Northerner
30th November 2009, 00:50
After almost two weeks back in the UK, and gradually getting more and more used to the cold again I thought I would give my final thoughts on my time in the Philippines. :rolleyes:
The Good
The people! The Filipino people are for the most part the friendliest people I have had the pleasure to meet, going out of their way to try and make me feel comfortable or enquire how I am. Rizza’s family welcomed me and showed me a different side of life I have never seen before, allowing me to experience a different culture while being curious about mine also..
The Scenery! When I arrived at Mantayupan Falls and then to Rizza’s manong Joy’s farm, the only words I could think of was “Wow!”.. The waterfalls are amazing, and it is a sight unfamiliar to most people in the UK. The farm I went to in Barili had a view of the sea, with hillsides and plantations all around it was stunning, and I promised myself I would come back to this site again and again. I took some pictures but I don’t think they show the true beauty of this place. You just have to be there! Likewise, the scenery around Mindanao is amazing.. The bus ride to Valencia from CDO is long but the view made up for the numbness in my rear end..
The Sunlight! There is about 12 hours every day of sunlight, from 5am until 5pm. And I got into the habit of waking up every day around 5am and then going to bed around 9pm. Firstly with a little help from the Roosters, then on my own. And it was always nice to wake up and be greeted by lots of people saying “Myoon Buntag”.. :)
Rizza! My reason to go to the Philippines in the first place.. Rizza is a naturally beautiful woman, looking slightly younger than her 24 years. Photographs really can’t express how a person actually looks in person and Rizza is a perfect example of this. We have a similar sense of humour which helped, and she was clearly getting over those fears of meeting a western man for the first time as well. But we bonded!
The Bad
Fear! Almost every time I was in public I was always aware that people were watching me. Mostly because it is strange to see a white man like myself in Valencia or perhaps even Barili. But there was also a look I recall some gave me that did not just come from curiosity, but of envy. I was always on guard for beggars and potential thieves! When I was in Valencia, Rizza refused to allow me to go to the city without her and her brother, and would tell me it was not safe for me. She was nervous when I was walking round the market as everyone noticed me. Plus, I think she knows this town far better than me so who was I to argue!!
When I was in Cebu and looking for DVDs, I had company who walked behind me as an early warning system for any potential attacks from behind.. Not my idea, but I didn’t complain either, they were looking out for me and knew the area far better.. And just last week Rizza was robbed again on a Jeepney, another reminder of how the Philippines has a very bad side to it..
Mosquitoes! Evil little creatures… Nuff said! :yikes::cwm23:
Taxi Drivers! Manila Taxi driver are worthy of a category of their own in the book of con artists. They inflate their prices between 200 and 400% when a white person gets in their cab. The drivers in Cebu are not so bad, but with a few bad apples as well. When we stayed in the ALTA resort near Mactan, the hotels very own “trusted” company would simply tell me that it was 400 pesos to SM Mall, and as we were in the middle of nowhere as far as I was concerned, I had little choice but to pay.
Dusty Roads! I had a cough for most of my time and only just getting rid of it.. The reason... Dusty roads!! When you see people riding bikes looking like the Taliban, you know a face mask is needed.. Lesson learned:Brick:
The Ugly
Poverty! Every day I was reminded of the severe lack of money to so many in the Philippines. Even though I had read about it on this forum it was still a shock to the system. I could not see any trickle down in this economy. And it was shocking to learn just how much money the average Filipino earns in a day… I had been to Thailand and was expecting a similar experience, with various degrees of wealth scattered throughout. Not so! I can only recall a few nice looking houses in all my time there, everything else was built by those who lived there, by brick, bamboo or wood.. And a lot of shanty houses built in the smallest of spaces, but housing large families. :NoNo:
The Beggars! I remember in Barili a woman was going from house to house and walking into the houses and gardens looking for spare money or food, never before had I seen that! People would try and open the taxi door that I was sat behind to get at me as they pleaded for money (money I often did not carry with me). Small Children wait outside Jollibee for the hope of a few pesos here or there.
Overall Perception
My overall thoughts for my time in the Philippines are mixed. I truly miss the place, despite my complaints when I was coughing and itching for all those mosquito bites. I miss being with Rizza! I miss her family, whom I had gotten to know quite well..
I wont miss Filipino TV, and the day we get it in the UK on my TV will be a day I dread.. I won’t miss the food, but from time to time when I go back I am sure I will try more of it.
And Rizza..
She can read this so I had better be careful! When we first met it was strange at first, we were both nervous and curious. I think it really took a few days for us to truly feel comfortable with each other, despite my occasional western faux pas….
I remember vividly spending so much time just talking to her, being with her and just enjoying this amazing woman at my side. We joked around a lot, confusing bystanders. And I spent my time there being fussed over and mothered by Rizza, something completely alien to me since I was a child! But also nice for me, if on the odd occasion a slight annoyance..
I annoyed Rizza quite few times. Sometimes by accident nd sometimes on purpose. I too was annoyed by the way courtship is with a Filipina, often wishing for some time alone with her. Also Rizza is conservative, so that was a learning curve for a liberal Mancunian like myself.. But, I think knew even then how much I was enjoying her company and her smiles.
When we finally parted company, the tears on both our faces said more than was needed to be said!
