Letter home

Hello folks,

Things here are OK. They are a bit boring, while I orient myself here. I am a tv-aholic and if I am not at work I am in front of the tv. Bad news there. We cancelled the Satelite service, but we still have it...and I can't seem to get away from the tube. I did get a membership to the Gold's gym and have started my usual am activity. Funny thing is...Gold's is associated with an upscale coffee shop. So after a brisk and sweaty workout ya gotta walk thru the guts of "Gloria's Coffee" just as they are pulling out the cinnamon buns. Holy Cow! If that doesn't challenge one's fortitude, yur a rock.

Every weekend to date has been busy. Between the odd sight-seeing trip into town and work travel I have had to go shopping. It takes me more time than it should to go food shopping... everything is new. I have to read every label and every tag to suss out what is the article I'm holding. The pictures and logos are all new to me and so there is no such thing as brand loyalty. Everything takes twice as long... and then you gotta factor in the repeat trip for all the things I forgot to get.

That is the grocery shopping story. As far as the rest...well this place (particularly Manila) is a mall culture. Folks go to the malls just for the A/C, tho it is getting cooler now and less humid (I can live thru the night without the a/c in the room). You can buy anything you like in the malls. It only takes cash. Designer stuff? you name it. If you come, I will take you to the pearl mall and get you outfitted. Good deals to be had, I understand. I am hoping to chill this weekend. Maybe go to one of the 4 mega-malls in the 100m radius and pick up a Barong. This is a local style shirt to be used on formal occassions. It is a pull-over style with an embroidered collar and fancy buttons. The long-sleeved variety is for most formal occasions. Me...I just need another shirt so I can make it through the week without doing laundry - t-shirts and shorts are not acceptable work attire. Bummer. Not like the old days at the MoF!

Speaking of laundry, we have a machine in the apartment. It is not an automatic like we have at home. While it is possible to have one of those, our appartment has the "old-fashioned" version of wash tub with an attached spinner. So the rinse and spin cycles are manually enacted. The aggitator for the washer is very destructive. And the soap powder is truly corrosive. You should see my t-shirts! They could now fit the average orangutang ...

Manila is hot and stinky. Our apartment on the 19 floor has a great view of the smog over Manila. All my co-workers are amazed and excited at the view. I wonder what they are seeing? Too bad I have this thing with elevators.

I have figured out what folks have for breakfast. Turns out it is the same as is available for lunch. And for dinner. White rice and a saucy (tho not spicy) meat dish on the side. Veggies are hard to come by. I eat my 1/3 cup oatmeal for breakfast. I wish I had brought some protein powder. I have done some math and have learned that it is more economical to buy food which is prepared. I can get in the mall food-courts food at 50-80 pesos per meal ($1.5-$2). In my local tin shed eatery 30-40 pesos ($0.75-$1 and the hepatitis is free). It cost me around 50-60 pesos to home make stir-fried rice (with shrimp and chicken and egg and veggies). What is the point of the effort to do that?