Hobo-ing in Manila

I'm in Manila!

I don't have many pictures to show yet.  I honestly haven't taken any, other than my receipts for expense reporting later. 

These are my thoughts thus far:

• Working the night shift is hard.  The first day, I loved it.  I loved coming home to a bright day.  But honestly, it's really hard sleeping in the day, and feeling like the world is moving on without you.  Maybe I realized this subconsciously last night, so it was so hard sleeping, and then I could hear my damned neighbor having sex, and watching tv loudly.  It woke me up several times.  All I can imagine was this married, old white businessman doing it with some Asian prostitute, and it really disturbed me.
• Life is unfair.  Honestly, the slums of the Philippines intrigued me.  And maybe that sounds really naive and annoying, but I haven't seen the slums before.  It was also my first time seeing a Jeepney too.  There's something sadly beautiful about the slums, all the vibrant colors covering the dark and smelly trash.  Even the Jeepney - people squashed with each other in these tiny colorful transports that were converted from military jeeps.  Although I haven't seen much yet.. I appreciated the sense of culture and character emenating from those trying to make the most out of nothing. 
• I live in a 5-Star hotel.  It's where I call home for the next 2.75 weeks, as I stuff my face in gluttony at $40 per meal while listening to a live string quartet.  Get this, the hotel is so amazing, that in the book of amenities, it says you can request a helicopter landing pad.  It also has a dress code for the lobby.  The excess disgusts me, and maybe I am just being naive again.  Maybe it's been too much of a culture shock seeing one part of the city from the other.  In LA, the contrast was never this severe, and maybe because of that, it was easier to forget about the injustice... To feel less guilty.  Maybe I should not be one to judge.
• The hotel feels almost suffocating.  I can't fit in with these businessmen.. ever.. these 'important' people.  These individuals, that seem to have so much power. 
• I actually feel very lonely and out of place here.  I don't know why God placed me here.
• All cynicism aside.. the Filipino people so far have been incredibly friendly and hospitable.  And it is awesome (for me) that pretty much everyone I've encountered speaks really good English. 
• Food is good - similar to Chinese food and flavors. 
• I like the stuffy / humid weather.  I think maybe it gets me in touch with my roots.  Actually, that's me being naive again - I am in air conditioning 80% of the time, so I hardly get to go out.  But when I am out, I like it!

Signing off - Doe