Makati City, Philippines

[slang]

Fast food here on Luzon. Not exactly McDo but some good foods for a cheap price here.

[glatt]

I only see one uncovered dish. The rest are under lids or behind sneeze guards. It's a very hygienic place.

[SparkStalker]

Originally Posted by slang

I know so very little about you but I'm guessing that they're curious and or wanting to practice their English OR that they just want to have sex with you but were too shy to ask.

I hope that wasn't it...it was always guys.

I'm a white man, 6-2 260 and I'm friendly to the locals. My wife's a local here and most of the people that I am with are pinoys.

If there was a young uniformed man following me in the Glorietta mall carrying an M4 and not smiling, I'd be nervous. Anything short of that I personally would just start talking to them.

Pinoys love foreigners and they love Americans the best. Assuming that YOU are not carrying an M4 around with you, they're most likely just wanting to speak to you.

Unless of course they say that aweful phrase...."you buy now"

It could very well have been. It was just a bit off-putting...and when I did speak to them, they seemed really nervous. I'm not a big guy by any means, so I doubt it was my intimidating physical presence. :p

Originally Posted by slang

Was the overall experience positive?

It was an interesting place. I probably would have enjoyed it more had it been at a different time in life. But unfortunately, it came up shortly after my mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. That really put a damper on my excitement to be there.

I've heard that the call centers here are a great deal for the locals here and the clients. We have someone working in one and is quite happy. Win win situations are so rare nowdays it's a good thing to see.

It's definitely good for the people there. Apparently, a degree is required to work in the call centers that my wife visited. It's a strange thought...over here, the call centers are usually staffed by the people not quite cut out for higher education.

[slang]

Originally Posted by glatt

I only see one uncovered dish. The rest are under lids or behind sneeze guards. It's a very hygienic place.

In that way it is hygenic Glatt, but you have to know about how the meats are prepared. How they are cut and cooked.

In the lower level of this commerical plaza is the meat cutters area. You can smell the meats well before you arrive there. There are no freezers or refridgorators there. The flies are waved off with swatters that dont stop moving.

After several long discussions with my wife I've decided to eat some of the same foods that she and family does here.

Some of those meats from that exact shop has ended up on our table.

This is not my preference but given that the better butchers are so far away out in the country areas, I've taken my chances.

Just like sausage and laws, the less you know the better.

As for the food court itself? The sneeze guards are nice and most all foods are covered, but where are the dishes washed and is hot water used?

I didnt see any active sinks.

Wish me luck buddy.

[slang]

Before I reply I'd like to say thanks for you quick responses. I'm very curious about your trip here and to hear about specific experiences.

Originally Posted by SparkStalker

I hope that wasn't it...it was always guys.

Well, there is an unusually large community of gays there but it sounds like that was not the case for you.

The Tagalog word for gay is "ba-ding" and they always try to catch my attention. Most likely just because I'm a foreigner, American, and they assume that my opinion of gays is better than the locals.

In any case, they fling their hair, batt their eyes and even take their tops down a bit. The gay men here seem to have quite large breasts medically, I'm assuming.

We've got a few in the family here. It's a very interesting community, I'll say that.

No Zippy, I'm not a switch hitter.

Originally Posted by SparkStalker

It could very well have been. It was just a bit off-putting...and when I did speak to them, they seemed really nervous. I'm not a big guy by any means, so I doubt it was my intimidating physical presence.

Ok, this is making more sense to me. If you came here without any family or friends that are pinoy, no natives walking with you, they are cautious but friendly.

Many of the first conversations that I had with people in this neighborhood were very cautious. There is a strong colonial mentality here and they are overall a bit passive.

Most have been verbally abused or embarassed by some foreigner at one time or another. Let's face it, their country is not nearly as developed as western countries. They feel that with new foreigners.

Another point is that they generally understand much more English than they can speak. Most are aware of their accent.

Many had thanked me in our second and third meeting for not being rude or making fun of them for living here in this culture. That many of the normal things for them everyday are somehow unacceptable by the Americans.

I've found this to be true with other Americans visiting the native areas. It's much different here in many ways. Some of those ways are scary.

