After Two Weeks

It's hard to believe we just arrived in the Philippines two weeks ago. So many different norms are changing for us, and some days we have to stop and process a lot of things we have experienced--just so that we can adequately adjust.

One of the things that has changed our way of living is that it is more difficult to maintain a household here in Manila than it is in the States. The studio apartment we are in right now is nice, and like most homes, it does not have central A/C, which means that we leave the doors and windows open to create a breeze, or on really warm days, we'll shut the doors and windows and turn on our one window unit. It's not that it is bad, it's just different.

Since we have our windows and doors open all the time, this creates a new problem, what I call "acid dust". Basically, this is pollution that is caused by a combination of diesel fumes and dust that comes from the dry climate (the dry season ends around May). This dust will settle onto everything in your home, and so everything needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. The floors need to be swept and mopped DAILY, even the walls need to be scrubbed every month.

There are some great benefits to having the windows open all the time--it creates a kind of Mayberry effect, where people feel free to drop in and say "hey" and sit down to a glass of water. You also wake up with the rest of the city as the sounds of rumbling cars and chirping birds begin to drift into your house every morning.

Till next time,

Dan