit to catch some rays before heading to bed for a few hours. TTFN.

I'm Going Back!!

2010-02-21T05:06:00.000+08:00

A little less than a year ago, I said "I'd do it all again in a heartbeat". Well, that heartbeat is happening! I'm heading back to Manila next week.

As many of you know, I manage a team of audio and video conferencing operators. I'm also responsible for training audio and video conferencing support. The decision was made earlier this year to offshore some of the audio conferencing work to the Manila team. Training and post-training support will keep me in the Philippines for a total of seven weeks. I'll be staying at the Ascott Makati again.

I leave on Wednesday (Feb 24) at 0800 EST. I arrive in Vancouver at 1030 PST and my flight for Manila does not leave until 2115 PST. This gives me about 9 hours to visit downtown Vancouver and take part in the 2010 Olympics festivities. Then I fly business class (hells yes!) for ~14 hours and arrive in Manila on Friday at 0400 MNL.

I'm psyched!!! Stay tuned for many more pictures and stories.

Last Day in Manila

2009-03-23T06:30:00.002+08:00

Today is my last day in Manila. My plane leaves in 6 hours. I take off at 1 PM, Manila time and I land in Vancouver at 10 AM, Pacific time... 3 hours in the past. I'm going to time travel!

I'll be spending 2 nights in Vancouver before returning to Montreal. After landing, I had straight to my hotel, check in, wash up, change my clothes and rush out to the office to meet members of a team whose jobs are being moved to Montreal to replace the work that I just helped send to Manila. Awkward, to say the least...

I leave Vancouver on Wednesday night and arrive back in Montreal on Thursday morning. I'm leaving here with mixed feelings. I'm anxious to get home and see Cassey, my friends and my family. I'm looking forward to being in my home, in my bed, in a familiar city. I'm definitely going to miss Manila, though. The people, the weather, the experience... This is all been nothing but fantastic and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

And now, I must find to cram the rest of my stuff into the remaining baseball-sized space in my suitcase.

The Last 40 Hours in Numbers

2009-03-21T13:44:00.002+08:00

Hours of work: 14
Hours of sleep: 5
Hours in traffic: 3
Watches bought: 3
Caffeine consumed: 300 mg
Beers consumed: 9 (maybe?)
Beers consumed before 10 AM: 5
Balut consumed: 1
Videoke songs sung: 2

What a weekend! And it's far from over. It's only Saturday, 2 PM.

I need sleep.

Beautiful Boracay

2009-03-09T12:18:00.002+08:00

I'm in Boracay right now and this place is definitely a tropical paradise. I'm digesting my beachfront breakfast in an air conditioned internet cafe before I head for a swim.

I arrived yesterday afternoon around noon and my flight leaves at 5 PM today. I'm staying at a small, cheap place called Serendipity Boracay Hotel. For $40, I get a small room with a double bed, bathroom, colour TV with cable and a veranda. Not too shabby. They also upgraded my room at no cost and extended my check out for free as well.

My packing list for Boracay:

Towel
Two t-shirts
Sandals
Swim trunks
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Hair paste
Deodorant
Underwear
Book
Camera

Life is good. Pictures of Boracay and Hong Kong coming this week!

Time for a major update...

2009-03-06T21:04:00.004+08:00

Haven't had a chance to update for a while... I've been spending all my limited free time with Cassey for the last two weeks. Unfortunately, she left earlier today and is currently somewhere over the Pacific ocean, 7 hours away from home.

Speaking of returning home, my return date has also been set. Barring any last minute changes, my last day in the Manila office will be March 21. I'll either leave later that day or the following day.

Now for the updates. The last two weeks have been quite full, so I'm going to do this in note form. The timeline might seem a little funky as my sleeping schedule is on crack. Keep in mind I work the graveyard shift, so I either sleep go to sleep around 10 AM (after work) or around 4 PM (before work). I typically had 4-6 hours of sleep a night while Cassey was here.

Wednesday, 2/25: Woke up feeling crappy. Took Cassey out to Bonifacio High Street. Had dinner at TGIF and checked out the fountains at Market! Market! Went to work and started feeling worse and worse. By the end of the class, I could barely stand and needed to get home ASAP. Of course, the driver didn't show, so we had to flag down a cab. Getting home took an hour. I get home and go straight to bed.

Thursday, 2/26: I've never been more sick in my entire life. Had some stomach bug but no clue where I got it. I didn't eat anything "whacky". I spend literally 24 hours in bed and in the bathroom. I nearly went to the hospital.

