So much has happened since the last post. I have completed my series of flights to finally arrive in Davao. We were in the air for a total of 22 hours! It was nice to be on the ground and finally immerse ourselves in the Philippines.
My last post was dedicated to some fast facts about the Philippines. The theme of this post is going to be facts that I learned fast in the Philippines:
1. It is possible to get 10 lanes of traffic onto 6 lanes of road. All traffic signage and infrastructure must simply be suggestions in the Philippines, because driving is very chaotic. As long as you drive on the right side of the road and don't hit anyone, you can do whatever you want. Having said that, there seems to be a method to the madness. I have yet to see any accidents. Not even a minor one. I almost feel safer on the roads here than I sometimes do in the States. ALMOST.
2. YOU MUST SHOWER BEFORE SWIMMING. Justin and I spent our first day in Davao unpacking and moving into our apartment. When we finished, we decided to go take a dip in the pool. Once we set down our towels and shirts, we tried to enter the pool. But a security officer stopped us immediately! She pointed to the outdoor shower and told us to wash up. Everyone else looked at us like we had committed a mortal sin. It wasn't too much to do, though. I think we are going to get a lot of use out of this pool this summer ... showering beforehand, of course.
3. Everything is very inexpensive here. Cab fares usually range from P40-120 ($1-3) to anywhere we need to go. When we went shopping, we were grabbing at all of the cheap things. We found family-size bags of chips for less than P40 ($1). Bread, bananas, ramen, etc. was all much cheaper here than back home. The catch = only the local Filipino brands are inexpensive; the American brands are marked up. So we will be exploring the wide world of Filipino groceries and the interesting flavors that come with them (Ramen comes with soy sauce and vinegar packets). Our personal favorite find are the Fudgee Barrs. They are a lot like twinkies, but with uniques flavors. This one is milk and coffee. We are currently trying out macapuno flavor. I might try to see how many packages I can smuggle back in the the US.
4. Philippine people are so helpful. They love to help you with anything! This goes beyond the young man at the airport looking for a quick tip. In the office, I am asked every morning if I would like some coffee and they help me make it. If they are eating something, they will offer to share, and they will be offended if you don't accept! They are always looking to help or share. I will have to learn to return the favor during my time here this summer.
Welp, this post is getting a little too lengthy. I will cut it short, and promise to keep a running list of things I learn this summer. Each week will bring new things for me to learn. I will leave you will some pictures that I have been taking:
My last post was dedicated to some fast facts about the Philippines. The theme of this post is going to be facts that I learned fast in the Philippines:
1. It is possible to get 10 lanes of traffic onto 6 lanes of road. All traffic signage and infrastructure must simply be suggestions in the Philippines, because driving is very chaotic. As long as you drive on the right side of the road and don't hit anyone, you can do whatever you want. Having said that, there seems to be a method to the madness. I have yet to see any accidents. Not even a minor one. I almost feel safer on the roads here than I sometimes do in the States. ALMOST.
2. YOU MUST SHOWER BEFORE SWIMMING. Justin and I spent our first day in Davao unpacking and moving into our apartment. When we finished, we decided to go take a dip in the pool. Once we set down our towels and shirts, we tried to enter the pool. But a security officer stopped us immediately! She pointed to the outdoor shower and told us to wash up. Everyone else looked at us like we had committed a mortal sin. It wasn't too much to do, though. I think we are going to get a lot of use out of this pool this summer ... showering beforehand, of course.
The view from our room of the apartment complex.
3. Everything is very inexpensive here. Cab fares usually range from P40-120 ($1-3) to anywhere we need to go. When we went shopping, we were grabbing at all of the cheap things. We found family-size bags of chips for less than P40 ($1). Bread, bananas, ramen, etc. was all much cheaper here than back home. The catch = only the local Filipino brands are inexpensive; the American brands are marked up. So we will be exploring the wide world of Filipino groceries and the interesting flavors that come with them (Ramen comes with soy sauce and vinegar packets). Our personal favorite find are the Fudgee Barrs. They are a lot like twinkies, but with uniques flavors. This one is milk and coffee. We are currently trying out macapuno flavor. I might try to see how many packages I can smuggle back in the the US.
4. Philippine people are so helpful. They love to help you with anything! This goes beyond the young man at the airport looking for a quick tip. In the office, I am asked every morning if I would like some coffee and they help me make it. If they are eating something, they will offer to share, and they will be offended if you don't accept! They are always looking to help or share. I will have to learn to return the favor during my time here this summer.
Welp, this post is getting a little too lengthy. I will cut it short, and promise to keep a running list of things I learn this summer. Each week will bring new things for me to learn. I will leave you will some pictures that I have been taking:
Our plane from Japan to Manila.
Business Class. **Not where we sat.
"I <3 Davao" sign in the SM City Mall.
Our offices.
The view from the welcome lunch on our first day.
Find some dried mangoes. Delicious. There are two main brands in the Philippines. One is better than the other but I can't remember which.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I remember eating Jollibee hamburgers and Max's Chicken.
As you know, success lies in taking a photo of everything you eat.