Philippines: To boldly go where no Western woman has gone before . . .: Photos 63 to 64

Before I get to the main subject of this entry - my journey into the unknown - I want to talk a little about the country and about Manila, as that is the place that I flew into and where I am now.

My first impressions of the city were that it is huge, busy and smog-filled but I really liked it. The people have been exceptionally friendly nearly everywhere I have been (sometimes a bit too friendly!), they seemed curious of me and the women love my pale skin! I get a lot of attention walking down the streets here - maybe it is because I am on my own, or maybe it is because they don't seem to get many solo Western women here. Either way, it is the first time I have experienced this kind of attention as I was never really that different to anyone in South America.

One side of this place I really don't like is that I have seen a fair few unattractive, middle-aged, Western men walking around with their 'trophy' Filipino wives. It is pretty unpleasant to see - the women never look happy, and I really wonder what type of

Full Text Entry: Philippines: To boldly go where no Western woman has gone before . . .

F**k me, wow. Just wow Emily. Really.

I saw a lot of this when I was in the military (USAF). The reality is that marrying a Filipina means marrying the entire family. Marrying an American was a sure-fire ticket to the USA for the bride's family. They seemed resigned to their lot in life. Their husbands were guys that probably wouldn't have been as successful landing an American wife in the looks department. I think that poverty and family loyalty plays a major role in these situations.

Wow Em, what a mixed bag of emotions that was. Fabulous photos, quite stunning. Glad you are safe and well and have met up with Antony now. Is the foot better? Glad you had the opportunity to show off and perform, albeit in not quite your usual venue! Keep safe and enjoy. xxx

I am thoroughly inspired after reading that. I have heard about a number of people's trips to the Philippines but your wonderful island experience there, and your evocative way of describing it, make me want to get on the next plane :-)

hey emily, fantastic to read your adventures in philippines. sounds likes it was just what you needed!! i'm back in the uk in jun. lets hook up and swap stories!! bazza

What an inspiring story ! You've captured the true essence of the Filipino culture and way of life........great blog !...cheers!...joh

Hi Emily I am so glad you got to expereince a great time in Philippines. I always love hearing good comments on it and hate the bad ones. I am half Filipino and I love spending the time with my family and the attention you described is exactly what I receive whenever I go to visit. You can ready my blog on it if you are interested. As for the marrying thing. I agree about the women being sad and I feel sorry for them especially the fact that they are doing it to help their families. I grew up with a lot of people who were half Filipino and half english/irish/bangladesh (me)/pakistan/arab and the mothers and fathers were in it together for love. I guess the big difference is that the meeting happened in London (where they lived and worked) and not in the Philippines which is were what you described happens. Anyway thanks for the great blog and great pictures. I know my little cousins all love getting their pictures taken. Regards Mysha

Emily, the Philipine island sounds simply amazing. We have been home for 5 weeks now and reading it makes me so jealous. Enjoy Asia its just amazing. You will be starred at everywhere and have to pose for lots of pictures, but just learn to get used to it. Happy travels in China, our favourite country. Hope your sign language skills are good, you're going to need then. Oh and sign language for "you choose the food from the menu for us" results in the most amazing food - enjoy!!!

Brilliant... Makes me think of "The Beach", only without Leonardo DiCaprio and all that craziness. Can't wait to hear some first hand stories about the island. Kx

Hi Emily That sounded absolutely awesome. We thought we had had some amazing travel experiences, but I have to say that yours just shows how touristy they really were. We went through a similar depression as you I think when we got back from the Antartic, and it took a good 6 weeks, some sunshine and a few whales to get through it. Glad you have. Let the good times roll.

Hi Emily Was getting worried hadnt heard anything from you for awhile How well you write about your experience in the Philippines. Next best thing to actually being there.. The pictures are great love Maureen

go on, tell me how to get there, you know you want to! i did a similar thing to my foot over in south africa a few years back and i have to admit i started to cry when the 'pharmacist' told me how much he wanted for some medicine for it. I just let it rot for a while and it wnt away after a few days. here endeth the lesson. sound like youre having a great time! nice one!

Hi Em, Your trip sounds really fantastic - really glad you are enjoying yourself and making the most of your travels. Your photos are great by the way. Tim and I send our best wishes and enjoy China x

I have to agree with Mum here sis. That was the dumbest thing you've ever done.....BUT it did sound like a blast and i'm glad it all went well! hehe Another thing....not sure about phillipines but in thailand expect more of the same old western men and their 12 year old looking wives. It made me sick at first but then i was told the deal and it didn't seem as bad. Aparently they had very very shit lives beforehand and these (usually) fat gits actually support their whole families. I guess it's taking one for the team so to speak! Still, It's not as bad as being a prostitute!

your story is terribly amazing.. i really admire you for being so true to yourself, without any pretensions whatsoever.. that had been one great experience for you.. i am just wondering what island in the Philippines had you been...cant wait to experience the same :) go emily

I haven't yet read any of your other blog entries, but this was a great story. As a fellow blogger, I know it is often difficult to capture experiences in words. Thank you for taking the time to share your adventures on a road less traveled.

