Just a quick update to say that I didn’t fall off a cliff or get detained by the Filipino customs officers. I’ve just been wickedly busy these past two weeks since returning from the States. I foolishly scheduled our return flight to arrive the night before starting work. Serious jet lag abound. Work is going well, jumping right back into things, but have even more on my plate this year. If this all wasn’t enough, you may recall that IRead more
Posts filed in: Expat Experiences
Criminals, Cops, and Cherokees in B.F.E.
The back of a Florida State Trooper’s police car doesn’t smell like I thought it would. I figured bad aftershave, stale coffee, and tired sweat would be the eau de jour. This one just had that pungent new car smell wafting through the steel divider. — What would have been an average, long, and boring 11 hour trip from Tennessee down I-75 to Florida turned into what my mother likes to call, “an ordeal”. Somewhere around Macon, Georgia, we stopped toRead more
Two more weeks until America – and a bit of miscellaneous rambling
In two weeks from today, we’ll be arriving in the States. I can’t wait. There’s a ton of work to be done between now and then, including wrapping up a lot of work and this little detail of moving condos. We’re probably completely insane, but we’ll be moving to a new condo only three days before flying out for the summer. Needless to say, I’ve been quite busy lately. While considering our flight halfway around the world and all ofRead more
Jakarta 2010 recap
After only a week in Jakarta, we’ll head back to Manila tonight at 1AM. It’s been a very different kind of holiday (well, compared to Boracay), but good nonetheless. There’s definitely a different feeling to Jakarta when returning as a tourist. Most of my friends have moved on to other countries, and Novita’s family was quite busy to hang out much. I ended up spending a lot of time in Kelapa Gading simply because it’s the area I know best.Read more
Looking for a condo in Manila – Concrete + space vs green + proximity
As much as we love our glass palace in the sky, we’re considering moving. It’s going to be tough giving up the space – 235 sq meters (2500 sq feet), 4 bedroom / 4 1/2 bath + maid’s quarters, the views from 500 feet up, the floor to ceiling windows… However, we’re willing to sacrifice space for greener living. We’re quite literally in the midst of a concrete jungle. Towering skyscrapers, bustling sidewalks, concerete everywhere – which is great ifRead more
Small world
Small world. Saturday, I get a call from a friend, “Hey you know Racquel?” Yeah, I do, but only on Twitter. She helped me with various questions regarding moving to Manila from Jakarta. She was a fantastic resource and very helpful. “Well, she’s here hanging out if you wanna drop by.” … huh … ? Turns out Racquel’s fiance was in my friend’s wedding – as his best man. They were over at his place hanging out and apparently theRead more