Philippines (second try)
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Jeremy Gable
Nov 24, 2005, 8:26:17 AM11/24/05
to Palawan Newsletter
Well everyone, it seems the first attempt to post this was done from my other email address which I apparently didn't give posting permission to, so it just rebounded. So now I'm posting it again (from the CORRECT address this time) though it's a couple weeks late now. Just remember that this all happened around the date that's shown below. I'll post more when I have time. Just so you know, I've been here in the project for a week now, and we just finished celebrating Thanksgiving (we even found some red, yellow, and orange leaves to use in making a center piece for the table! I was so happy!) For now, I'll just leave you to digest the things I wrote a couple weeks ago. God bless!
With love in Christ,
Jeremy Gable
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: missi...@bluemountaindesign.com
To: Palawan Newsletter < Pal...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 19:19:06 -0700
Subject: Philippines!
Hi everyone!
Well, I've arrived on the island of Palawan now (flew in yesterday)! Life here
is a little less insane than in Manilla. The driving is FAR less crazy, though
road rules are still pretty much understood but unspoken. Another thing I've
noticed here that's a bit different from Manilla is that the people here tend
to stare at white people more than in Manilla, especially the women. I don't
think it's anything like the situation I experienced in Manilla as far as the
"propositions." I was told before coming that people here want their children
to be as white as possible, and that they believe whatever they see the most of
is what their children will come out looking like. Almost everyone who has
stared at me have been women, so that seems to fit. A few more thins about
Manilla that I didn't have time to write in the last email.... While it's true
that there's alot of corruption, crime, and immorality here, it's also true
that there are alot of very sweet people. I've had opportunities to speak to
several filippino people since arriving in country, and many of them are very
friendly and caring. The street scene (which includes the hallways of malls
where those "propositions" took place) is very different from other settings,
such as inside the stores of those very malls. When it comes to the stores
(not street shops) the prices are already attached to the product and the
salespeople are very helpful, courteous, and intent on doing a perfect job of
serving you, even to the extent of insisting that you try the product for
satisfaction before you buy it. I went to buy some pens, and they made sure
that all the pens in the package were tested thoroughly before they would let
me buy them. One pen didn't seem to work at first, so they were going to throw
it out and replace it with another one. After a few more tries, it started
working though, so they put it back in. Same thing with when I bought a new
pair of sandals. They opened up the sealed package to that I could check and
be sure that they would fit me properly.
In spite of the mix of good and bad things here, I feel very much at home, and
I'm expecting this feeling to increase when I reach the project in the
mountains. Honestly, I feel more out of place in unknown cities in the States
than I do in this country. The only thing lacking here is a knowledge of the
language. But that will come soon enough. I absolutely LOVE IT here, and I
know that when it comes time for me to leave in two years, it will be very
difficult for me. I'm at an internet cafe here and I'm out of time, so I'll
have to cut this letter short right here. I hope that things are going well
for you all, and that the Lord is blessing you greatly. We well in my absense,
and remain always in God's love! My the Lord bless you abundantly!
With love in Christ,
Jeremy Gable
p.s. I met up with the Kent George just outside the Manilla airport when
arriving in country, for those of you who were wondering.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: missi...@bluemountaindesign.com
To: Palawan Newsletter < Pal...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 19:19:06 -0700
Subject: Philippines!
Hi everyone!
Well, I've arrived on the island of Palawan now (flew in yesterday)! Life here
is a little less insane than in Manilla. The driving is FAR less crazy, though
road rules are still pretty much understood but unspoken. Another thing I've
noticed here that's a bit different from Manilla is that the people here tend
to stare at white people more than in Manilla, especially the women. I don't
think it's anything like the situation I experienced in Manilla as far as the
"propositions." I was told before coming that people here want their children
to be as white as possible, and that they believe whatever they see the most of
is what their children will come out looking like. Almost everyone who has
stared at me have been women, so that seems to fit. A few more thins about
Manilla that I didn't have time to write in the last email.... While it's true
that there's alot of corruption, crime, and immorality here, it's also true
that there are alot of very sweet people. I've had opportunities to speak to
several filippino people since arriving in country, and many of them are very
friendly and caring. The street scene (which includes the hallways of malls
where those "propositions" took place) is very different from other settings,
such as inside the stores of those very malls. When it comes to the stores
(not street shops) the prices are already attached to the product and the
salespeople are very helpful, courteous, and intent on doing a perfect job of
serving you, even to the extent of insisting that you try the product for
satisfaction before you buy it. I went to buy some pens, and they made sure
that all the pens in the package were tested thoroughly before they would let
me buy them. One pen didn't seem to work at first, so they were going to throw
it out and replace it with another one. After a few more tries, it started
working though, so they put it back in. Same thing with when I bought a new
pair of sandals. They opened up the sealed package to that I could check and
be sure that they would fit me properly.
In spite of the mix of good and bad things here, I feel very much at home, and
I'm expecting this feeling to increase when I reach the project in the
mountains. Honestly, I feel more out of place in unknown cities in the States
than I do in this country. The only thing lacking here is a knowledge of the
language. But that will come soon enough. I absolutely LOVE IT here, and I
know that when it comes time for me to leave in two years, it will be very
difficult for me. I'm at an internet cafe here and I'm out of time, so I'll
have to cut this letter short right here. I hope that things are going well
for you all, and that the Lord is blessing you greatly. We well in my absense,
and remain always in God's love! My the Lord bless you abundantly!
With love in Christ,
Jeremy Gable
p.s. I met up with the Kent George just outside the Manilla airport when
arriving in country, for those of you who were wondering.
----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
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