What a great experience, I'm very jealous! Unless you have a lot of time in a country (like Tao) it's almost impossible to find places and people like you have, you're lucky to have met him! Fellow Blogger, Carrol

I like the sleeping boy photo and his background story. You can find this type of child in Philippine rural areas who would follow and admire you from the distance, whether you are a foreign or a local visitor from the big city. You have captured an island's culture so astutely.

actually speechless for a change- totally................ no try as i might i am speechlees. x x x

Wow Em!!! Once in a lifetime, if you're lucky........ You're obviously a very lucky lady. Lost for words. XX

Age and weight are viewed differently in asian countries than they are in western countries. So because they are with and older man, doesn't always mean they are so unlucky. Many of those men treat them better than locals men ever would, and they are also able and willing to help their families. Many women in the Philippines, when given a choice, would chose the caucasion over the filipino simply because they are treated better by them, and given opportunites that they would otherwise never have in life.

First, I want to say, wow! I got interested in the blog title, especially being a Filipina abroad, I hunger for bits of news about my country...You have captured in words the real and unadulterated Philippine experience.. the life in all its simplicity, the people, the culture, and how friendly and caring Filipinos are... being immersed in the provincial life. It is true that because of the poor life and the dream of bringing better lives to our families , a lot of Filipinas, whether single or married, leave our families behind, as self-sacrifice, to do domestic jobs abroad, (a lot fo them teachers by profession, in Hongkong, Europe) or teachers in China, USA, etc. or even get married to foreigners as options or way out... The family is very important to us, and it is our duty to take care of our parents and relatives (didn't marry, w/ no children) when they grow old. Some of our men thinks that the Filipinas, our women, are more capable than them or maybe others are just lazy and enjoys spending the monthly remittance that their Filipina wife is earning abroad....but also a lot of our men are working in the Middle East countries, too. My country, Philippines, is actually experiencing "brain drain", because a lot of the professionals work abroad. Albeit, this is the case, Phlippines is still benefitting due to the monthly remittances(in dollars/pounds/euro) of millions of Filipinos sending money to their families every month.. I'm among them...We are called by our government as the "modern heroes" because we help our economy. On the lighter side, I am working in Guangzhou, China, as a Teacher and have stayed here for 4 years already and can speak their language...Guangzhou is about less than 2 hours drive from Hongkong and Macau...Keep in touch...when you're in China...you know my email address..Safe travels...

whew...i've seen worse dan dat... i help dem anyway..but good for u to know how unfortunate kids are,..ur lucky...

F**k me, wow. Just wow Emily. Really.

I saw a lot of this when I was in the military (USAF). The reality is that marrying a Filipina means marrying the entire family. Marrying an American was a sure-fire ticket to the USA for the bride's family. They seemed resigned to their lot in life. Their husbands were guys that probably wouldn't have been as successful landing an American wife in the looks department. I think that poverty and family loyalty plays a major role in these situations.

Wow Em, what a mixed bag of emotions that was. Fabulous photos, quite stunning. Glad you are safe and well and have met up with Antony now. Is the foot better? Glad you had the opportunity to show off and perform, albeit in not quite your usual venue! Keep safe and enjoy. xxx

I am thoroughly inspired after reading that. I have heard about a number of people's trips to the Philippines but your wonderful island experience there, and your evocative way of describing it, make me want to get on the next plane :-)

hey emily, fantastic to read your adventures in philippines. sounds likes it was just what you needed!! i'm back in the uk in jun. lets hook up and swap stories!! bazza

What an inspiring story ! You've captured the true essence of the Filipino culture and way of life........great blog !...cheers!...joh

Hi Emily I am so glad you got to expereince a great time in Philippines. I always love hearing good comments on it and hate the bad ones. I am half Filipino and I love spending the time with my family and the attention you described is exactly what I receive whenever I go to visit. You can ready my blog on it if you are interested. As for the marrying thing. I agree about the women being sad and I feel sorry for them especially the fact that they are doing it to help their families. I grew up with a lot of people who were half Filipino and half english/irish/bangladesh (me)/pakistan/arab and the mothers and fathers were in it together for love. I guess the big difference is that the meeting happened in London (where they lived and worked) and not in the Philippines which is were what you described happens. Anyway thanks for the great blog and great pictures. I know my little cousins all love getting their pictures taken. Regards Mysha

Emily, the Philipine island sounds simply amazing. We have been home for 5 weeks now and reading it makes me so jealous. Enjoy Asia its just amazing. You will be starred at everywhere and have to pose for lots of pictures, but just learn to get used to it. Happy travels in China, our favourite country. Hope your sign language skills are good, you're going to need then. Oh and sign language for "you choose the food from the menu for us" results in the most amazing food - enjoy!!!

