A Different Way of Life

I guess it’s my turn to make an entry.

So much has happened in the last few days. We visited my aunt’s house on Tuesday, and I got to see my little cousins who are pretty entertaining. They don't speak tagalog at all, but they have a thick Filipino accent when they speak english, and are just all around funny. My aunt is a cardiologist, and so is her husband, so they kind of live the high life and luxury. They have their own driver who brought us from the SEARCA dorms to their house, and he pretty much brings us anywhere we need to go.

I couldn’t help but notice though, that on the way to my aunt’s house, you could clearly see the gap between the upper and middle class. We passed so many places where the shops are just shanties along the road. There was a railroad too, where people were living maybe four or five feet away from the tracks. Kids were playing on the tracks. It was an entire neighborhood. We were getting gas for the car and our driver had to keep turning little boys away who kept going up to the car window to try and sell what little knickknacks/necklaces they handcrafted from flower petals or stones, just to make some money to get by. We’re sitting in this air conditioned car and there were plenty of people all around us who were just trying to scrape by. It really is an eye opener.

Back to my aunt and uncle, since they are probably one of the top cardiologists in the Philippines, they were invited to stay at the Shangri-la Hotel here in Manila. They got three free rooms from companies sponsoring them, and she offered to let Jessica, my mom, and I stay in one. Let me just say, this hotel is incredible! I’ve never stayed anywhere so nice. Jessica talked about how customer service in the department stores was unmatched, well you can just imagine how well they take care of the people who can actually afford a 5-star hotel like this. People press the elevator buttons FOR me. The hotel is just all around impressive, everything is ornate and decorative, and they have a pool and gym and an amazing restaurant called “Heat”, where they serve a ton of great food, and much of it is Filipino. I’m taking advantage of all the good food now because I know it won’t be anywhere near as available once I return to Los Banos. Here’s some photos of the hotel:

The hotel lobby

On a path outside

Poolside

Jessica at the fish pond

Manny Pacquiao..awww yeaaa

Jessica in the hotel room

So yea, it’s a really nice place. And the food, wow…so much GOOD food. They have a few American foods here, like eggs and bacon, but why eat that when you’re at an international restaurant? Most notable was the longanisa (sweet tasting Filipino type of sausage), pandesal (best bread EVER), ensaymada (okay, another good pastry dessert and contender for best bread ever), corned beef from scratch(not that canned stuff at the stores in the U.S.), rice (always a staple).

Longanisa

Ensaymada

OH, and we went to Jollibee’s, which is like the McDonalds of the Philippines except ten times better.

I had steak and mushrooms with rice, a meal which unbelievably still tastes as good as it did 14 years ago when I first had it. I was shocked that they still made it!!

Jessica had a champ burger, which to be honest beats the skinny McDonald’s burgers by a mile.

Yea, the food here is delicious.

So anyway, as I sit here in the hotel at 1 A.M., I continue to marvel at how clearly the societal gap is displayed here in the Philippines. I know this is just a favor for us, being able to stay here, because when we return to Los Banos we will probably see more of how the average person lives their daily life here in the Philippines. I know that after seeing all these things first-hand, I have a greater appreciation what I have in the U.S. I’m grateful for being able to actually have a home that isn’t rattled by a train every hour or so, that I have a comfortable bed to sleep in each night, and that I know exactly where my food and water are coming from every day. For many others here, though, it is truly a different way of life.