My trip to the Philippines
Today’s guest blog is from Tyleen Reynders, a regular LiP reader. Tyleen recently made her first adventure to the Philippines, and from what she writes, I think she enjoyed her vacation! Tyleen is from Canada, and started reading this site shortly before her trip to visit the area. Thank you, Tyleen for your willingness to share your trip with the rest of us!
I spent the most wonderful time in the Philippines. I am so thankful I found this site before I went. It helped me prepare for the culture shock and gave me the perspective I needed.
I went with my best friend a Filipina named Jocelyn who had a small resort in Cabanatuan City about 1.5 hours north of Manila. We arrived late at night at Manila airport and I was subjected to the most pollution filled hour I have ever experienced waiting for our van to be allowed into the arrivals area. I can tell you I was NOT impressed with my first glimpse of the Philippines.
Finally ‘our van’ arrived with kisses and hugs from my Filipina friend’s family and friends. I got kissed alot… 1.5 hour ride to Jocelyn’s small resort and at last we were there. So much family was waiting and the dancing and sing began. Some kind of party I can tell you!!!! I was tired but could not help but enjoy the party.
The next morning I awoke at 6am ready for my first day in the PI’s. I went outside and there were so many people with friendly faces ready to show me around the property that Jocelyn had bought the previous year and hoped to turn into a western style subdivision.
I swam in 1 of the 2 pools and then was called for breakfast.
I was ready for the day and we left with a driver and a bodyguard for the nearest mall. I got to see some examples of absolute crushing poverty on the way to the mall. I was so surprised that even though the people did not have much they had smiles on their faces and every one was clean and as well turned out as possible.
There seemed to be so many different uniforms on children…my friend said there are many different kinds of schools here…. public, private, college and university. Beautiful children and young adults all hustling to get to school.
The mall was the biggest culture shock for me…… clothes and shoes and everything so cheap by our western standards. And as you have said in your previous blogs lots of fast food joints. My friend told me to cool it and spend the day just looking as we could come back any time. I wanted to spend, spend, spend
but understood the wisdom of her advice. I did however have the best massage of my life for about $7.00
I wound up going back to Jane the masseuse many times before I left and asked if I could adopt her.
Everywhere there were friendly faces and….no screaming kids… Where were all the young children I asked myself…. They were there alright but they were the best mannered children I have ever seen in my life. No overindulged,catered to,spoiled,gimme gimme kids anywhere…..I was stunned. AND ….Well mannered young people people …my God I thought I had died and gone to heaven!!!!!
I spent alot of pleasureable time in the malls while I was there I can tell you!!
The things that I found a little disconcerting were the presence of weapons everywhere out in the open. Security guards with guns at their side at every mall entrance and out in the parking lot. Great way to deter gangs and disturbances in the malls…..but as a Canadian it was a big surprise. We do NOT allow our security guards to have guns. The only people who have guns in out country are the police forces and people who carry 1 for their work ie diamond sales people,body guards for high profile people etc etc and unfortunately the bad guys have weapons. They are smuggled in from other countries…our country does not allow most of the weapons confiscated ie M1 assault rifles etc etc
I was surprised at the attitude of the people re dogs as pets…..they mostly do not regard dogs as pets like we do in the west. Which may or maynot be a good idea….I personally coddle my pets!!!!
When I visited a vet ( the family puppy got hurt and it cost me only 11 bucks to have her put right including xray and shots and take home meds!!!! (Nuts…it would have cost $300-to $600 here in Vancouver..that’s why I have pet insurance!!!!)
Gathering information…. I asked about living here with my little dog and asked about some meds he needed for his scratching. He replied does he have mange or bad fleas. I laughed and said NOT AS CHANCE THEY WOULDN’T DARE Roberto the vet and I laughed. He said he would be thrilled to treat my little dog as he was obviously cared for so well. I liked the guy!!!!!
I spent many hours on my trip taking pictures of people planting rice and children and places etc etc. I even got a picture with me and a Carabao (he was a little reluctant to let me too close to him). On our way back and forth from the city to the resort I stopped many times to check out the craftsmen making beautiful chairs and beds and tables. We would pay 100’s to 1000’s of dollars for comparable stuff in North America.
I will never complain again about our gas prices here in Vancouver BC…..we pay a little less here than people do in the Philippines. My god !!!!! how do they manage?????
The food was wonderul…I had rice everyday and was in 7th heaven.
I had brought over a gross (144) of toothbrushes ( I am in the dental field) and gave them to a village of indigenous people. They were so thrilled.
I came away with that experience wanting to do more for them so now that I am back I am in the prelim stages of setting up a dental team to go back and help the villagers. I now have a great contact in PI to help me with the politics of the area so no toes are stepped etc etc
I am so awed by the gentleness and the grace of the filipinos I met …..I am now seriously thinking of retiring there as soon as I can get my affairs in order and fufill my obligation to manage the Dental Clinic for the atheletes at our 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
Suffice it to say I love the Philippines and I was both thrilled and humbled by my experiences !!!!!
There are soooooo many things I wish to tell you about my time in PI but they will have to wait and see if Bob wants another column about me raving about the Philippines
Salamat Bob and all of you who have commented in any of the blogs with information that helped to form a terrific introduction to the Philippines.
p.s. I bought myself a Tagalog-English-Tagalog dictionary…..I will be prepared for my next visit!!!!