Friday, 2/27: Finally feeling better, Cassey and I go to Intramuros, the old walled city of Manila. Pictures here. We take a guided tour in a horse-drawn carriage. Afterwards, we walked down Roxas Boulevard to Rizal Park, a park built on the site where the national hero of the Philippines, Jose Rizal, was executed in 1896. Rizal Park is also the site where the USA granted independance to the Philippines in 1946.

Saturday, 2/28: Cassey and I fly to Hong Kong to visit her uncle and aunt. They gave us a fabulous whirlwind tour across many breathtaking sites in just two days. Hong Kong is absolutely spectacular. We took over 500 pictures combined during the weekend. I'll give a full update with pictures later. Suffice it to say you must visit Hong Kong if you get the chance.

Tuesday, 3/3: I take Cassey to Greenhills where she spends a small fortune buying handmade pearl jewellery and plenty of knock-offs.

Wednesday, 3/4: In the afternoon, we lounge by the pool and enjoy appetizers and cold beer. Later in the evening, we go for dinner at Bubba Gump's and then go see "He's Just Not That Into You". Food was great (mmm shrimp!) but the movie was so-so.

Thursday, 3/5: We go to Greenhills once again where another small fortune is spent. We have dessert and drinks at Cafe Havana, a very popular Cuban-themed nightspot at Greenbelt. Cassey goes a midnight poolside massage before packing.

Friday, 3/6: I leave work early to take Cassey to the airport. Non-passengers are not allowed past the entrance, so we say our long goodbyes before she heads home. She's currently somewhere over the Pacific and should arrive in Montreal in ~7 hours.

I just returned from seeing Watchmen. So good! I'll definitely see it again. Now I'm getting ready for work. Final exams for Batch 2 of ADSL will be today. Hopefully, they'll do well! This weekend, I'll probably go see the new Street Fighter movie and then I might go for an overnight trip to Boracay.

Recent pictures:

Cassey is here!

2009-02-25T00:27:00.001+08:00

Cassey arrived in Manila on Saturday night and we've been running around non-stop since!

Sunday morning, we went for breakfast at Heaven & Eggs where she had this crazy pancake plate with four kinds of gourmet pancakes. Afterwards, I took her on a tour of most of the malls and department stores in the area around the Ascott, including Glorietta, SM, Greenbelt and Landmark.

Once our brief mall tour was done (including a quick visit to the arcade), we enjoyed Pale Pilsens by the pool and took a soak in the hot tub. Later in the evening, we had supper in Greenbelt on the terrace of Mr Rockafeller's. Dinner consisted of raw oysters on the half shell, linguine and prawns and baked garlic cheese scallops. So delicious! By the time we were done, it was nearly midnight so we headed home.

After a buffet breakfast at the Ascott, we spent Monday afternoon at Mall of Asia. Built right on Manila Bay and opened in 2006, MoA is the second largest mall in the Philippines. Amongst other things, MoA has a tramway to bring you around the mall, a ferris wheel, an IMAX theatre, an ice rink, a hypermarket (similar to Wal-Mart) and a bowling alley. The place is absolutely enormous and you can easily wander around there for hours.

I was able to get 2 hours of sleep before heading to work to co-facilitate a new class in our new office in Cubao. I left word at 7:20 AM but didn't get home until 9:50 AM. It took me almost 30 mins to get a cab and about an hour to get home. After a quick breakfast, Cassey and I hopped back into the car to head back to work to meet up with Carrie and a few others from the office to go shopping in Divisoria.

Our co-workers decided to give us a real taste of Manila, Filipino style. Despite the warnings from several other co-workers, we took the LRT out to Capo and then took our first jeepney ride to Divisoria. The jeepney is quite something else! You hop on the back, pass your 7 pesos up to the front and hold on for dear life. We were prepared for the worst so we were pleased to find 168 Mall in Divisoria to be uncrowded, clean and full of awesome bargains.

Cassey will be here until next Friday. Stay tuned for more stories!

Just your average night

2009-02-13T14:36:00.002+08:00

The other night, I decided to head out for a bite to eat around 10 PM. Bored of the usual, I decided to walk a few blocks further than usual. I found myself on a bustling, less "tourist-friendly" corner. Within seconds, I was approached by someone offereing to give me a ride to what I understood to be a seedy strip club to see some "sexy university girls". I politely turned him down and continued in my quest for something other than Wendy's.

