Well here I am on my 6th and final week of my first trip to Manila Philippines. It has been a week with work and new experiences. Our first week out of class, and ready for the next class to start and I will be working on customer calls (22 of them at 30 mins each) along with a few other things... and work starts on Friday.... and then....... I come home the next day.

But on a personal note since I hate talking about work.... I had a great day. Lisa went home on Thursday for 10 days... which then she is bringing back her husband. Pam came in last night which really nice to finally meet her after all these years talking to her on the phone.

I went to the pool one morning after work.. was a hot and sunny day. I read the International Herald (the Int'l New York Times edition) and then went back up to the room and got back on my schedule. On Friday at work, one of the students (Henney) asked me if I would like to come over with a bunch of the students to her apartment after work. She was concerned that I would be not wanting to come over since she had such a small place and not as nice as I am used to. I explained to Henney that first I was happy that she asked me to join them, and also that friends are friends because of the people. Friends don't like each other for the things they have or don't have.. but how they treat one another. It didn't matter that we come from different countries/cultures. It is the people that you spend time with is what matters.

So on Friday after work (Saturday 5 AM local time) about 10 of us by taxi went to her apartment in Makati City somewhat near the office. People either brought or made food for the the "brunch" as Love called it. This has really been my first and only real Filipino meal that I have had here in Manila so far. We had a great time... I mean I had one of the times of my life that I will never forget as long as I live. It was such a good time getting to know them better on a personal nature, their lives, their stories and sharing mine with them as much as theirs with me. The food was great.. and to top if off... for appetizers... We had these real good bread rolls with cheese or "peanut butter" and "butter"!!!!! I was wild with excitement beyond belief. Ironically dinner the night before my friend Rich asked me what was the first food I was going to have when I got home back to Philadelphia. I said hands down.. a peanut and butter and butter sandwich with a big cold glass of milk. When I saw that peanut butter.. I was ecstatic. I had 4 little sandwiches.. and it tasted SO good. There is a picture of the food as well in the mix of photos.

My time in Manila has been one of extreme hard work, very mixed and constant emotions, one of learning about a different culture, different people, a very different way of life that I am used to or have ever been used to, of meeting new people which are turning into co workers and friends, but the main underlying thing .... is that life has shown me once again... how fortunate I am as a person....in my life for what I have, for what I have done, and all the potential that I am afforded in life.

The Filipino people are one of the most gracious people that I have ever met.. folks in the hotel that I have called home for the last 5 1/2 weeks, people I work with, the guards at the offices I have worked at to the people at Subway (where I get my lunch for work every day) and Starbucks (where I get my coffee before work every day) to the students I co-taught . I have learned that life is not always fair, or just, but it is what it is. However the people that we meet along the road of our lives is what makes the world so much smaller. We all have the same dreams and desires, and wants and needs of life. But how we try to obtain them, work for them, reach for the stars to get them... is so VERY DIFFERENT!.. It is not better or worse... it is just different. For some the ways are a struggle every day and for others it is a breeze.

My point is no matter where we are as individuals in life, what we have, what we desire for ourselves, look around... look around our block, our neighborhoods, our cities, and countries. And remember one thing and try to set one new goal for ourselves.. Give something back to someone, or something that needs an extra hand, a little extra help to those so they can get some of those desires and goals a little bit easier. It could be anyone, any group, animals, or any issue out there that means something to you........ could be as close to you as your next door neighbor or as far away as someone in a different country. Being here has shown me that I am so much more in this world than just someone that lives on E. Moyamensing Ave. I have been looked at here as a mentor/teacher, an American, a person. I am fortunate as a person... and that I have a responsibility to give back to the world.. which I know for sure that it will come back 10 fold in so many different ways.

So this week.. was a week of stark realizations and reminders of how fortunate my life is... how lucky on some level of how my life has turned out, of my family and the people I love, my great friends of many years... to the new ones of the past 5 weeks.

So now... I start my last week here on this 1st trip .... Sunday has turned into my Spa day... which this Sunday is not different. Being the last Sunday of the trip, I have extended the treatments to something new. I am starting to think/plan on what I am going to bring home, and what I am going to leave, as well as starting to think about coming home to Philly and also to my vacation with friends to Greece with stops before and after to Paris to see my neighbors Rosemary and Dave.

I am going to miss so many things about being here in Manila, crazy things (living in a 5 star hotel) to the orange and carrot juice that I drink all the time every day, to the people in the hotel that make my life here beyond belief... I look forward to going home, seeing Tim and Molly, my neighbors and friends, my vacation, getting caught up on a lot of different life things, and then with anticipation returning to Manila for 5 more weeks to continue the work we have started.

I try to think of the Roses and the Thorns of life that happen in the week.. and now I realize that I am only going to think of the Roses... and be grateful for them. And what I thought were the thorns of the week... are really not a big deal. Life is GREAT and for that I am grateful.

Enjoy the pics from the gathering after work at Henney's... and I can't wait to see everybody when I get home next Saturday afternoon.

Craig