Once again, I have a little catching up to do. BUT, first on the list, I am back in America, visiting Kristen in Hawaii for a few days before heading back to cold, cold Waterbury. Nice little "buffer" on my way back to winter, no?!
But, let me get back to the Philippines where I left off last. I had just gotten to the paradise that is Boracay, one of the little "satellite" islands of a bigger island called Panay in the Visayas region of the country. Sort of complicated without looking at a map, but suffice it to say, it's a place worth looking finding!
My days in Boracay were really relaxing and full of beautiful scenery, many long walks, and lots of really friendly new Filipino friends--I found that there was often an instantaneous camaraderie that developed here and in Bohol, more so than in Manila. This was especially true with small groups of Filipino women when they found out that I was travelling alone. Eating at local places rather than the more pricey tourist spots helped me to meet people too, and I really appreciated the genuine conversation that people were so happy to engage in. Like I mentioned before, the focus on family and community in the Philippines is definitely a priority, and that mentality really permeates--many bungalows for 6-10 people are available and most restaurants serve meals for that are meant for 2-3 people, etc. Maybe not the best examples, but my point is that family, friends, and community are of utmost importance here and it's great to be around and welcomed into.
Some of the highlights of Boracay:
- a long walk from touristy White Beach to the more quiet, remote Puka Beach. (By the way, Puka is the Hawaiian word for hole and the shells all have a naturally occurring hole in the center, making them perfect for jewelry making...and yes, I did by a little bracelet made of the shells!)
- gorgeous sunsets dotted with tons of sailboats on the horizon
- Chicken Afridata for dinner at Rosa's while watching a Filipino talent show (think Filipino Idol)
- Going to Bulabog Beach on the east side of the island and seeing all the kite surfers
- wandering through the "back streets" and d'Talipapa (the wet market) seeing how regular life is for Filipinos who live on the island (not as diamond studded as the fancy hotels might make it seem)
- hanging out with some fun other travellers at my hostel/resort/dorm called Frendz, where you should all book a room if you head to Boracay on a budget - it was great!
I had to leave Boracay at the lovely morning hour of 4:30am, taking a ferry to the main island of Panay and then a 1.5hr bus ride to the airport in order to make my 9am flight...oh, the transportation in the Philippines just might top all the other places I've been!
I made it to Manila though around 11 am or so and caught a local bus to the Manila International Youth Hostel (think YMCA), which was near the airport. I had only one night to spend in Manila before my flight to the states, so I didn't want to be too far away from the airport...but MAN, this place was a little rough around the edges yet again! One thing that was interesting, however, was my company. Rather than young travellers (my usual company when staying in dorm accommodation), there was a group of women in their 30s-40s staying there for the week for a conference about preparing halal food. Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that besides learning a lot from the local people I came into contact with on this trip, I definitely learned just as much about people and places I've never been from the people I met in the hostels and dorms. This was one of those times for sure. These women also kind of "took care" of me and made me feel much less icky about the lack of comfort and cleanliness in our sleeping quarters! I think some of them are also now my friends on Facebook...oh, how great modern technology is, haha!
Manila round 2 managed to overwhelm me a bit once again, but things did go more smoothly since I knew what to expect a little more. For this visit to the city, I spent my time wandering among some chaotic street vendors, fruit stands, and an area called Guadeloupe, which had a different flavor than the other places I'd visited the first time in the city. I also made a point to go to the newer section of the city, Makati, where the business district is located and there are malls and shopping gallore! There are so many malls in Manila in general, you would not believe it. I even went to a church in a courtyard in the middle of a mall, and it was one of the nicest outdoor chapels I've ever seen - and lots of shoppers attended mass...I've never seen that before! Otherwise, I went on a good run by the bay where I managed to escape the traffic, and I just kind of tried to "soak it all in" as much as possible before Americans, English, and predictable food choices re-entered my world!
Some final thoughts on Manila: the contrast between the chaos, pollution, and mayhem of certain parts of the city and the clean, upscale, well-developed newer areas was really shocking. I'm really glad I went to the latter area on my 2nd visit, including spots like Greenbelt and "Bel Air," because my impression of the city as a whole totally changed. After my 3 or 4 days total in the city, I'd say that there's definitely a little bit of everything in Manila, you just have to know where to look and how to get there!
I guess that wraps things up. I can now sit on toilet seats, eat salad, drink water, and wear short shorts without a care in the world...
While the first hot shower (and all the ones since) did feel incredible, and I am having a wonderful time visiting with Kristen and enjoying Hawaii in all its glory, I'm not sure I will fully begin to digest and understand how this time abroad has changed me, my perspectives, and maybe my future plans for a good while. For one thing, I am grateful that I took bazillions of photos and wrote this blog because one of my biggest fears is that, as I re assimilate into "real life" and get wrapped up in trying to figure out my next plans and get a job, etc. that I will lose sight of how many things I have learned and experienced over the past 4 months. I have met some amazing people and seen and tried some amazing new things that have inspired and intrigued me in very new ways--I have definitely had some serious eye-openers, realizations about my own strengths and weaknesses, and priceless time to take a step back, relax, give up some control, absorb and reflect on life.
In particular, I have had so much time to think about what a blessed and fortunate life I have, and I have also realized some of the things that are truly important in the grand scheme of things. Beautiful scenery, exotic new foods, thrilling adventure activities, and all the other unexpected little treasures of travel are all glorious, but, when it comes down to it, it's the people that change you. From the ones I observed to the ones I deeply connected with, feeling connected to humanity on a whole new level is absolutely priceless.
And now to find some source of income...
kidding : )
Thanks for following along with me, and I'll probably keep writing for a while even though my daily life is apt to get a little more mundane (that's your out to stop reading these things and I won't hassle you to "read my blog!" anymore!).
Happy Holidays, and, for those of you who I will be seeing soon, I'm COMING HOMEEEEE!!!
Love,
Chloe
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