Travel Journal

18 October 2007
Here I am, traveling alone [again]. This time, to Manila. I have to attend an orientation from my new office, CARAM Asia. I have a 12 PM flight by SQ, transit in Singapore for 2,5 hours then connect the flight to Manila. So, I will be arriving in Manila by 8.40 PM. Malu from ACHIEVE will give the orientation.

I killed time in Singapore at the Time News Link, buying Paulo Coelho’s books. Then I hang around the smoking room before headed to gate E11. There were many Indonesians in Changi airport. So many Indonesians while I was all alone.

The flight to Manila took about 3 hours and I was not feeling very well. I caught cold on my way to Semarang and still have it until now. I tried to sleep on the plane, but I just couldn’t. We landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 8.40 PM, queued for the entry permit then waited for my luggage. I was told by Leslie from ACHIEVE that I should just take a taxi from the airport to the hotel. I will be staying at the Rembrandt hotel on Tomas Morati, Quezon City. Quezon City? I thought I came to Manila, do I have to travel to another city? I have no idea.

So, I managed to exchange my dollars at the airport, then find myself a taxi. It costs PHP 740, about US$ 16. Quite a high price. Along the way, I observed that Manila is just like Jakarta. All capital cities in Asia are looked alike. The traffic, the taxi drivers, all drivers, the transportation, the billboards, everything were looked alike. I found that it was quite far from the airport. When finally we reached the hotel, I was hoping Leslie was there because she told me that she will be waiting at the hotel. But then I realized that she was not there. So, I had to call her. She came 15 minutes later with Azon. She paid off my room for 5 nights then gave me my allowance. Tomorrow, Azon will pick me up at 9 AM and take me to ACHIEVE office. She said it’s not too far from the hotel.

So, the hotel is merely a three-star hotel. It has bath tub but there’s no complimentary mineral water in room. Well, that’s okay. I can always buy them outside.

19 October 2007
I set up my alarm at 6 AM, but I forgot that the clock on my cellphone is still Indonesian time, which is 1 hour behind Manila, so I got up at 7 AM here. I went down and had breakfast at 8 AM and went back to my room to smoke at 8.30 AM. When I just started to smoke, someone knock on my door. It was the room maid. She was talking to me in Tagalog, I asked her whether she wanted to clean the room and she said yes. There were actually 3 room maids. The other 2 also kept asking me questions in Tagalog and I kept replying in English. I tried to figure out the questions through their gestures and body language. Maybe somehow my answers were matched with the questions, because they kept speaking Tagalog to me. When leaving the room one of them said “Salamat, ma’am” and I said “you’re welcome”. I was laughing alone afterward, I thought they might think that I’m an obnoxious Filipina who abroad-minded and doesn’t want to speak Tagalog anymore!

Azon picked me up at 9 AM sharp. She’s going to show me the way to ACHIEVE office, so I will be able to go alone on the following day. From my window this morning I saw the street was booked by power generator vehicles. When Azon and I walked out the hotel, we found out that a huge stage was being set up for the Oktoberfest. It’s going to be a serial of performances tonight. So, we walked towards the circle monument just around the corner [about 50 meters from the hotel], crossed the street and took the jipni [or is it jeepni? Jeepnee? Jeepny? I have no idea!], it costs only PHP 7. I had to watch the sign, the direction for ACHIEVE office is ‘Project 2-3’. The office was 4 blocks away from the hotel. We got off at 11th Jamboree and walked a little to Fuentebella extension.

