First day in Manila. Made some rookie mistakes: didn't carry pocket change and got milked by cab driver who harmlessly pretended to not know the way and took me on a huge detour. 200 peso ride turned into 600. Pride of a seasoned world traveler gone instantly.
On the plane I asked for Filipino newspapers and read them diligently. In fact, I often read a country's newspaper (in a language I understand, that is) before landing there because it's a good way to understand what people care about and the general culture. From glazing through the Philippine Star, I gathered a few things: the major role Catholicism plays in the society, the ongoing clash between values, a confusing mixture of frustration and hope about the country's future -- all from one article regarding the debate on contraception (RH/reproductive health bill). Let these observations stand the trial of the next 20 fact-finding days in the middle of rainy season.
On a shallower note, I crossed out one more country off my list of ASEAN countries to visit. Brunei is the last :D
On the plane I asked for Filipino newspapers and read them diligently. In fact, I often read a country's newspaper (in a language I understand, that is) before landing there because it's a good way to understand what people care about and the general culture. From glazing through the Philippine Star, I gathered a few things: the major role Catholicism plays in the society, the ongoing clash between values, a confusing mixture of frustration and hope about the country's future -- all from one article regarding the debate on contraception (RH/reproductive health bill). Let these observations stand the trial of the next 20 fact-finding days in the middle of rainy season.
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| Arriving in NAIA, Manila, the Philippines. |
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