So, back to your experience, I can imagine them wanting to be friendly to you, to maybe learn from you and to make a new friend. At the same time they might be nervous because you have no direct connection, say your wife growing up in the Phils, so you might have a bad impression of them for the condition of the country compared to the US.

Please understand me....all non-white Americans, if you are white in the Phils, you are a priviledged minority.

That's not to say that all other variations of Americans are not appreciated there but the whites have privilidge.

So, I cant imagine them keeping an eye on your for fear of you stealing something or the like. Curiosity most likely IMO.

Originally Posted by SparkStalker

It was an interesting place. I probably would have enjoyed it more had it been at a different time in life. But unfortunately, it came up shortly after my mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. That really put a damper on my excitement to be there.

I'm so sorry to hear that. In that same situation my excitement would be gone as well.

My mother passed very slowly years ago with various cancers. It was the most difficult emotional event in my life.

Originally Posted by SparkStalker

It's definitely good for the people there. Apparently, a degree is required to work in the call centers that my wife visited. It's a strange thought...over here, the call centers are usually staffed by the people not quite cut out for higher education.

We have nieces and nephews that work in them. They love it and although they have bachelor degrees or above it's a very viable option here for a career. Not at all like the US.

There are two very important factors to being employed there. Their job is to offer technical assistance for a variety of IT and engineering type tasks, so having a tech degree is a must. The other must is the use and understanding of the English language.

Yes, it is true, in the US if you have hit bottom, you're only option might be a call center job.

In those cases though, the position is just as a salesperson on the phone. The call centers here in the Phils are often tech assistance centers to be more accurate.

There are tons of ads in the papers here that if you can pass the English test ( I think it's called the TOFEL) then you can get a position selling on the phone.

I wouldnt encourage any of our family here to do that. Those people have done nothing but irritate me over the years. They bring very little value to the world IMO.

For those that have English skills though, I suppose it's better than what life has to offer here.

[slang]

Goat: ba-aa-aa. I'm tito's goat, you can't eat me.

Slang: Mother effer. I wonder what tito wants for this talking goat?

[Shawnee123]

Goats are so darn cute. I love the pics in this thread, slang.

[slang]

Have a minute to spare? Take a walk with me into this bakery. It's a Goldilocks. I'll spot you some pesos. Take a look ( and smell ) what they have to offer.

This is the upscale bakery here. Their foods are fresh and actually have a sell date.

[slang]

When was the last time you have Cracker Jacks? They used to be great. Now they're not.

Check out the circled bag of "nutty caramel popcorn". This is what CJ used to be. It's about a buck and tears will leak out of your eyes when you eat these. Absolutely delicious.

[slang]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Goats are so darn cute. I love the pics in this thread, slang.

Thank you Shawnee. I'm so glad that you like the photos I post here.


Everyone here: You take too effing many pics slang! Leave the cam home.
Slang: What!? I'll have you know that millions of people all over the world see these photos and they fall in LOVE with the Phils! As bad as things are here don't you think it makes more sense to get some good press for the Philippines.
Everyone here:
Slang: You're GD right. Lucky for you I'm not charging you all for the time and energy ( )

[Shawnee123]

You know that's not true! This is a beloved thread!

[slang]

There are several galvanized truck bodies in front of this traders shop. These are of the hummer look alike but there are jeep type bodies too.

I could only take these photos as the car passed the shop but I was very curious as to the price and configuration of the hum vee body.

Creating a nice looking surface on galvanized steel is tricky or costly as well.

It'd still be a cool ride. The authentic hummers would be (guessing) in the $70k range here.

[slang]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

You know that's not true! This is a beloved thread!

Thanks very much. This is a strange passion of mine. I'm truly very happy that you enjoy the pics and comments.


Thanks too to Mr Toad for allowing these to be posted here.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by slang

I could only take these photos as the car passed the shop ...

I'm impressed how crisp the pictures are. You were stuck in traffic as your car passed, weren't you?

[slang]

This is the Bell Church in Baguio. It's a very interesting place and I have a million photos here to show you what it's like there.

There has been a significant Chinese influence here over the years. China is only 500 miles or so away, over the ocean, and over the years Chinese people have immigrated here.

I did not focus on getting pictures of the inside of the church. There are different rules for the Chinese churches and there were people inside at the time that we were there.