currently blogging at my other blog

Mahalo!

Last night in Manila

Peter and I are packing for our return to Hawaii tomorrow morning. We will be leaving my parent's house at 5 a.m. to get there by 6 a.m. for our 9 a.m. flight. It's a holiday tomorrow so we expect light traffic along the major roads leading to the airport.

The weather has been wet and rainy this past week. Classes were suspended for 3 consecutive days. I was happy about this because I was able to spend some time with my mom who's always busy with school and office work. I also spent time with my dad doing home improvement stuff in their house: installing a new toilet, install a new faucet fixture/replace a pvc connection, put in a shut off valve for the water tank, clean-up after the exterminators did their job (at the cost of their dog, Pepper's life, who accidentally licked the pesticide that day), and other minor jobs around the house.

This morning during the English service my mom and I played together, piano and organ, during the Prelude and Postlude; then I accompanied another visiting UPCYMian, Ruby Agnir, during the offertory. Her husband, the retired Rev. Federico Agnir, delivered message.

My mom, Peter and I along with my brother, Jun and his girlfriend, Heidi, went to the new SM City The Block to have lunch at the Healthy Shabu Shabu place, while my Dad was in a pot luck lunch/meeting with the UPCYM alumni.

All in all, our visit here in the Philippines has been very productive, work-wise. Lots more to do so Peter might return before the end of this year again to continue what he had started.

As always, leaving will be hard because my family are all here. But, knowing that we are all connected eventhough we are apart brings me comfort and assurance that we will all see each other again.

I will definitely return next year for three very important things: my Mom's retirement in July, the UPCYM reunion in August, and the U.P. Centennial celebrations and College of Music homecoming in September 6.

For now, thanks for reading our travel blog. I will resume my daily blogging at my other blog:
http://huakai1969.blogspot.com/

Mahalo!

There were a number of small tools stloen from our beach property shed last night or early this morning. When Peter got to the property he noticed the tools gone. That night he heard Nate's voice as if he were right next to him. He freaked out a bit, but now understood that Nate's voice was a warning that something was happening. Now he has replaced those tools and has asked the neighbor, Elizabeth's Garden, employees to store our tools for the mean time while the shed is being built.

It is truly sad that people would resort to stealing. For what? What is the satisfaction in that? Won't their conscience bother them? I just hope that the people who stole the stuff would have an epiphany: that doing bad things will only bring more bad things into their lives, and that by doing the reverse, will bring more good in their lives.

The positive side to this is that the tools were easily replaceable.

Because of this Peter has hired Manolo to watch over the property for the time being.

Dearest Kawilihan (visayan term for "source of joy"),

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR NIECE! Now you are 10 years old. We pray and hope that you will remain to be the "source of joy" of your family. We love you and miss you a whole lot!!!

God bless you always.
Love,
Auntie Mimi and Uncle Peter

We've been busy working that I haven't been able to post since the beginning of this month. The work at the beach continues despite the rain. Peter has been supervising the boys on their work to build a caretaker's compost toilet, tool/supply shed, and the mounds to cover the roots of the trees. He's also did a lot of leg work to get the electric meter and correct electrical wires connected - he is just too happy to get it done today. Now he'll just have to complete the building of the compost toilet and shed then finish up before returning to Manila before our flight back to Hawaii.

When it rains, it pours...buckets and buckets of water! Every Filipino must have prayed for the rains to come to replenish the Angat Dam which has been below its critical level. Now, after typhoon Chedeng and the current one, Dodong, the water level at the dam has increased about 1.5 meters. Still under the critical level but at least it is rising.

The problem the Philippine still faces after all these years is with regard to the drainage all over Metro Manila and some of the densely populated city provinces. One of the reasons the drains do not work is because most of the Filipinos do not know how to dispose of their rubbish (which is mostly plastic) - some throw them in a nearby canal or drain thinking that they will all wash away once the water flows through. Is it the lack of common sense or the lack of respect for other Filipinos - doing things without thinking about the consequences because they just don't care. What is it really?

Filipinos are a very hospitable lot, especially with their family and friends, But, very seldom, with other fellow Filipinos they encounter along the streets or the malls.

Just drive in Manila or anywhere in the Philippines. Every driver seems to be very impatient. If the lane they are on is slow, they immediately swerve to the next lane without first looking at their rear view mirror if it is clear. If one car swerves, the rest swerves along with it, just like a ripple. Despite this habit, the Filipino drivers have the best reflexes when it comes to maneuvering their vehicles. There aren't that many accidents in the roads or highways.

The worst drivers I've seen are the bus drivers and jeepney drivers. The bus drivers feel like they are the kings of the road that they can easily switch from lane to lane while speeding. They would weave along the roads as if they were the only vehicle there. Then when a passenger needs to ride or get off, they would stop (on a dime) wherever they are - in the middle of the road or diagonally along the road. Then if they need to make a u-turn, they do it from the right most lane then block everyone while they do it. The reason for this impatience and non-caring habit is because all these drivers compete with the other drivers to get the most passengers per day for more income. Hence, the racing to get all the passengers along the roads and highways.

Another reason why the buses and jeepneys stop wherever is because the passengers themselves choose to stop wherever it is the most convenient and nearest their destination. They also choose to wait to flag a bus or jeepney or taxi right where they are (eventhough are are loading and unloading areas along the road), they even occupy the 2 right most lanes during rush hour so that these public transportation vehicles will see them.

I am too scared to drive here because I am not used to dealing with 1) vehicles that do not stay in their own lanes, or signal when they wish to change, 2) pedestrians that cross the street everywhere (even if there's an overpass walkway just a few feet from where they are, 3) the motorcycles that drive close to you and weave in and out of lanes even if it's only less than 2 feet of space.

I remember taking the driving test here. The rules of the road are the same as in the U.S. but once they have gotten their licenses and drive the streets of Manila the rules have disappeared. In China, road rules are just suggestions, as I've heard someone explain to me. In the Philippines, road rules are no rules at all. No wonder that if you have driven in the Philippines you will definitely be able to drive anywhere in the world.