The orientation was quite quick and informal. We had lunch at the office then in the evening we all went to the Trinoma for dinner. Trinoma is an abbreviation of Triangle of North Manila. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen. This afternoon, we heard the news that one of the biggest mall in Metro Manila got a bomb blast. Eight were killed and 119 were injured. It happened at around 1.30 PM. The mall was Glorietta 2, located in Makati City. Oh, by the way, in case you’re confused, there’s no more Manila. Now it is called Metro Manila, and Metro Manila is consist of 13 cities [or is it 16? I’m not sure…]. So, my hotel is in Quezon City. The workshop will be in Pasay City. This blasted mall is in Makati City. Well, it’s maybe more like district, but they preferred to be called as a city because a city is having its own income and authonomy. Anyway, Metro Manila is full of malls and billboards. So hectic! But the dinner was great! It was Malu, Mara, Leslie, Rak, Ana and I. Then, Rak’s partner was coming to join us [I don’t remember her name!].

After dinner, Malu dropped me at the Imperial Palace near my hotel because the taxi couldn’t get through the traffic jam caused by the Oktoberfest. I, myself, had difficulties to pass through the blocked street. When I entered my room, all I wanted to do was soaked myself in a hot tub. But alas! The hot water was not working! So, I just had a cold shower. Then, I placed and arranged my sofa by the window, and watched the performance through my window! It’s a VIP seat! The performance finished at 1 AM. So, I couldn’t sleep until that hour.

Keywords of the day:
/Salamat: thank you/Bayan: pay/Para: stop/Murah: cheap/Mahal: expensive/Sige: okay/Ate: big sister/Lumpia: springrolls/Babai: woman/

20 October 2007
I got up lazily this morning. Today’s agenda is to go to Pinoy Plus. I’m supposed to meet Leslie at the office. So, I went alone to the office today. I managed to get there, even though I got off like half block away from the 11th Jamboree. At 10.30 AM Leslie, Mara and I took a taxi to Pinoy Plus. Pinoy Plus is located in Makati City. It’s like half way down of Metro Manila. Quite far from Quezon City. It’s near the airport. It took us almost an hour to get there.

I met Maricon and Noel there. And some other members. They were all nice. Leslie didn’t have to formally introduce me because I always had someone to introduce me to other people. Most of them were former migrant workers, seafarers and their spouses. Saturday is a gathering day. It’s like having a closed meeting for positive people in a more fun and merrier way. Imelda was cooking when we got there. And people just kept coming to have lunch together. We had lunch, we celebrate Maricon’s birthday [which was last week!] and sing to the karaoke together. It’s like a party. And we chatted around whenever we like to whoever we want. It’s definitely a great way to run a closed meeting. There were around 20 people in the room. The office was small, crowded, but had very warm atmosphere [although it’s raining outside. Very heavy!]. And almost all were new comers! Newly-diagnosed people seeking support and place to unwind their burdens. And Pinoy Plus really gave them the fun and support! I wonder… maybe we can do some sort of similar thing in our support groups back in Indonesia.

Since we also celebrated Maricon’s birthday, she was given the chance to dance with all male members in the room! I can tell that she really enjoyed herself. Hahaha! There was a huge cake on the table covered with gooey chocolate paste. It was bloody delicious! There was more than enough food for everyone. In fact, Imelda was still able to pack up some left-over to be brought home by everyone. There was spaghetti, lumpia and fried cheese served with soft drinks and ice cream. It was really a party. And I was told that it was a pot luck! It means, they chipped-in the food and the drinks to be eaten together. But Leslie and Mara [and almost everyone there too] told me that they do it every Saturday! Having lunch, singing together and drink together. They have a weekly medical check up at the nearest hospital. They always come to the office after the check up to get together.

Mara left earlier because she had to visit her friend in the hospital. So, I went home with Leslie. We took FX [or is it efex? I really have no idea!]. It’s a public transportation but more comfortable than the jipni [jeepnee? Jeepni? Jeepny? Whatever!]. It’s like a private car [Kijang, Panther] with air conditioner. We got off somewhere [I don’t know the name of the street] then we took Project 2-3 jipni because Leslie was going back to the office. It was easy for me, because I just got off by the Imperial Palace and walked to the hotel. I stopped by the nearest Starbucks to get a Ice Grande Hazelnut Latte, then bought a mineral water and hotdog for dinner at the Seven Eleven. It’s good to know that tomorrow is Sunday and I can get up a bit later because Maricon will pick me up after lunch. We’re going to the cultural center and the traditional market tomorrow. I should get some pictures by the landmarks tomorrow.

