Hairdressing

Took girls to great hairdressers. They got to sit in cars or miniature barbers chairs and watch their own TV or play station whilst getting their hair cut. Price of £2.50 includes the wash and blow dry. They got to lie flat whilst having their hair washed – Angelica thought it very exciting. I needed my colour done and was bit worried about who to go to, in the end settled on top technician and stylist at Tony and Guy Manila! OK slightly OTT I know! BUT Had the best cut I’ve had for a long time and whilst pricey for Manila it was still half what I would have paid on Lewsiham High Street and I had a pedicure and back massage thrown in. If anyone is considering coming out, get all your beauty treatments done here (and come with an empty suitcase). Its worth the airfare just to come and shop and get pampered for 14 days. While your at it u can get teeth whitened, cosmetic dentistry and all manner of plastic surgery at the Mall!!!

Next to the Hairdressers is a photo studio where can get a 20 minute professional photo shoot with 4 photos for £5. Great way to record an extreme makeover Manila Stylie…….Actually its a kids studio and they get to dress up - will take the girls one rainy day as it looks like fun!

There’s a new Mall that’s opened about 10 minutes walk from our house – all the usual brands including M&S, Debenhams Top Shop, Clarkes, Mango. Its not fully open yet but will have lots of nice eating places and bars on the roof. In the past we had to travel to get to somewhere nice to sit outside and eat but now we’ll be able to walk or stagger there without neogiating any traffic………….. We are becoming very Philippino spending our spare time in the Mall where it’s cool and basically provides eating, drinking, playing spaces for the kids, shopping, pampering and a gym all under a large air conditioned roof! Its just too hot to bother with travelling too far although hopefully will begin to cool a little soon. Marc and kids been to see quite a few films the latest being shrek 3, at Mall. All the films come out same time as US presumably coz of the prirating. They show the same film at all the cinemas for a week or so then it changes - even so shrek DVDs were on the streets for 50p the day after its launch!

TACLOBAN - (Leyte) Workshop

Work & Play

Getting into work properly now – Quite enlightening being on the other side of the fence being a volunteer/new worker. At workshop this weekend in Tacloban on the island of Leyte in the Visayas. Very interesting learning about a charity which sends kids to school and supports woman’s income generating projects. It only costs £172 per year per year to send a kid to school for a year. They provide for child labourers and those orphaned in a mud slide disaster last year. Here u have to be able to pay for the books, uniforms and shoes to go to school as well as towards the basics like electricity, water and maintenance.

It feels good to get back into the swing of work and try and solve familiar problems without having the personal stress of keeping my own staff in their jobs. The scale of the problems here seems so much more urgent, but it is possible to make an impact just by sharing knowledge and experience which is more gratifying that the recent stresses of my job in the UK.

It’s difficult at times seeing the kids on the streets in Manila especially when they are same age as Angelica and Gianna. It’s particularly hard seeing the little girls at night trying to sell strings of flowers to people in cars at traffic lights. They are obviously extremely vulnerable especially near the red light district.

I visited the equivalent of Childline here last week – Bantay Bata. They rescue children who are victims of abuse. Although it is a children’s helpline, most calls are from adults concerned about children. Children don’t have access to phones or the confidence to report their own abuse. I’ve volunteered to deliver some training and management advice. They are located very close to where we live and it will be great to use my helpline experience.

Staying in a nice(ish) resort Leyte Park Hotel in Tacloban where the workshop is taking place. Very dramatic skyline with thunderstorms over the mountains yet sunshine on the coast. Spectacular at night. Have got up each morning and had a swim before breakfast. Good spa for daily massages. In the evening have sea food with a view so it’s a very nice way to do “work”. See photos . Marc at home with the girls. Gianna keeps sending me “chat” on my laptop whilst in workshop. Sort of nice though she can stay in touch – been raining in Manila so think they have spent all their time at Mall.

Had call from my Bro after his 40th party. I was just in from swim and he and the gang kicking off the all night party. Sooooo wanted to be there but also really settling in here so it’s a hard one – if I could have “jaunted” back for a night that would be just perfect. Better still to have them all over here to party in the sunshine. Have our holidays to look forward to on Wednesday – What!!! I hear u all say “isn’t it all a holiday” hmmmmmmm pretty much since we got into the house and more settled. :)

new pics

BTW - The bed is in the house!!!! See home sweet home pics. Apparently was a 20 min job!! They took bedroom window out and pulled it in with ropes. These pics are from Puerta galera which is on Mindoro. A place we are highly likely to take our visitors ..........................................

Cheese Cheese Cheese and wine

Last night we went to the Manila Polo Club - (ever so posh) to the biggest cheese and wine event I have ever seen. Marc was in 7th heaven. To put it in context, I should tell u, that all ex-pats here complain that they can't get good cheese easily. Mic, a friend of Derval's, invited us as his guests to his monthly cheese club meeting. There was mountains of it. There was 30 tables each with 3 or 4 different cheeses, pate and huge piles of french bread and biscuits. There are also 3 or 4 wine stations offering really lovely wines. Needless to say we got stuck into both the cheese and the wine. One just has to attend these sort of events to network here.