And so I am back in a long distance relationship, but with more of a heartache as I miss everything about Rizza! And yesterday I got to see her for the first time on a web camera since we parted and those final moments at Cebu Airport came flying back into my memory… :bigcry::bigcry:
:ARsurrender::love:
:)
The Good
The people! The Filipino people are for the most part the friendliest people I have had the pleasure to meet, going out of their way to try and make me feel comfortable or enquire how I am. Rizza’s family welcomed me and showed me a different side of life I have never seen before, allowing me to experience a different culture while being curious about mine also..
The Scenery! When I arrived at Mantayupan Falls and then to Rizza’s manong Joy’s farm, the only words I could think of was “Wow!”.. The waterfalls are amazing, and it is a sight unfamiliar to most people in the UK. The farm I went to in Barili had a view of the sea, with hillsides and plantations all around it was stunning, and I promised myself I would come back to this site again and again. I took some pictures but I don’t think they show the true beauty of this place. You just have to be there! Likewise, the scenery around Mindanao is amazing.. The bus ride to Valencia from CDO is long but the view made up for the numbness in my rear end..
The Sunlight! There is about 12 hours every day of sunlight, from 5am until 5pm. And I got into the habit of waking up every day around 5am and then going to bed around 9pm. Firstly with a little help from the Roosters, then on my own. And it was always nice to wake up and be greeted by lots of people saying “Myoon Buntag”.. :)
Rizza! My reason to go to the Philippines in the first place.. Rizza is a naturally beautiful woman, looking slightly younger than her 24 years. Photographs really can’t express how a person actually looks in person and Rizza is a perfect example of this. We have a similar sense of humour which helped, and she was clearly getting over those fears of meeting a western man for the first time as well. But we bonded!
The Bad
Fear! Almost every time I was in public I was always aware that people were watching me. Mostly because it is strange to see a white man like myself in Valencia or perhaps even Barili. But there was also a look I recall some gave me that did not just come from curiosity, but of envy. I was always on guard for beggars and potential thieves! When I was in Valencia, Rizza refused to allow me to go to the city without her and her brother, and would tell me it was not safe for me. She was nervous when I was walking round the market as everyone noticed me. Plus, I think she knows this town far better than me so who was I to argue!!
When I was in Cebu and looking for DVDs, I had company who walked behind me as an early warning system for any potential attacks from behind.. Not my idea, but I didn’t complain either, they were looking out for me and knew the area far better.. And just last week Rizza was robbed again on a Jeepney, another reminder of how the Philippines has a very bad side to it..
Mosquitoes! Evil little creatures… Nuff said! :yikes::cwm23:
Taxi Drivers! Manila Taxi driver are worthy of a category of their own in the book of con artists. They inflate their prices between 200 and 400% when a white person gets in their cab. The drivers in Cebu are not so bad, but with a few bad apples as well. When we stayed in the ALTA resort near Mactan, the hotels very own “trusted” company would simply tell me that it was 400 pesos to SM Mall, and as we were in the middle of nowhere as far as I was concerned, I had little choice but to pay.
Dusty Roads! I had a cough for most of my time and only just getting rid of it.. The reason... Dusty roads!! When you see people riding bikes looking like the Taliban, you know a face mask is needed.. Lesson learned:Brick:
The Ugly
Poverty! Every day I was reminded of the severe lack of money to so many in the Philippines. Even though I had read about it on this forum it was still a shock to the system. I could not see any trickle down in this economy. And it was shocking to learn just how much money the average Filipino earns in a day… I had been to Thailand and was expecting a similar experience, with various degrees of wealth scattered throughout. Not so! I can only recall a few nice looking houses in all my time there, everything else was built by those who lived there, by brick, bamboo or wood.. And a lot of shanty houses built in the smallest of spaces, but housing large families. :NoNo:
The Beggars! I remember in Barili a woman was going from house to house and walking into the houses and gardens looking for spare money or food, never before had I seen that! People would try and open the taxi door that I was sat behind to get at me as they pleaded for money (money I often did not carry with me). Small Children wait outside Jollibee for the hope of a few pesos here or there.
Overall Perception
My overall thoughts for my time in the Philippines are mixed. I truly miss the place, despite my complaints when I was coughing and itching for all those mosquito bites. I miss being with Rizza! I miss her family, whom I had gotten to know quite well..
I wont miss Filipino TV, and the day we get it in the UK on my TV will be a day I dread.. I won’t miss the food, but from time to time when I go back I am sure I will try more of it.
And Rizza..
She can read this so I had better be careful! When we first met it was strange at first, we were both nervous and curious. I think it really took a few days for us to truly feel comfortable with each other, despite my occasional western faux pas….
I remember vividly spending so much time just talking to her, being with her and just enjoying this amazing woman at my side. We joked around a lot, confusing bystanders. And I spent my time there being fussed over and mothered by Rizza, something completely alien to me since I was a child! But also nice for me, if on the odd occasion a slight annoyance..
I annoyed Rizza quite few times. Sometimes by accident nd sometimes on purpose. I too was annoyed by the way courtship is with a Filipina, often wishing for some time alone with her. Also Rizza is conservative, so that was a learning curve for a liberal Mancunian like myself.. But, I think knew even then how much I was enjoying her company and her smiles.
When we finally parted company, the tears on both our faces said more than was needed to be said!
And so I am back in a long distance relationship, but with more of a heartache as I miss everything about Rizza! And yesterday I got to see her for the first time on a web camera since we parted and those final moments at Cebu Airport came flying back into my memory… :bigcry::bigcry:
:ARsurrender::love:
:)