BACK IN MANILA…

Coming back to Manila after Hong Kong was a bit rough. Partially because the new direction that we received in Hong Kong set us back about two weeks, and partially because it’s been so long since I was away from home. I knew it was going to be a shitty week when I started getting sick again. I also lost my ATM card to a machine that ate it, rendering me broke, sick, and frustrated with work. By Tuesday, I was back in top form. I managed to find a Forex desk that I sold some cash and HK dollars to get some more pesos. I also went to a clinic and got some antibiotics to get over my cough, and by the end of last week I was back to normal.

I spent this past weekend doing the touristy stuff in Manila. We went to an old Spanish fort that was amazing. We also went to a park that’s akin to the central park of Manila (and has a rich history). After that we went to the harbor for a drink and to watch the sun set. It was amazing. For dinner, we went to Malati and watched a traditional Filipino show. I’m not really a fan of Filipino food, but it is what it is. After dinner we headed to a local spot to watch this band play (who we’re now “in” with), and also meet up with some of our American friends who are here doing a semester in Public Health. We wrapped up the weekend going to a museum, which was also really cool. Got a crash course in Filipino history, which is pretty interesting, and definitely sheds a lot of light on some of the influences here. Very cool.