Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Random bits of information about things in the Philippines

Sunshine:
You'd think that since the Philippines are tropical islands, the sun would make an appearance every day.  That is not the case.  At least not in the city and not this time of year.  So far, it's been cloudy much of the time I've been here.  When the sun is out, I try to go soak up a few minutes of it to keep the blues away.  (Just close my eyes and imagine sunny SoCal :)
People here are not sun-seekers like people in the US.  When the sun is out, everyone is huddled in the shade, or if they can't avoid it, many use an umbrella.  I have been told that lighter skin is thought to be more attractive and many people go to great lengths to lighten their skin. 

Cars:
I pay attention to these... it's just how I was raised :)
There's lots of Toyota on the road here, the small 4 door style is most common for taxis of course, but also for many commuters.  But today, I spotted a Mini - I figured I would see more of those here.  BMWs are not rare, but that was the first Mini I've seen.  I also saw one of those new Ford Fiestas this morning.  Both vehicles seemed somewhat out of place here.  Full size pick up trucks are also rare in Manila, I've only seen a few of them.  SUVs, however, are just as popular as the 4 door sedans and vans.

About the services here:
Over the weekend, I had another hair appointment.  On Michele's referral, I went to Bruno's Barbers for a color and hair cut.  I was dubious about going to a barbershop for a woman's cut and color, but Michele's hair turned out good, so I figured what the hell.  I'm glad I gave it a try, the result is as close to what I wanted as I could get.  (They didn't have the highlight color I wanted...)  I paid around $50 total, which is really very good!
Guys - if you come to Manila, I highly recommend a visit here.  For 850PHP (or around $20), you can get a haircut, professional shave (warm towel on the face and straight razor), manicure and pedicure.  This includes a hands/feet/shoulders massage.  It looked like a very relaxing service, and it was definitely popular - I was there for about 2 hours and I saw a few men get the service.

I wonder when Yelp will make it to the Philippines...? 

That is all.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Pacific Xtreme Championship (PXC) in Manila

Hello out there!  Sorry it's been a while, but I haven't done much that has been blog-worthy.  The past couple of weeks have been busy with work and some illness.  Our class has spread a bug around the room, and we all have had the sniffles and sneezes.  We are all on the mend now (I hope!) and the majority of the new analysts have completed their training.  Now the hard part begins, but I have complete confidence in everyone.  :-)

I met a nice fella called Tim on internations.org before I arrived in Manila and he's been trying to get me out to do something since I arrived.  I finally took him up on an offer to attend PXC 29 at Ynares Coliseum here in Manila.  PXC is Pacific Xtreme Championship - like UFC in the states.

The drive there was interesting in itself.  I really should have taken pictures while we were driving through some of the neighborhoods, but I didn't want to be *that* tourist.  These neighborhoods are like ours, but MUCH much more compact and everyone just hangs out in the street.  We had to drive slowly because there were so many people and vehicles of all kinds, particularly the trikes(?) - a motorcycle with a passenger thing attached.  And of course the jeepneys.  There are open air markets, general stores, any kind of shop you can think of, just like in any other neighborhood in the world.  But when compared to the US, it's very compact - there's no walkway between buildings, everything appears to be connected.  I will take pictures of that sometime, as it really is something to see.  I got a real sense of community there.

We arrived at the coliseum in plenty of time, got our tickets (free, thanks to Tim's connections - woohoo!) and found our seats.  They were pretty good!  We had a view of where the fighters are introduced and could see their teams and the medical crew standing by.



And the fights were underway.  It took a while for the place to fill up, but once it did, everyone was very enthusiastic.
Let's get ready to rumble!
Grappling
 
This bout was bloody...
That guy's shorts started out white...
Ring girl, Abby Pomplador
My eye candy for the evening... Ilima Maiava from Hawaii
!!!
The final fight, for the PXC bantamweight champion, was won by Ali Cali of the Philippines.  The crowd went crazy when he had an opening and started pummeling his opponent.  The referee stopped the fight.
It was a fun evening!  There will be another in June, I hope I get to attend that one.  It would appear that MMA is just taking off here in the Philippines, so being a part of the beginning is kind of exciting!


I spent this morning getting a new tattoo!  The artist came to my place, pulled out the drawings he had based on the ideas I gave him and made my living room into a tattoo shop.  Tattoos are much less expensive here than in the US, so I plan on getting inked up!  This one isn't finished yet, but I will post a pic when it's done.



Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Everyday life for an Expat in the Philippines

Just some random stuff that I've noticed and thought, well that's different...
  • The malls have hardware stores in them.
  • You cannot assume that a public restroom will have toilet paper.
  • Toilet paper is called tissue, and they don't want you to flush it down the toilet.
  • Table napkins are also called tissue.  "Napkins" refer to feminine products.
  • Speaking of table napkins, unlike in the US, they are stingy with them.  Rather than getting a whole stack of them, they might give you two.  And they're little.
  • I'm actually taller than average here!
  • Hot water heaters are not the norm - I do not have hot water in my kitchen.  My bathroom has a small heater installed (under the sink) for the shower and sink in the bathroom only.
  • Online bill payment doesn't seem to have caught on. 
  • Internet is broadband and cables are all above ground, making the internet less reliable and of course not as fast.
  • Security guards at most places let white people pass without checking them... as though white people are not security risks?!
  • When you're at the department store, there are lots of people working who will help you.  They see you pick something out, and then offer up suggestions.  I feel bad telling them I'd rather just pick out my own things.
  • There are lines on the road, but you wouldn't know it by the way they drive.
  • There are no semi-trucks on the EDSA (the main highway) - I'm told they have their own road(s?)
  • The things people pay for normally here would be considered luxuries in the US - particularly in-home child care and housekeeping.
  • Being LGBT appears to be much more accepted here... which is ironic considering how religious the country is.
  • If you're familiar with a "Mexican minute" - yeah, it's like that here too
  • You can purchase things in much smaller quantities.  Examples - you can buy one bottle of beer (or other beverage that you usually see in a six pack) at the market or just one blister pack of medicine instead of the whole box.  Also, jars of things like mayonnaise for example, come in much smaller sizes. 
  • Remember when we were young and we didn't worry about things like riding in the back of a pick-up truck, or going barefoot?  It's like that here.  Less fear-mongering than the US.
  • No chiropractors.  It seems the massage therapists are a good substitute because they twist you and pull limbs and such, without the sudden jerk of an adjustment.
That's all I can think of.  Feel free to post questions and/or comments!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

MOA

It was another productive week at Concur, and everyone on the new Travel Support team did really well on their weekly evaluation - hooray!  April, Michele and I decided to celebrate Friday evening at Barcino, a tapas restaurant at Power Plant mall.  I have to say that this was one of the better meals I've had since arriving - but maybe that was the sangria talking?

Cheers!

Saturday was yet another shopping trip.  This time to the MOA!  Nooo, not the Mall of America - the Mall of Asia!  This place is huge, and you can take care of lots of business here - including doctor and dentist visits.  While we were there, they were gearing up for a men's fashion show, and in another area there was a cheerleading show (competition?).  I finally found some much needed tops for work at the SM department store - woohoo!  When you pull into the entrance, you see this big globe.
And near the entrance they have this fun topiary. 
 
The mall is next to the water.  Check out this view!  Reminds me of Cali...
What really makes this mall different is the indoor ice skating rink.  No need for that at the Mall of America!

No, I didn't use the rink.  I'd like to leave my dignity intact :)