Brilliant... Makes me think of "The Beach", only without Leonardo DiCaprio and all that craziness. Can't wait to hear some first hand stories about the island. Kx

Hi Emily That sounded absolutely awesome. We thought we had had some amazing travel experiences, but I have to say that yours just shows how touristy they really were. We went through a similar depression as you I think when we got back from the Antartic, and it took a good 6 weeks, some sunshine and a few whales to get through it. Glad you have. Let the good times roll.

Hi Emily Was getting worried hadnt heard anything from you for awhile How well you write about your experience in the Philippines. Next best thing to actually being there.. The pictures are great love Maureen

go on, tell me how to get there, you know you want to! i did a similar thing to my foot over in south africa a few years back and i have to admit i started to cry when the 'pharmacist' told me how much he wanted for some medicine for it. I just let it rot for a while and it wnt away after a few days. here endeth the lesson. sound like youre having a great time! nice one!

Hi Em, Your trip sounds really fantastic - really glad you are enjoying yourself and making the most of your travels. Your photos are great by the way. Tim and I send our best wishes and enjoy China x

I have to agree with Mum here sis. That was the dumbest thing you've ever done.....BUT it did sound like a blast and i'm glad it all went well! hehe Another thing....not sure about phillipines but in thailand expect more of the same old western men and their 12 year old looking wives. It made me sick at first but then i was told the deal and it didn't seem as bad. Aparently they had very very shit lives beforehand and these (usually) fat gits actually support their whole families. I guess it's taking one for the team so to speak! Still, It's not as bad as being a prostitute!

your story is terribly amazing.. i really admire you for being so true to yourself, without any pretensions whatsoever.. that had been one great experience for you.. i am just wondering what island in the Philippines had you been...cant wait to experience the same :) go emily

I haven't yet read any of your other blog entries, but this was a great story. As a fellow blogger, I know it is often difficult to capture experiences in words. Thank you for taking the time to share your adventures on a road less traveled.

What a great experience, I'm very jealous! Unless you have a lot of time in a country (like Tao) it's almost impossible to find places and people like you have, you're lucky to have met him! Fellow Blogger, Carrol

I like the sleeping boy photo and his background story. You can find this type of child in Philippine rural areas who would follow and admire you from the distance, whether you are a foreign or a local visitor from the big city. You have captured an island's culture so astutely.

actually speechless for a change- totally................ no try as i might i am speechlees. x x x

Wow Em!!! Once in a lifetime, if you're lucky........ You're obviously a very lucky lady. Lost for words. XX

Age and weight are viewed differently in asian countries than they are in western countries. So because they are with and older man, doesn't always mean they are so unlucky. Many of those men treat them better than locals men ever would, and they are also able and willing to help their families. Many women in the Philippines, when given a choice, would chose the caucasion over the filipino simply because they are treated better by them, and given opportunites that they would otherwise never have in life.

First, I want to say, wow! I got interested in the blog title, especially being a Filipina abroad, I hunger for bits of news about my country...You have captured in words the real and unadulterated Philippine experience.. the life in all its simplicity, the people, the culture, and how friendly and caring Filipinos are... being immersed in the provincial life. It is true that because of the poor life and the dream of bringing better lives to our families , a lot of Filipinas, whether single or married, leave our families behind, as self-sacrifice, to do domestic jobs abroad, (a lot fo them teachers by profession, in Hongkong, Europe) or teachers in China, USA, etc. or even get married to foreigners as options or way out... The family is very important to us, and it is our duty to take care of our parents and relatives (didn't marry, w/ no children) when they grow old. Some of our men thinks that the Filipinas, our women, are more capable than them or maybe others are just lazy and enjoys spending the monthly remittance that their Filipina wife is earning abroad....but also a lot of our men are working in the Middle East countries, too. My country, Philippines, is actually experiencing "brain drain", because a lot of the professionals work abroad. Albeit, this is the case, Phlippines is still benefitting due to the monthly remittances(in dollars/pounds/euro) of millions of Filipinos sending money to their families every month.. I'm among them...We are called by our government as the "modern heroes" because we help our economy. On the lighter side, I am working in Guangzhou, China, as a Teacher and have stayed here for 4 years already and can speak their language...Guangzhou is about less than 2 hours drive from Hongkong and Macau...Keep in touch...when you're in China...you know my email address..Safe travels...

whew...i've seen worse dan dat... i help dem anyway..but good for u to know how unfortunate kids are,..ur lucky...