Well I am in Boracay now, and I have the opportunity to spell opportunity correctly thanks to two corrections. I am glad people are keeping up with my blog enough to be concerned with how I spell things hahaha.
Anyways Boracay is awesome, it is being developed very rapidly and I am surrounded by a concoction of crystal clear waters, Koreans, white sandy beaches, Filipinos selling sunglasses and massages, and bancas all over the place. I got to scuba dive a shipwreck site yesterday and that was awesome. The dive took us to 29 meters or almost 100 feet and I got to swim inside the ship and even look out over the hull from where the steering wheel once was. Tonight I am going on a night dive, and tomorrow a dive with sharks that I am super pumped about. Life is great here and I'm going to go relax on the beach, take care.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Cebu City
Well after our overnight ferry ride which included some comfy cots for sleeping we arrived in Cebu aroun 8:30 in the morning two hours behind schedule. This was due to the ferry running on one engine instead of two because it was broken. From what I have gathered thus far on my trip this is a fairly normal affair. We checked into our hotel relaxed for a bit and I went with three other dudes to a place where they make guitars. We got to just walk on and see the whole hand-making process, here some Filipinos play great tunes, and two of the dudes bought instruments.
After we returned from that we went and toured Lexmark's manufacturing factories that are here in Cebu. If you own a Lexmark printer there is a high chance your ink cartridges come from the Philippines. It was wild seeing the factory and how many automated and mechanized processes there were. It was also loud, im talking you need to raise your voice significantly to have a conversation, and most of the noises were similar to finger-nails on a chalkboard. It was by no means a sweat-shop but it certainly was not appealing to me. We were reassured that Lexmark has one of the better factories as far as payment, working conditions, and treatment of the workers. The double-minimum wages recieved by the workers is equlivalent to U.S. 10$ per day, but many of the workers make more than that. All of the information provided by Lexmark was very vague, but they did give us cold sodas and chocolate cake. I'm not entirely sure why this was but it was delicious. All in all a good experience that makes me really appreciate the opurtunities I have in the states.
To end the night we sang karoke and danced including a dance move in which my dance partner dropped me on the ground. We went to a place that had a strange name that I don't remember at the time but it advertised the "coldiest beer." I will attest that the beer was very coldie.
Today we woke up really early and took a ferry to the island of Bohol for an eco-tour in Buena Vista. Eco-tourism is really cool because all of the money goes directly to the locals instead of to a rich resort owner who probably doesn't need more money anyways. What we did was ride on canoes through the mangrove forests and then have a delicious seafood dinner that included fresh crabs, shrimp, squid, raw oysters, mangos, and coconuts. It was one of the best meals I can remember and I learned a lot about the anatomy of seafood. It was cool seeing that shrimp actually do have eyes. Utilizing the shrimp with eyes to our advantage we quickly played with them and made them talk to other people. Very childish, but very fun. The locals sang some songs and did some dancing for us and it was so much fun. The fun was made even better because we were out of Cebu, which is the dirtiest city I have ever seen. Even compared to Manila, it is hotter, dirtier, cheaper, and has more homeless families by far. Luckily Cebu is one of Asia's central hubs for shipping and manufacturing. Labor in Cebu is far cheaper than labor in Mexico to put things in perspective.
I just walked through a downpour to get here but luckily air conditioning doesnt really exist in the Philippines so I am quite comfortable. I am sad the Pens lost, but happy to be leaving Cebu tomorrow to go to Boracay.
After we returned from that we went and toured Lexmark's manufacturing factories that are here in Cebu. If you own a Lexmark printer there is a high chance your ink cartridges come from the Philippines. It was wild seeing the factory and how many automated and mechanized processes there were. It was also loud, im talking you need to raise your voice significantly to have a conversation, and most of the noises were similar to finger-nails on a chalkboard. It was by no means a sweat-shop but it certainly was not appealing to me. We were reassured that Lexmark has one of the better factories as far as payment, working conditions, and treatment of the workers. The double-minimum wages recieved by the workers is equlivalent to U.S. 10$ per day, but many of the workers make more than that. All of the information provided by Lexmark was very vague, but they did give us cold sodas and chocolate cake. I'm not entirely sure why this was but it was delicious. All in all a good experience that makes me really appreciate the opurtunities I have in the states.