Hi Tyleen, I thorougly enjoyed your account of your trip to the Philippines. I am a Filipino living in the US and always I am curious about what other people think about the Philippines. There are not many people who have opinion about the Philippines or Filipinos except the not so positive things.
Regarding your Philippine trip, it seems to me that you only stayed in one city and that’s Cabanatuan City. If mall is your thing, the best malls are in metro manila. But that’s where the pollution is & everything that a big city has.
Goodluck to your future plans and keep us posted.
Thank you!
hi tyleen
thank you for offering to write this for lip. i hope you write another one.
maria
Hi Roy,
My friend is from Cabanatuan City and as her daughter was getting married. It was a fast trip just to attend the wedding. I will be going back in Feb or March and will have lot more time to explore. My priem goal this 1st time was to meet people and see if the heat and humidity was something I could deal with if I wanted to retire there. Of course 2 weeks is not enough time to make a major decision like that but enough to check out some things and put moving to PI in my radar so to speak.
Yes I am fully aware to the great malls in Manila. I tried hard to stay away for this trip and concentrate on Cabanatuan City and the wedding.
I had a fabulous time and can hardly wait to go back!!!!
Hello Tyleen,
I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and pleased that you walk away full of memorable experiences.It really is an adventuresome and beautiful place, there is so much more to explore.
I am glad that you found the Philippine interesting.another new adventure for you to enjoy and for us to read about.It may take a lifetime to to explore all our 7,170 islands,but it certainly sounds like you had a good start.Wish you well on your future endeavors.By the way, can you post some pics? That would be like icing on a cake..
Tyleen
yes it was good to read your positive story of your trip and some of the observations, like the polite children, clean in spite of the poverty and fantastic hospitality, all these things and many others are why “foreigners” like myself live here (i’m in davao like Bob) We do appreciate the positive side of life here, it isn’t paradise and there are loads of issues and problems including poverty of course but there are so many plus points, your observations were correct
sorry Tyleen but i don’t particularly like the malls, but there again i didn’t like them back home, so, being a man i guess i just don’t like shopping
oh by the way with regard to the security guards carrying guns, yes it is a bit of a shock at first but i ask people who live here, mainly local Filipinos and i never come across anyone who has heard of a shot from one of these guys, just a small point
best regards
Hi, Tyleen
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experiences in our country. Above all, thank you so much for sharing your work of love and charity with our indigenous fellowmen. We need more people who will love this country despite its shortcomings. We hope someday you can call the Philippines your own country as well. We look forward for your next visits!!!
Hi tyleen,
I know how shocking for you to see guards with guns, what i can assure you is even if you see them in malls, i have not heard that they actually used it, i think the gun is just to scare the “would be” criminals, the gun is a bit exaggeration if you ask me, i have not heard a shoot-out in the mall with the criminals, there are some cases of a shoot-out in the bank but not in the mall. anyways, i would rather have the guards armed with guns at least that will give me a sort of security rather than seeing a kids with gun and start shooting people in the mall (remember the case in the u.s.?)
It is very encouraging to read your comments about your first trip to The Philippines. Obviously people have different interests and things they want to see and do on a vacation or visit to a foriegn place. <any of my expereinces of my recent visit to The Philippines paralell yours. While you were awed by stores in the Shopping Malls, it was the fast food franchises in a couple of Malls I went into that impressed me. particularly those franchises of Jollibee Food Corp ( Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza, Chow King , Red Ribbon ).
As much as I personally get little enjoyment from shopping for clothes, when I got to my destination I had little choice as the airline lost my luggage. My first day was spent ina Gaisano Dept Store ( not a mall ) and it brought back many memories of how Department Stores used to be here. Nice selection, great service and they even shortened the length of my pants as I waited and that was not too long !
I spent two years learning about the place in the Philippines I wanted to visit ( Iligan City ) prior to going there and made some friends along the way. I enjoyed the pleasure of their company throughout my entire visit.
When you can visit a place you have never been before and be able to see everything you wanted to see and do the things you wanted to do ( plus a lot more ) it is part of the ingredient of a great vacation.
In reading your blog it sounds as though you had a great time too ! I am looking forward to visiting again.
I never thought of looking at Toothbrushes, instead I looked at electrical goods, appliances and like you, I did purchase a few gifts for those less fortunate than we are.
The hospitality of the friends I have made there was really amazing.
Hi Tyleen,
Nice to read about your experiences in RP. I too have enjoyed my visits there and am looking forward to returning this November. I am also from Vancouver.
I am interested in doing some grass roots stuff for kids in the Philippines and would be interested in your thoughts in regards to delivering supplies (pencils, books, clothing etc) to them and about not stepping on toes.
Thanks! Trevor
Hi Trevor,
The most the children need are pencils and pens and note books and a way to carry them to school.
I found that things are really cheap in RP so perhaps you could buy them there and then distribute them.
Pick a school in your area of visiting and go to the school and talk to the principal and ask him/her about passing them out to the students.
Good Luck
Hi Tyleen, I’m glad you had a good time in my city… God bless!