I really don't spend enough time and energy writing about the Philippines. I've had this log going since the end of May (2006) and other than talking about my home and my personal problems, I haven't mentioned much. The truth is, I don't get out much. One of the reasons is that I'm still acclimating to the hot and humid weather. I keep a fan on myself during most of the daylight hours. I swore off air conditioning as soon as I moved into my house so that I could force myself to get used to this weather.

Despite what I may have written or the impression I may give, I really love the Philippines, especially the people. When I was in Phoenix and moving through public places, people would rarely even notice me, much less speak to me. The Filipinos here are polite and hospitable. When I'm walking down a street, any street, people smile and greet me just like I was one of them. The fact that I'm white makes me stand out in a crowd, but most Filipinos don't seem to notice the skin color.

Shopping is not as easy as it was in Phoenix, but so far I have been able to find everything that I've been looking for. That speaks a lot about the improvements to the economy here. There are no Wal-Marts or Home Depots here, but we have many of the U.S. fast-food chains. I digress. It takes longer to find things because it's a hit or miss proposition. Advertising isn't as intrusive as it is in the U.S., therefore people just don't know where to go to find specific items. Heck, when I first got here, all of my relatives swore up and down that I couldn't find American-style washers and dryers. I found them in a furniture store.

I'm going to attempt to write more about the Philippines as time progresses. Right now, I'm writing in the wee hours of the morning and haven't even slept yet.