Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10 from Cliff Sporn, Team Leader
At breakfast this morning I was able to talk more with Joji, my host. She is an Orthodontist and works out of two offices in the Manila area. I also met her husband, Conrad, who writes a column in the financial section of the Inquirer, a major Manila newspaper. It turns out the Conrad likes to play golf and it looks like we may play on Sunday.
After breakfast another Rotarian, DahDah, picked me up and took me to our meeting place, a Starbucks on EDSA, the main road in Manila. The traffic can only be described as somewhat organized chaos. For everyone who doesn’t like traffic lights, Manila is the place to go as there are very few of them. When encountered they seem to be obeyed to a point. The rest of the intersections are simply a free-for-all. Motorcycles routinely drive between the lanes of cars. We encountered a number of occasions where the oncoming traffic was on our side of the road and we did likewise when the need arose. Despite all this, there was surprisingly little evidence of accidents. While they do occur, you just didn’t see as many dented cars as one would expect given the chaos that driving in Manila is.
After our meeting at Starbucks we were off to the Isaac Lopez integrated School. This school is an integration of all the ages of children in one campus. The school was not very close to the standards that we would expect to find in the United States. Most obvious was there was only natural air-conditioning. Having said that, we were greeted warmly by the students. They were well behaved and attentive. In the two classes that we went into, they each sang us a song as we departed. The culture of group singing seems to be very important to the Filipinos. After we were done and about to leave, we went to the Principal’s office for some apple juice and fried banana. As the day went on, there was this developing theme that no matter what we did, some kind of meal was involved. The Filipinos are very friendly and hospitable and are always looking to offer you something to eat. They are proud of this tradition.
From the school it was time for lunch. We went to the Mega Mall and found a Filipino restaurant called Cabalen. There we had a buffet lunch. As part of our lunch each of us had Bulalo soup, which is a bone marrow soup.
The mall was huge. It was five stories high with a full height open atrium. This mall could be in any large city in North America. All the top world stores seemed to be there, Izod, Swatch, etc. Inside this mall was an entire catholic church so mass could be held daily. The other thing of note is that almost everywhere we went there was security. To just go into the mall you needed to go past a security guard and have your bag checked and swept by a metal detector. When we drove into the parking garage, the guards used mirrors to look under the car for anything unusual. Some cars had their trunk searched.
After visiting the mall, we went to the Quezon City Circle. In the circle is a rather large park. There we met Tony Castro and his wife Elizabeth. They are very active in environmental conservation and have set up an earthworm demonstration project in the park. About 100 meters from the park restaurants they are processing all of the food and biodegradable waste that is generated. They feed it to the earthworm plots, which convert the waste in about 2 weeks into a very rich and healthy compost. There is no odor and no flies. This is then returned to other areas of the park for the gardens or sold as compost. At a farm north of Manila, they are doing this on a much larger scale. The whole concept comes under the idea of generating zero waste which if done on a larger scale, that is everyone doing their share, then we can have a significant positive impact on the global climate changes that we are facing.
After a brief stop at the University of the Philippines for pictures, we went on to the meeting of the Rotary Club of Makati Desmariñas. Both Joji Tan and Conrad are members of this club. To start the meeting we were asked to lead the sing of our National Anthem and then they in turn sang the Filipino National Anthem. Then we sang there club song. Fortunately, they had the words on the screen for us to follow. The SVP or Club President was Lu. She was a very gracious host. We were able to give our presentations and I think they went well. We were asked a number of questions afterward and it was fun to respond. Afterward, the team split up to go back to their host families, although Ben and Tim went to another Rotary party, oh to be young again.
What we've been doing for the past ??? days...
It's really only 2 full days since we arrived--but it feels much longer than that! Here's my take on everything that's happened since our arrival--done in my particular, wordy storytelling style. I'll keep going as long as I can--but it's already quarter to 11, I just got back from our first Rotary meeting and presentation, and I was up at 5:30 this morning...so I might stop midway and say "tune in tomorrow!"
We landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 12:20 am--a half hour later than scheduled, which is not bad at all considering the crazy 2.5-hour video system replacement delay on the tarmac in Detroit. Breezed through all the things that usually hold folks up--passport check, baggage claim, customs declarations--and were met by the 3830 delegation. After the requisite photo op (see Cliff's post) we were driven through Manila into the Makati section where we'll be spending a LOT of time over the next month, and arrived at the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center (one of the foremost management schools in Asia) at around 1:30 am. Of course, we were welcomed warmly, and offered a late dinner. I can honestly say I've never before eaten spaghetti with meat sauce that late at night...Thus we lost the entire day of March 8th - we left Philly on the 7th, and landed in Manila on the 9th.
Despite the obviously disjointed nature of our relationship to Time, we still got up around 8:30 for breakfast at the AIM. We had the "Filipino Breakfast" (as opposed to the American one) - I've never had rice for breakfast before...certainly not garlic rice! And I would not have guessed that garlic rice and eggs would go well together.
After breakfast, we were at our liberty to wander around Makati. We were very close to the Greenbelt Mall complex - a series of 5 interconnected buildings filled with pretty much every store imaginable. The most intriguing aspect was the annoucement that came over the mall PA system at the official start of the day and the opening of the mall: no kidding, it was a prayer asking for Heaven's blessing upon all the consumers and merchants in the mall that day.
We spent a few hours in the Ayala Museum, part of the same Greenbelt complex - they had exhibits on the Philippines' porcelain trade relationships with other Asian civilizations, a display of gold artifacts recovered through a variety of archaeological digs, Filipino painting and sculpture, and over 50 dioramas of key moments in the Philippines' history.
Had Thai for lunch (still within the Greenbelt)--I had a marvelous extra-spicy seafood stew with noodles. We continued to wander through Makati for a couple more hours, then returned to AIM to regroup before our first official dinner, hosted by the District 3830 Governor Sid Garcia at Kirin, a trendy new Chinese restaurant. We had a 10-course meal that featured just about everything - beef, pork, duck, chicken, prawns, broccoli, rice, and an amazing spinach soup accented with black vinegar.
After dinner, we were each introduced to our respective host families for the week, and drove home with them. I'm staying with Orly Salientes and his family in Paranaque; ironically, his two kids are both living in Hoboken, NJ! His grandson lives here with them in the Philippines, attending International School (poor kid, he had to give up his room to me for the week--I'll have to give him something nice).
Today (March 10th, if you've already lost track, as I have) I was up at 5:30, ate breakfast with Orly and his wife at 6--magnificent! corned beef, strawberries and coconut milk, drinkable (not hot) chocolate, and papaya--and got to call home and talk to Sharon and the kids through the miracle of a little computer device called the Magic Jack, before my ride arrived just before 7 to get the day started.
We met (where else?) at a Starbucks, and from there set off for an Integrated School--basically, a public school with classes running through all grades, primary to secondary. The kids were wonderful--first off, there's a lot to be said for the respect accorded teachers here--you walk into the room, and the entire class jumps to their feet and greets you in unison. However, the weather is brutally hot, and the school buildings are not air-conditioned. This means the windows must stay open; however, the school is directly on the street, and the traffic roaring by beneath creates a large amount of interference for the teacher trying to instruct. We met with an assistant principal, talked with the equivalent of a freshman English class, took a look at their single science lab room, their brand-new language lab and computer lab (a result of the "beneficence" of a political candidate in what is an election year here), then went across the central square to the lower building to visit with one of the 6th grade classes (the freshmen were eager to have their pictures taken with me--but the 6th graders, the cheeky monkeys they were, were very interested in whether I was on Facebook...I politely declined their offers of "friendship.") There's so much more to say, but I'm just going for the broad overview--I have photos and videos of the experience to post as well, but that'll wait for another day.
From the school we went to the MegaMall--no kidding, real name...and it lived up to its billing--for lunch at a Filipino buffet. Of course, I had to try a little bit of everything--which is how I ended up eating a dish called "bopis," which was surprisingly (and excruciatingly) spicy, but delicious--"lechon" (roasted pig), "kuhol" (snails), and kare kare (ox tripe)--the last I could definitely have done without.
We had time to kill after lunch, since our next appointment was not until 3:30 so we wandered around the MegaMall to see the sights. Lucky me--found a comics shop! And a bookstore! (picked up the sequel to Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere, entitled El Filibusterismo.
Even more unusual was the event being held in one of the larger open areas--a fire-prevention quiz show, featuring an all-fireman wind ensemble; when we arrived, they were playing a medley of Barry Manilow hits. You cannot make up this stuff, people.
