In the summer of 2006, I travelled to the Philippines, which is where I was born. I stayed mostly in the Greater Manila area, but also made a day-long travel to Laoag, Ilocos Norte by riding on an air-conditioned bus. The bus fare was around eight hundred pesos one way. To experience the ambiance of this lovely country, I usually walked around the city and mingled with the crowds of people in shopping centers, public markets, sidewalks, promenades and public parks. I also visited a neighboring town, San Nicolas, which is the birthplace of my father. One thing I observed was the number of vendors in the public market. They were selling groceries, fruits and vegetables, household wares, fast foods and other items. Because of difficulty finding salaried jobs, most of the people have resorted to
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