Not thirty seconds later, a toothless gentleman approaches me and tells me he knows me. He says he's a bellboy at the Intercontinental Hotel (near where I'm staying) and that he's seen me there (nice try, dude). I play along and keep walking as he walks along side me, asking me what my plans are for tonight. When I tell him I'm going to sleep, he thinks for a second and then says "Hmm... No sleep! I send nice university girl to meet you in room". I say "No thanks, I already have a nice university girl". After thinking for another second, he says "Hmm.. OK, how 'bout girl give dance, no bra no panties?". I walked away at that point.

On my way back to my apartment, Wendy's bag in hand (barf), I nearly tripped over a giant cockroach. Awesome. Just your average night here.

Busy and exhausted...

2009-02-10T22:30:00.003+08:00

Wow... Last week was lonnnng! This week promises to be more of the same.

Started my first ADSL class last week. I have 15 students, 1 trainer and 1 quality analyst in the class. Definitely a full house. So far, the students have been fantastic. They are very knowledgeable, they ask great questions and they are eager to learn.

Working days here has left me feeling disconnected from home. I go to bed just when the day is getting started back home and I wake up as the day is ending. This leaves me with little time to speak with Cassey and also results in a full inbox at work when I start my day. On a positive note, it gives me time to explore the area around work which is (no big surprise) laden with more malls.

St Francis Square Mall, a tiangge (flea market) features several hundred booths selling cell phones, video games, bootleg DVDs, jewellery and knock-offs. Interestingly, many of the booths are run by Muslim Filipinos. My co-workers tell me the food court on the top floor is for the "working class" and expats are a rare sight there. When I joined them for lunch one day, I received more stares than usual.

Beyond St Francis is SM Megamall. With ~348000 m² of floor space and 500K visitors a day, Megamall is the 7th largest in the world (for comparison sake, the Toronto Eaton Centre is ~150000 m² and the West Edmonton Mall is ~380000 m²). In other words, the place is bloody enormous and I've only seen a fraction of it. Notably, Megamall has the country's only ice skating rink. Imagine my delight last Friday night when I stumbled upon a hockey game being played! Though they had mismatched uniforms and a giant pillar in centre ice, this was one of the most awesome things I've seen!

A few things I did during the week...

Saw a taxi engulfed in flames on my way home from work on Tuesday.
Got a one hour massage for only $15!
Got a haircut at a trendy salon for only $6!
Bought a full steak dinner in a food court for the same price as my haircut.
Nearly peed my pants while walking on the side of EDSA at night.

I've uploaded more pics, as well. Here they are:

Six more weeks of winter?

2009-02-03T08:30:00.002+08:00

Six more weeks of winter? I don't think so. Groundhog Day doesn't exist here and my class laughed at the idea. When I asked what Filipinos consider a "cold" day, they told me they couldn't say as they don't pay attention to the daily weather forecast.

It's currently 8:30 AM and my class starts at 11 AM. I'm downstairs in the "Café on the 6th" enjoying breakfast. Today is day 2 of new hire class which is a whole lot less nerve-racking than day 1 (not only the students but for me as well. I've got a full class (16 students, 1 trainer and 1 quality analyst) and they all have a strong tech support background.

My weekend was good. After finishing work on Saturday at 9 AM, I went home and let the jetlag and graveyard shift finally catch up to me. I slept from noon to midnight and then again from 4 AM to 7 AM. After breakfast, Carrie, Karly and I headed out a small village named Pook Masagana for a hell of an eye-opening experience.

In this village, TELUS has parternered with a Filipino organization called Gawad Kalinga, which is similar to Habitat for Humanity. Together, TELUS and GK plan to build 70 homes for over 100 poverty-stricken families, 30 of which have been completed. Currently, these families live in dilapidated homes, some without the creature comforts we take for granted, such as running water, a private bathroom or electricity. The TELUS/GK built homes, with their bright colours, sound foundations and standard amenities strike a stunning contrast against the shanty town that surround them.

The gratitude of the villagers was obvious from the moment we arrived. People opened their doors to us, shook our hands, thanked us and made us feel very welcome. Children followed us around, smiling from ear-to-ear, and touched our hands to their foreheads (a sign of respect, akin to saying "God bless").

We soon got to work breaking ground for a new set of homes. Joined by some of the locals, we smashed through cinder blocks and old concrete floors using nothing but pickaxes, shovels and 6 ft long steel prybar. Working in an inch of dirty rain water and sewage, I broke through the old concete floor to reveal the mud and clay below. After breaking up the old floor, we dug about 3 ft into the muck to lay a new foundation.