To end the night we sang karoke and danced including a dance move in which my dance partner dropped me on the ground. We went to a place that had a strange name that I don't remember at the time but it advertised the "coldiest beer." I will attest that the beer was very coldie.
Today we woke up really early and took a ferry to the island of Bohol for an eco-tour in Buena Vista. Eco-tourism is really cool because all of the money goes directly to the locals instead of to a rich resort owner who probably doesn't need more money anyways. What we did was ride on canoes through the mangrove forests and then have a delicious seafood dinner that included fresh crabs, shrimp, squid, raw oysters, mangos, and coconuts. It was one of the best meals I can remember and I learned a lot about the anatomy of seafood. It was cool seeing that shrimp actually do have eyes. Utilizing the shrimp with eyes to our advantage we quickly played with them and made them talk to other people. Very childish, but very fun. The locals sang some songs and did some dancing for us and it was so much fun. The fun was made even better because we were out of Cebu, which is the dirtiest city I have ever seen. Even compared to Manila, it is hotter, dirtier, cheaper, and has more homeless families by far. Luckily Cebu is one of Asia's central hubs for shipping and manufacturing. Labor in Cebu is far cheaper than labor in Mexico to put things in perspective.
I just walked through a downpour to get here but luckily air conditioning doesnt really exist in the Philippines so I am quite comfortable. I am sad the Pens lost, but happy to be leaving Cebu tomorrow to go to Boracay.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Island
Hey anybody who reads this!
I have returned to what most refer to as normal life after being on Apo Island. Apo is a small island with a population of less than 1000, I will have the exact population later in the week. Anyways it is small, beautiful, has crystal clear water, and amazing coral reefs and aquatic life. I got to experience life in the ocean first hand as I got open water scuba certified. The training and dives were incredible, my brain lacks knowledge of words fit to describe my time there. The people there were extremely generous and genuine. My population register project was a breeze because all of the locals wanted to work really hard to help me out. Apo is also not developed in any major way and lives sustainably on rain water, solar power, and fishing. They import some things like beer and amenities, but these are not necessary for the locals to sustain healthy lives there.
Scuba diving was insane, I saw any brightly colored fish imaginable and even sea turtles, eels, and sea snakes. The feeling is being able to breath underwater is somewhat like what I imagine being in space to be like. Gravity doesn't really happen anymore once you establish neutral buoyancy and you just float suspended.
Aside from diving I got to sing karaoke in the village with the locals and that was a riot of a good time. Once again the locals were buying beers for me, even though they do not have very much money. I tried my best to return all of the favors, but their generosity knows no limits. Karaoke was awesome though, I got to sing Bon Jovi's Bed of Roses duet style with one of the locals named Cali? He was a random 30 year old guy I met who sings karaoke every night just because he loves it.
I have to go eat before an all night ferry right to Cebu City. Hope to hear from everyone soon.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sex Tourism
After a misreable bus ride back to Manila from Banaue. (Misreable because we sat above the engine where the temperature was approximately 120 degrees. Keep in mind: A. we are in the tropics, B. our bus was constantly going up and down hills, C. most of the windows on the bus had cracks from being broken, D. the air conditioning got warmer as it got farther back. This combination left me shirtless on a bouncy seat sweating my butt off instead of sleeping. Traveling like the locals really makes you appreciate traveling like we normally do.
Tonight we went to the "girly bars" or the sex bars where foreigners come to buy sex. I went to about 10 different bars and talked to numerous girls and it was very enlightening but also extremely sad. We paid the girls just to talk to them, because obviously we are not paying them for sex, but we care about them suporting their families. When I say families it is because the girls are supporting not only them selves, but also kids, and also parents and brothers and sisters. Working in the sex bars is one of the best paying jobs in the entire country, and it is very easy for young girls to get hired.
We did our best to not support the bars, so we gave money straight to the girls. I found out that ALL of them were supporting more than themselves, many of them were in Universities trying to pay for school, and some of them had graduated but have not been able to find work. These are very smart and very bright girls. They are very kind, down to earth real people that I enjoyed talking to very much. Before anyone gets the impression that they only talked because I was paying them, know that I did not pay them until I was leaving and that I told them I was not loking to take them back to the Makate Palace (out current hotel) with me. The girls I talked to told me that they wish there was other work where they could make enough money, and when talking about my major and travels they said they think I should come back to the Philippines and hire them to work for me so they do not have to work in the sex bars anymore.
