Antique

Ok, so I haven't actually started working yet. But I do have the job and start on Monday. I'll write more about that when I actually get around to doing it first. I left Iloilo and went back to Bianca's place in the countryside of Antique for a few days. Wow. I know it's totally unfair to trash other countries and like this one so much. Especially considering that this country is so full of problems (which I am NOT overlooking, I'm just focusing on other things. One day in Antique we looked at the news briefs for the Philippines and it had 4 main stories. 1. An ex-president was getting accused of involvement in a murder [probably true but they always get away with it here], 2. An earthquake had struck near and was felt in Manila, 3. Another typhoon was about to hit the north of the country, and 4. There was a police shootout, killing one thief in Greenbelts mall, one of the main fancy modern malls in Makati, the business district of Manila.) and Manila is not one of the world's great cities by any stretch of the imagination. It has character and history, but most people would not be immediately impressed I think. There is definitely a seediness to the place too.
Anyway, I got a kick out of being back in the countryside again. After touristville Thailand and Super city Singapore, to be in real rural with no foreigners and back to poverty is somehow.....nice? Well, that's probably not the right word but you know what I mean right? I like the quieter places. It's somehow more authentic.
It's getting to the end of typhoon season so there are still days of rain, but that means that it is very green everywhere. Nothing like going for a bike ride and being blown away by the beauty all around. I'm a sucker for rice fields, palm trees, thatch-roofing and pot-holed roads I guess. There are just so many different greens everywhere. It would be awesome to bike all over the country and just take photos..... Well, I suppose I'm too lazy so someone else should do it for me. We had brought our dive gear hoping to get out in the water one day but the weather did not cooperate so we canceled that idea and I'll have to find a way to corrupt my school into going later :)
It's also kind of weird how fast the body switches schedules too. In Singapore I slept at 3am, but being out on the deck with a mosquito net was just too much like camping so I was usually crawling into bed at 8:30pm! What else is new? Hmmm.... I don't want to repeat anything I said before about the country but it's the first time since leaving here that we're back to driving on the right side again. I thought that would be strange but actually, I'm so confused anyway at this point that it doesn't really matter anymore.... Not thrilled about the mosquitoes. I strongly suspect that to really make the most of my time in this country I will have to learn to dunk a basketball. It won't matter if I can't do anything else. If I could dunk I would achieve god-like status with all young males. It's the national sport and I pass a court and they want me to try to dunk..... The last time I played basketball was 3 years ago in Greece, and I got a bloody nose!
I'm back in Manila again for a couple of days. My last few days of freedom :( I was in a mall today (didn't get shot at fortunately :P) and was looking down the hall and for a moment actually thought I was looking downhill. Yes, the people are that much shorter than me that it actually created an optical illusion....
Ok, I'm just rambling at this point so I'm going to run away now. Lots of people to see and things to do here. I'm excited again. This is good :)
Ammon