Our time in the Philippines has come to an end. I think we will all collectively exhale as our plane takes off for Vietnam tomorrow evening. I’m extremely glad we got the opportunity to experience this country, even though our time here was hard. It opened our eyes to new experiences and challenged us more…
Author: Jill
Schools Around the World – Manila, Philippines
When I search for schools on google maps around condo complex here in the Philippines, there are eight different schools within a 1.5 mile radius. This includes two public elementary schools, a private university, a preschool, a catholic school, and three christian schools. Alexis did a research paper on school in the Philippines, so most…
Haircuts and Holidays In Manila
As we weather the perfect storm here in Manila, I’m trying my best to be where my feet are. We went to the mall several times this week to walk and completed all of our holiday shopping. Dave and I are working on learning some Vietnamese language and the kids are wrapping up school assignments…
The Halfway Point in the Philippines
Yesterday marked the halfway point of our time here in the Philippines, but who’s counting? When I think about living here for two more weeks it sounds a little exhausting. Alexis is always pointing out the positive things about our location and I admire her outlook. Her extroverted side is loving the constant people and…
The Mind Museum – A Field Trip That Wouldn’t End
Today we had our first Field Trip Friday (on a Wednesday) in the Philippines. Traffic can be worse on Fridays and we were all feeling a bit stir-crazy, so we went for it. We visited The Mind Museum, and the day turned into the field trip that wouldn’t end. The Mind Museum is in Bonifacio…
Life in Manila: Chess Games, Crushes, and Constant Stares
We’ve been in the Philippines for just over a week and continue to look out of place and feel out of place. When we get off the elevator there are often people waiting to get on. As the doors open and we prepare to exit the scenario is often the same. The locals eyes get…
Finding Joy in the Philippines
I feel like I’ve written a lot about the struggles we’ve had since our arrival in the Philippines. Every new place has an adjustment period, some taking longer than others. Guam felt like home almost immediately. I’m pretty sure I’ll never feel at home, but the longer we are here I’m finding more and more…
Crosswalks, Comfort Food, and Celebrity Status in Manila
Our experiences in the Philippines so far are reminding me of Japan where we encountered something new almost daily. Today the kids experienced crossing the streets of Manila for the first time and got a glimpse of what it probably feels like to be a celebrity. We also all enjoyed some familiar food that brought…
Food Fails In The Philippines
Cooking in an Airbnb is hard. Cooking in an Airbnb in a different country is even harder! Not only are you lacking a stocked pantry, but you’re also limited to whatever utensil they have. The staples you do purchase are often just a little different than what you’re used to. Cooking in Costa Rica was…
Patience, Perspective, and Pungent Smells
We’ve all been learning a lot about patience and perspective as we travel across the world. Seeing how people in other countries live has opened our eyes to privileges we didn’t even realize we had. We’ve been pushed beyond our comfort zone in numerous situations, and right now is the most uncomfortable yet. Contributing to…