Soem of the conversations were very deep, very honest, very joyful, and very sad. One of the girls I talked to had multiple scars on her wrists and we talked about that and she shared about herself to me. I know this does not make anybody's day to hear about this but it is part of my experience that had impacted me very deeply already.
fyi: Most of the customers are Americans and Brits in their 50's and 60's. All ages are included though from 20's and up, and there are also customers from Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, etc. Seeing the guys in these clubs paying to picm up girls 40 years younger than them was the hardest part of the whole night. To be honest all I wanted to do was beat the hell out of them. I know they are real people too, and I do not know them or their stories so I should not judge them, but is it so damn hard.
On a happier note, tomorrowe we are leaving Manila, and the island of Luzon to fly to Dumageti (spelling?) and then take a boat to Apo Island. Apo is a small sustainable community model on an Island with less than 1000 people. My project takes place here and I will be conduscting a population register and figureing out total fertility rates, and population growth rates to see if the Apo community is outgrowing itself when the register is taken again by another student next year. I will also be getting scuba certified. There will be no internet for me for the next 5 days so I will post again when I can.
Tonight we went to the "girly bars" or the sex bars where foreigners come to buy sex. I went to about 10 different bars and talked to numerous girls and it was very enlightening but also extremely sad. We paid the girls just to talk to them, because obviously we are not paying them for sex, but we care about them suporting their families. When I say families it is because the girls are supporting not only them selves, but also kids, and also parents and brothers and sisters. Working in the sex bars is one of the best paying jobs in the entire country, and it is very easy for young girls to get hired.
We did our best to not support the bars, so we gave money straight to the girls. I found out that ALL of them were supporting more than themselves, many of them were in Universities trying to pay for school, and some of them had graduated but have not been able to find work. These are very smart and very bright girls. They are very kind, down to earth real people that I enjoyed talking to very much. Before anyone gets the impression that they only talked because I was paying them, know that I did not pay them until I was leaving and that I told them I was not loking to take them back to the Makate Palace (out current hotel) with me. The girls I talked to told me that they wish there was other work where they could make enough money, and when talking about my major and travels they said they think I should come back to the Philippines and hire them to work for me so they do not have to work in the sex bars anymore.
Soem of the conversations were very deep, very honest, very joyful, and very sad. One of the girls I talked to had multiple scars on her wrists and we talked about that and she shared about herself to me. I know this does not make anybody's day to hear about this but it is part of my experience that had impacted me very deeply already.
fyi: Most of the customers are Americans and Brits in their 50's and 60's. All ages are included though from 20's and up, and there are also customers from Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, etc. Seeing the guys in these clubs paying to picm up girls 40 years younger than them was the hardest part of the whole night. To be honest all I wanted to do was beat the hell out of them. I know they are real people too, and I do not know them or their stories so I should not judge them, but is it so damn hard.
On a happier note, tomorrowe we are leaving Manila, and the island of Luzon to fly to Dumageti (spelling?) and then take a boat to Apo Island. Apo is a small sustainable community model on an Island with less than 1000 people. My project takes place here and I will be conduscting a population register and figureing out total fertility rates, and population growth rates to see if the Apo community is outgrowing itself when the register is taken again by another student next year. I will also be getting scuba certified. There will be no internet for me for the next 5 days so I will post again when I can.
Monday, May 19, 2008
More Hiking
quick update:
hiked rice terraces in the sunshine for about 4 hours today in Banaue. We ended at an overlook that is the featured picture on the 1000 Peso note. Later today we are taking the Autobus back to Manila, but we will be spending time in Makati, which is the rich district. We will be looking at things like how Gucci stores can exist while people are living in poverty all over the place. We will also be going to the "girly bars" or bars where commercial sex tourism takes place. We will be paying the girls only to talk to them and learn more about their lives. I am excited and nervous for this as I know it will be a very emotional experience. I am very tired from all of the hiking but very satisfied. The weather is clearing up too and the sun is back in full force. Hope everyone is doing well, does anybody know how the Penguins are doing???
hiked rice terraces in the sunshine for about 4 hours today in Banaue. We ended at an overlook that is the featured picture on the 1000 Peso note. Later today we are taking the Autobus back to Manila, but we will be spending time in Makati, which is the rich district. We will be looking at things like how Gucci stores can exist while people are living in poverty all over the place. We will also be going to the "girly bars" or bars where commercial sex tourism takes place. We will be paying the girls only to talk to them and learn more about their lives. I am excited and nervous for this as I know it will be a very emotional experience. I am very tired from all of the hiking but very satisfied. The weather is clearing up too and the sun is back in full force. Hope everyone is doing well, does anybody know how the Penguins are doing???