From the MegaMall, we drove to Quezon City Memorial Park, where we were given an introduction to one of Rotary's projects here--vermicomposting (that's using earthworms to convert biodegradable waste into rich fertilizer). The folks here are making a big effort to prove its worth, ease, sustainability, and long-term environmental benefits--and doing it convincingly, too. The basic equation: 1 kilo of worms will convert on kilo of waste into 1 kilo of fertilizer, without creating any foul odors or attracting any flies. It's worth looking into.
From QC we stopped briefly at the University of the Philippines just for some photo ops at the Rizal monument on the grounds, then hurried off to our first Rotary Club meeting. We had a lovely dinner, played a fun game called "Hip Hip Hooray" (I won--got me a laser pointer/flashlight as a prize!) and did our presentations for the first time (very well received, I think).
There are more details to be had, but it's now quarter to 12, and things are starting to look a little blurry...so I'll save the details, perhaps for tomorrow, since I don't have to meet up with the rest of the team until 9:30.
Good night! (or good morning...)
Lew
We landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 12:20 am--a half hour later than scheduled, which is not bad at all considering the crazy 2.5-hour video system replacement delay on the tarmac in Detroit. Breezed through all the things that usually hold folks up--passport check, baggage claim, customs declarations--and were met by the 3830 delegation. After the requisite photo op (see Cliff's post) we were driven through Manila into the Makati section where we'll be spending a LOT of time over the next month, and arrived at the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center (one of the foremost management schools in Asia) at around 1:30 am. Of course, we were welcomed warmly, and offered a late dinner. I can honestly say I've never before eaten spaghetti with meat sauce that late at night...Thus we lost the entire day of March 8th - we left Philly on the 7th, and landed in Manila on the 9th.
Despite the obviously disjointed nature of our relationship to Time, we still got up around 8:30 for breakfast at the AIM. We had the "Filipino Breakfast" (as opposed to the American one) - I've never had rice for breakfast before...certainly not garlic rice! And I would not have guessed that garlic rice and eggs would go well together.
After breakfast, we were at our liberty to wander around Makati. We were very close to the Greenbelt Mall complex - a series of 5 interconnected buildings filled with pretty much every store imaginable. The most intriguing aspect was the annoucement that came over the mall PA system at the official start of the day and the opening of the mall: no kidding, it was a prayer asking for Heaven's blessing upon all the consumers and merchants in the mall that day.
We spent a few hours in the Ayala Museum, part of the same Greenbelt complex - they had exhibits on the Philippines' porcelain trade relationships with other Asian civilizations, a display of gold artifacts recovered through a variety of archaeological digs, Filipino painting and sculpture, and over 50 dioramas of key moments in the Philippines' history.
Had Thai for lunch (still within the Greenbelt)--I had a marvelous extra-spicy seafood stew with noodles. We continued to wander through Makati for a couple more hours, then returned to AIM to regroup before our first official dinner, hosted by the District 3830 Governor Sid Garcia at Kirin, a trendy new Chinese restaurant. We had a 10-course meal that featured just about everything - beef, pork, duck, chicken, prawns, broccoli, rice, and an amazing spinach soup accented with black vinegar.
After dinner, we were each introduced to our respective host families for the week, and drove home with them. I'm staying with Orly Salientes and his family in Paranaque; ironically, his two kids are both living in Hoboken, NJ! His grandson lives here with them in the Philippines, attending International School (poor kid, he had to give up his room to me for the week--I'll have to give him something nice).
Today (March 10th, if you've already lost track, as I have) I was up at 5:30, ate breakfast with Orly and his wife at 6--magnificent! corned beef, strawberries and coconut milk, drinkable (not hot) chocolate, and papaya--and got to call home and talk to Sharon and the kids through the miracle of a little computer device called the Magic Jack, before my ride arrived just before 7 to get the day started.