Maricon and Leslie told me that so many people at Pinoy Plus who thought I was a Filipina. I even overheard some people asking when I was around them, I could figure out the question. Do I look like a Filipina? Apparently yes, because I saw people in Phillipines just like Indonesians. But I was often being assumed as Indian or Pakistani. So, now the list is getting longer because people DO assume that I am a Filipina!

21 October 2007
I got up a bit late today. At 8.30 AM, to be précised. I went to take a bath, washed my hair, dried it and had breakfast. After breakfast, I went back to my room and tucked myself under the blanket again. I watched “Psych” until it was 12.30 PM. Then I went out to have lunch at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I texted Maricon and asked her to meet me there.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is not very far from the hotel. Just about 100 meters. I had Salmon Scrambled with Earl Grey tea. Maricon came at around 2 PM, she asked me where do I want to go. Well, I told her that I want to go to the traditional market to get some souvenirs. So, she took me to Quiapo by jeepney [finally… I know how to spell it right!]. It’s quite far, but actually I passed the place on my way to Pinoy Plus yesterday. It’s near the big church that has a plaza. Maricon told me, once an incident happened in that plaza and many people were killed. Quiapo actually is the moslem area. I even heard the adzan there. I bought the traditional shirts there and it was pretty expensive! It costs PHP 650 each! Well, it’s a handmade though. So, be it.

After finished shopping, we went to the Rizal Park. On my way to Rizal Park, I saw many vandalized walls along the way. It says "GMA Resign!" or "Gloria corrupt!". There were series of protests along the flyover wall. It had been a great issue in Phillipines that GMA [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo] had given a huge amount of money to the congressmen.

Rizal park is a big park where Dr. Jose P Rizal was executed. It also had Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, Phillipines Garden, The Orchidarium, Open air auditorium for concert in the park and Art Gallery. There was also a diorama of Dr. Jose P Rizal’s martyrdom. What was pathetic was that the Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden were kind of full of people and lovers, but the Phillipines Garden was kind of deserted. No one went there. We saw many couples sat in the Chinese Garden. Some were laughing, some were being ‘lovebirds’, some were having a fight and some were crying. While at the Rizal Park, some street kids were having performance and people were gathering to watch. It was merely a funny acrobatic show. Suddenly rain was falling and everyone was running to get themselves under any roofs. Luckily, Maricon brought an umbrella.

After done in the park, we went to find some street food. I saw it the other day on my way to Pinoy Plus. So, we decided to go to Pedro Gil. And there… I found it! Barbecued street food and they are delicious! I wrapped some to be taken to the hotel. Then, Maricon waited until I got into my jeepney. It’s a long way to go. Probably about 1.5 hours. But that’s okay. I’m fine.

I reached the hotel at around 6.30 PM and enjoyed my dinner. The street food! It's called Isao. There were several kinds of isao made of barbecued meat, skin, ears, fats, liver, frozen blood and other inner part of the stomach, dipped into vinegar sauce or sweet sauce. It's really delicious!

22 October 2007
I have to go to ACHIEVE office again today. I have to give the receipts for my reimbursement to Raffy and get some reports of the previous workshop.
Everyone was asking where did I go yesterday. And when I told them that I went to Quiapo, they were all giving me that gasping look on their face. I don’t know why. Maybe because the place is quite far from the hotel. Or maybe because the place is not very safe for tourist. I told them that I went with Maricon, but we split at Pedro Gil when we go back home. Mara asked me how did I get home… and I told her that I went back riding jeepney. She told me, she doesn’t even know how to go back by jeepney form that area. Hmmm…. It’s quite an achievement for me.

There’s not much to do today. I just check on the report and try to figure out my new workplan accordingly to the report.