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Perfect
Well I have been very active since I last posted. On Saturday we hiked for 5 hours from Banaue to Batad. Batad is the home of the Ifugao people. They have lived in Batad for over 2000 years, and are responsible for the rice terraces that coved the mountains there. Literally there are not words in any language that I am familiar with to describe this place. It is by far one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen, and to think that it is over 2000 years old is mindblowing. Today after staying overnight in the terraces, we hiked all over them, and even hiked down to a waterfall. Our toure took us over the terraces, down into the valley, and around a mountain. It was detrimental to my mental health going from one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and back to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Here are pictures because the English language knows no words to accurately describe what I have seen. Keep in mind that pictures also cannot do justice to this place.
Batad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered by many to be the 8th Wonder of the World. It is sad though because the people that work the terraces still have to import rice, and are very poor. The only way to get to Batad is by hiking, and though I love this style of transportation, it deters many tourists. Keep in mind I am a Traveler, and not a Tourist, there is a big difference.
Leaving Batad included a beautiful 2 hour hike up into the mountains and then riding on the roof of a jeepney down dirt roads and next to landslides to Banaue, about 5-6 miles away. In case you have been wondering what a jeepney is here is a photo:
Note: Please click on any photo for a full size version: well worth the click!
Batad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered by many to be the 8th Wonder of the World. It is sad though because the people that work the terraces still have to import rice, and are very poor. The only way to get to Batad is by hiking, and though I love this style of transportation, it deters many tourists. Keep in mind I am a Traveler, and not a Tourist, there is a big difference.
Leaving Batad included a beautiful 2 hour hike up into the mountains and then riding on the roof of a jeepney down dirt roads and next to landslides to Banaue, about 5-6 miles away. In case you have been wondering what a jeepney is here is a photo:
Note: Please click on any photo for a full size version: well worth the click!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Arrival in Banaue
Well our trip to Banaue was interesting to say the least. We rode on an old bus at had almost all of the windows repaired at one point or another due to broken glass. It was also designed for people who are very short. Buses are known for not having a lot of leg room, but is it by a large margin the least leg room I have ever seen. To add insult to injury the bus has one air conditioning setting and it is freezing. It was probably about 45-55 degrees in the bus and I was cold wearing long pants and long sleeves. Even though the odds were against me I still managed to get a lot of sleep. The bus did not have a bathroom so we stopped anytime anybody on the bus had to pee. Getting out of Manila took far longer than expected and the whole time all we did was get more behind schedule. Then I woke up to find that we were sitting still because there were two impassable landslides up ahead on the mountain roads we were on. We ended up getting off the bus, getting all of our belongings and hiking past the landslide. We then caught a jeepney to the next landslide for 20 pesos. It was about 10k to the next landslide and then we had to wait for an earthmover to clear a path before we could walk through. This was crucial because the water was so high on the high side where we were that we would have had to swim. The path was cleared, the water ran through, and then we passed through, knee deep in mud. We caught another jeepney and sat on the roof with our bags for the next 26 kilometers to Banaue. Luckily the weather was clear for our ride because it has been raining since we arrived. Here is a picture of the second landslide:
Here are some pictures from the past couple days the first one is a view from the garbage dump that shows the squatter settlements next to it.
Second is a view of the volcano's crater that we swam in. Notice the crater from the supervolcanoe in the distance, it is the lake behind.
Third is Reggie and me riding on top of the jeepney on our way back from the volcanoe
Hope you enjoy the pictures, it has been overcast and rainy from the remanants of a typhoon down south. We still have had plenty of sun though. The pictures don't really do justice to any of the places we have been but I hope you enjoy them.
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