The whole experience, combined with the heat and the smell (not to mention the gigantic cockroaches) was overwhelming and I had to sit out for a while for fear of passing out or throwing up. After a few minutes and 3 bottles of water, I was feeling better and I rejoined the team for the rest of the morning before we all headed home. I will definitely be going back.

I have some pictures to share of the event and the village, but I need to head out to work. Though only a few kilometres away, traffic is killer in the morning!

Enjoy your six remaining weeks of winter, Montreal!

Party Time in Manila

2009-01-28T16:13:00.002+08:00

What a hell of a weekend! Sunday, Carrie and I were invited out to a Chinese New Year party by Paul Egger (Sr VP of TELUS Int'l). We joined him, his wife and about a half dozen expats in their beautiful house. After a delicious meal, a few beers and a lesson in how to lose at Crazy Rummy, we returned back to the hotel for a break before heading out to Pasig City for Fire & Ice.

Fire & Ice, the post-holiday party for TI's various technical support teams, was a blast. Viewed as clients rather than employees, Carrie and I were labelled VIPs and waited on endlessly by the staff at the hall where the party was held. Before I could finish a beer, a fresh one was waiting for me.

After a few awards (five of which were given to members of our team), we were treated to dance performances by two quasi dance squads made up of members from two different technical support teams as well as a song by last year's "Harte-Hanks Idol". Imagine if 5-6 members of your team decided to choreograph a dance routine to perform at your holiday party! Singing and dancing is very popular here and it isn't uncommon for employees to sing between calls.

Carrie left the party around 11 PM and I stuck around with some of the team. After a few more beers, they brought me out to karaoke where I had no choice but to sing, not wanting to be anymore of an "odd man out" than I already am. I was given Red Horse beer (the local strong beer) and I was fed pork sisig. Touted as the ultimate companion to beer, I ate and more-or-less enjoyed a small plate. I was soon told that pork sisig is essentially diced pig face! Snout, brain, cheek and ear is chopped up and fried with onions and chilis and topped with a fried egg. Interesting!

There's no last call in Manila and by 4 AM, I was falling asleep. In bed by 4:30 AM, I awoke at 7 AM to watch the All-Star Game. What a hell of game and a nice end to a long weekend.

Picasa: Fire & Ice Tech Support Party

Product of The Day: Hunt for a Rockstar replacement

Pictures and Videos... Finally!

2009-01-26T11:58:00.003+08:00

Alright, so here's the long-awaited picture and video update...

Youtube: A tour of my apartment in Makati
Picasa: My first few days in Manila
Picasa: Cool Products I've Found

For those who've asked, you require a free Google Account to leave me comments. With a Google account, you'll be able to comment on my blog, my albums and videos.

Hope you enjoy

Random Tidbits and Facts

2009-01-25T08:52:00.002+08:00

Here are a handful of tidbits, facts and translations so you know what I'm talking about.

First, some general information:

The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of over 7000 islands.
90 million people live here and the most commonly spoke language is Tagalog.
English is incredibly prevalent and I've yet to speak to someone who did not speak it.
The weather is around 30 and humid in the day, 25 and humid at night.
We are 13 hours ahead of Montreal. At 10 AM EST, it is 11 PM here. Yes, I'm in the future.
The currency is the Philippine Peso (PhP) and $1 CAD is worth ~38 PhP.
Makati City, where I am staying, is the heart of the business district.
I am staying at the Ascott Makati, a serviced residence (essentially a cross between a hotel and apartment). Many expats stay here. The place is stunning and the staff is incredible.
Ortigas Center, where the office is located, is the second largest business district after Manila.
Our office is located on the 34th floor of a skyscraper called Discovery.
We have another office located in a building called Market! Market!
There are malls everywhere and they are huge. Malls often have multiple, numbered wings. The Ascott is located on top of Glorietta 4 (one of the 5 Glorietta wings).
Security guards are everywhere. Every entrance to every mall has a security guard and metal detector. Guards open the door and greet you at most stores and buildings.
The Philippines is the SMS capital of the world. It costs 1 PhP to send an SMS and you receive many free SMS when you load your phone with pre-paid time.
You can order McDonald's for delivery 24/7 in Metro Manila by texting 86236 (8-MCDO). You can also order online at 8mcdo.com
Most meals come with rice and a fried or hard-boiled egg.
I'm working graveyard here which means I sleep when you do.