We met (where else?) at a Starbucks, and from there set off for an Integrated School--basically, a public school with classes running through all grades, primary to secondary. The kids were wonderful--first off, there's a lot to be said for the respect accorded teachers here--you walk into the room, and the entire class jumps to their feet and greets you in unison. However, the weather is brutally hot, and the school buildings are not air-conditioned. This means the windows must stay open; however, the school is directly on the street, and the traffic roaring by beneath creates a large amount of interference for the teacher trying to instruct. We met with an assistant principal, talked with the equivalent of a freshman English class, took a look at their single science lab room, their brand-new language lab and computer lab (a result of the "beneficence" of a political candidate in what is an election year here), then went across the central square to the lower building to visit with one of the 6th grade classes (the freshmen were eager to have their pictures taken with me--but the 6th graders, the cheeky monkeys they were, were very interested in whether I was on Facebook...I politely declined their offers of "friendship.") There's so much more to say, but I'm just going for the broad overview--I have photos and videos of the experience to post as well, but that'll wait for another day.
From the school we went to the MegaMall--no kidding, real name...and it lived up to its billing--for lunch at a Filipino buffet. Of course, I had to try a little bit of everything--which is how I ended up eating a dish called "bopis," which was surprisingly (and excruciatingly) spicy, but delicious--"lechon" (roasted pig), "kuhol" (snails), and kare kare (ox tripe)--the last I could definitely have done without.
We had time to kill after lunch, since our next appointment was not until 3:30 so we wandered around the MegaMall to see the sights. Lucky me--found a comics shop! And a bookstore! (picked up the sequel to Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere, entitled El Filibusterismo.
Even more unusual was the event being held in one of the larger open areas--a fire-prevention quiz show, featuring an all-fireman wind ensemble; when we arrived, they were playing a medley of Barry Manilow hits. You cannot make up this stuff, people.
From the MegaMall, we drove to Quezon City Memorial Park, where we were given an introduction to one of Rotary's projects here--vermicomposting (that's using earthworms to convert biodegradable waste into rich fertilizer). The folks here are making a big effort to prove its worth, ease, sustainability, and long-term environmental benefits--and doing it convincingly, too. The basic equation: 1 kilo of worms will convert on kilo of waste into 1 kilo of fertilizer, without creating any foul odors or attracting any flies. It's worth looking into.
From QC we stopped briefly at the University of the Philippines just for some photo ops at the Rizal monument on the grounds, then hurried off to our first Rotary Club meeting. We had a lovely dinner, played a fun game called "Hip Hip Hooray" (I won--got me a laser pointer/flashlight as a prize!) and did our presentations for the first time (very well received, I think).
There are more details to be had, but it's now quarter to 12, and things are starting to look a little blurry...so I'll save the details, perhaps for tomorrow, since I don't have to meet up with the rest of the team until 9:30.
Good night! (or good morning...)
Lew
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
In the mall there was an electronic and supply show going on.
Monday, March 8, 2010
We arrive in Manila
We arrived in Manila at 12:20 AM March 9, only a half hour late from our original arrival time. We were met coming off the plane by an airport official who took us expeditiously through Immigrations and Customs. Once through we were met by Paul Magno, the outbound team leader, who took us through the final check point and then we met our welcoming party. Fed Sapitan, Baby Bunye and Lea Recomite were all there with a welcoming banner. Next were taken to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) where we were offered a meal at 1 AM. I just can’t say enough about the warm welcome we have received.
Our Jouney Begins
After meeting in the US Air Club Conference Room, the GSE Team moved down to the gate for our flight to Detroit. Aside from the flight being very full, it was uneventful.
We arrived in Detroit a little early and were able to get to our gate for the flight to Nagoya, Japan without rushing too much. We boarded our flight on time and got settled. The stewardess said that everyone was on the plane and they were going to close the door. Then came the announcement that the video system on the plane was not working. It would only take a half hour to fix. 2 hours later the system was still not functioning properly and so the Captain said that we were going to leave anyway and the Flight Attendants would have to personally show everyone the safety features of the plane. No Movie. What a shame! Once we got going the plane flew fine, the food was ok for airline food. We all managed to get some sleep but as one can imagine that was a difficult process.
We arrived in Japan at 8:10 PM local time. We were scheduled to leave at 8:35 PM but because of the delay the departure time was 9:20 PM. We had to leave the plane and go through security again and then back to the gait. We left Nagoya for Manila on time. The video system is now fully operational. We just had to go to where all the electronics are made to get it fixed.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
THIS IS IT!
We're on our way!! We'll be meeting at the airport in an hour --our flight leaves in about 3.5 hours! We're coming to Manila - been looking forward to this day for five months! Watch this space for all of our exciting adventures!
Lew
Lew
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