Now, about the traffic and transportation here:

Traffic here is absolutely insane. Pulling U-turns and weaving in out between lanes is very common and accepted.
Metro Manila has a rule known as UVVRP which bans vehicles from using the streets based on the day of the week and the last digit of their license plate (Eg. On Monday, those with license plates ending in 1&2 have to leave the car at home).
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (known as EDSA) is the main beltway in Manila and has historical significance in Manila. Two large peaceful protests held on EDSA in 1986 and 2001 resulted in toppling the administration of corrupt presidents (Marcos and Estrada).
I still haven't figured out public transport which consists of two light rail transit systems, multiple buses and the ubiquitous jeepney.
For safety and convenience, Carrie and I are driven to a from work by a hotel driver.
Taxis are cheap and rates for long distances can often be negotiated. A 45 minute ride costs ~300 PhP (~$8 CAD).
Scooters and motorcycles, exempt from UVVRP, are popular and often zip through cars in traffic.
Popular cars include the Nissan Cefiro, the Honda City, the Honda Jazz and Toyoto Vios.

And last, a glossary and some common terms:

Expat: Short for expatriate. Refers to foreigners working abroad.
Mabuhay: Basically translates to "Hello".
Salamat: Thank you.
Po: Polite word (no english equivalent) used when addressing strangers and elders.
Boss: Used when addressing your superior (eg. Boss Amy).
Sir: What I get called 300 times a day by every merchant, guard and stranger.
Mum: Pronounciation of "Ma'am".
Mumsir: Commonly heard everywhere.
Load: Pre-paid time for your cell.

That's all I got for now. I know I've been promising pictures... I'm uploading them as we speak. But first, I have to go to not one but two parties today. Busy busy!

The first few days...

2009-01-22T14:07:00.000+08:00

I've only been here for 3 days and already I've seen and learned so much. This place is just fantastic!

After arriving early Monday morning, I joined Carrie and Karly for breakfast and then spent the afternoon by the pool, enjoying the sun and the +30 temperature. The evening was spent enjoying a delicious dinner of chicken and cashews with a San Miguel (the fantastic local beer) on the terrace of People's Palace.

Tuesday morning, I was whisked away to Greenhills Mall which is known for its hundreds of booths selling knock-off everything (shirts, shoes, purses, watches, etc). A good quality knock-off purse can cost as little as 500 PhP (~$13 CAD). After scouring the mall for 3 hours and visiting only half of the booths, we headed back home.

Wednesday, we took the Pasig River Ferry from Barangay Guadalupe to Intramuros. The staff and travellers on the ferry were incredibly friendly and the ride was very interesting. The river itself is very polluted, but the ferry itself is brand new and takes you past many barangays. The ride takes you past Malacañan Palace, the official residence of the President of the Phillipines. Unfortunately, we were forbidden from taking pictures of the palace.

I could go on for hours about some of the amazing things I've seen, but I need to get some sleep... More to come (including pictures) tomorrow.

Good "Morning"!

2009-01-21T22:35:00.000+08:00

It is currently 10:36 PM in Manila and I'm just waking up to go to work for midnight. Things have been hectic since I arrived as Carrie (my co-worker from Vancouver currently in Manila for an extended stay) has kept me busy. Her daughter, Karly, was in town, so they took me along on a few side trips. Karly left ~1 hour ago to visit Thailand for a few days before returning to Manila for a few more days.

My apartment here is beyond words. I'll try to take some pictures/videos after work. The office is also really nice and my new co-workers are very friendly and helpful. Overall, the people here are just fantastic and I'm having a blast.

More to come after work... Gotta go get ready!

So it begins...

2009-01-18T04:33:00.000+08:00

I'm writing this from Vancouver, en route to Manila. My flight was scheduled to leave Montreal last night at 1810 however we didn't get off the ground until 2145, causing me to miss my connecting flight to Manila.

The airline put me up in a hotel and provided me with meal vouchers, but my luggage is still at the airport (it was already in holding for the next flight to Manila and would've taken an hour to retrieve it). On top of everything, I lost my bag with my travel pillow and the All-Star Game t-shirt I had bought at the airport. Fun times!

I learned a valuable lesson about packing your carry-on: Always include a toothbrush, deodorant, a clean shirt and a change of socks and underwear.

My next flight out isn't until tonight at 2245 PST (a full 24 hours from my scheduled flight). At least Vancouver is warm enough for a t-shirt. I'll be heading downtown shortly to pick up the aforementioned items and take a quick spin around downtown before heading back to the airport this evening.

Despite all the crap, I'm in good spirits. There isn't really anything I can do about it, so there's no sense in getting all riled up over it.

Anyways... Time to head out. Bukas ulet!