I was surprised to find we actually knew quite a few of the 70 or so people attending. We are becoming quite the Manila socialites, what with parties at the Ambassadors residence and the Polo Club!!!I've even joined the BWA ( bitches and witches) or British Woman's Association and been to my first event - a talk on diamonds and how to buy them - a skill I do so hope I get to use at some point in my life but not immediately relevant to my circumstances!! Part of the reason for joining the BWA is to get access to their mailing list which in turn gives access to all the important functions and balls one just has to attend!! Only joking the real reason is because its how to find out about household stuff people are selling off when they leave Manila. Also helpful for answering important questions like - where does one get highlights done? or is it possible to get slim line tonic? or today's questions (after being at the polo club last night) where can I ride in Manila? (couldn't afford the Polo club!!) I've been asked to speak at the business leaders forum on Knowledge management but going to try and postpone that until I actually work out what it is myself :) Trotting along to their wine tasting do next week though - well on my budget I have to take up all offers of free wine!
Its Mothers day here on Sunday so we'll pop along to NOMADS a sports club, which is another ex-pat haunt where there're hosting a do with the French Ambassador apparently there'll be lots of pastis and french nibbles as well as their regular Sunday roast! They have all the football on a big screen and theres a pool and playground for the kids. Monday is a holiday here as its election day. So can't think of a good reason not to spend the day eating and drinking by the pool!
Crazy elections 77 candidates have been shot dead so far and apparently its only just hotting up. needless to say politics is not an occupation I intend to get involved with. Anyway better get back to resolving the main issue at the moment for the Knowledge Management "specialist" at VSO - What on earth I'm going to talk about at my workshop in 3 weeks time!

Family Pics

Just a couple of snaps of the folks back home taken a few days before we left London and in Bahamas in Feb.

NASUGBU (Batangas) - Mayamaya and friends

Had a great weekend at a place called Nasugbu which is about 100km outside manila so in theory only a couple of hours away, that is unless u leave on a Friday afternoon by public bus when it takes 5 hours. We went there 3 weeks ago and stayed at a lovely spa/resort called MayaMaya. http://www.mayamaya.com/gallery.htm There we met Mel and her Dad Brian who run the place. Brian is English by birth but grew up in NZ and Mel has 2 boys same age as Gianna and Angelica. Her ex partner Jerry was also there and he and Marc got on great - hes in a band based in Manila - they sat around talking football and concerts. Last weekend we deiced to go back and we had a wonderful time sitting by the pool lapping up the wonderful views and the sea breezes. (such a relief from Manila)The kids all had a great time playing together in the pool and the banana boat. I had a lovely massage in the Spa and Marc managed to watch football and boxing!!We cadged a lift back on Sunday night which was great and only took 2.5 hours door to door. I've posted a picture of Marc and girls doing their acrobatics in the pool. Maybe he's thinking of putting them in the circus as a sideline.

Mel and I are going to hook up in Manila - she has a group of girlfriends who hit the town about once a month.

There are a lot of day/overnight trips from Manila if u can time getting away at the right time of day or hire a care. I've posted a photo from Villa Escuerdo where Marc and Gianna went rafting. Its another resort with cultural shows etc. Angelica is with the caribou. Another place we plan to go soon is to see the volcano. On the way to Nasugbu about 70km from Manila is a volcano in the middle of a lake. The views from the road are spectacular and u can stay in hotels and lodgings with views fairly cheaply. There are supposed to be some very good restaurants which we plan to explore ...........Filipino food in restaurants thus far has not exactly been spectacular although the home cooked stuff is lovely..

Had a bit of a scare at the weekend as Mum had a fall getting on the bus and ended up with stitches. She is being looked after by some old friends. Skyped her on Saturday night and she was able to show me the bandage via the web cam - she seemed in good spirits and not too shaken. Thank goodness for new technology - it really helps to see someone when you are far away- must get the web cam our end set up soon. If anyone has skype let me know so I can add u to my contacts. My one at work camperbelleinmanila is a good one for weekdays if u are up late. I get in work about 7 which is 12 midnight UK time :)

Farewell Debbie (letter read at her funeral)

Sorry I’m not there today – we knew it would be like this of course but all the same it’s hard not to be there, with all the other people that love you, to make sure you get the send off you deserve. We talked about how this day would be - what might be there when you reached the end. Hopefully champagne and oysters if nothing else!

What we didn’t talk about was how much duller life will be without you. How much I will miss you, how much we would all miss you. If people only live on in other people’s memories, you will be living it up for many years to come, as you have left us with so many rich and colorful ones.

I remember when you first turned up in London – straight from Amsterdam where u had teamed up with John. I can’t remember whether u still had the black eye from your tramline incident when u arrived or whether, like so many Big Belly stories, that has now passed into folklore. You took to Northfield House like a duck to water – the unpredictability of the place suited your personality so well. There was always someone’s door you could hammer on at 5 in the morning when you still wanted to put the world to rights and the rest of us longed for bed!

You tried your hand at pop stardom but being typically adventurous, it was part of a Welsh speaking rap band with John that you made your first video. North Wales and your friends there always had a special place in your heart. I’m hoping that u got back there one more time before u left us for the big Bodega in the sky.

Do u remember the fun we had when I visited you in Barcelona, your other all time favorite place? I’m not sure Barcelona was ready for you, but they sure knew once you and Haggis had arrived. He of course helping the country prepare for the Olympics whilst you spent your time developing your love of good Spanish food and wine. You were, as always, an excellent host with a full itinerary of exciting and colorful places to visit, perfect stages for a full night of Debbie entertainment. There were of course many such stages in many other places over the years, each person will have their own story to retell.

My defining memory of you is one from the birthday do in Chester about 12 years ago. After the party on the boat we all retired back to the hotel for a nightcap (or 6). All the usual suspects were there and of course you held court in one corner. At some point in the proceedings you stood up and sang a wonderful rendition of Jerusalem with a waste paper bin as your shield.
It was a typical Debbie moment unprompted, wonderfully irreverent – and totally baffling! The next morning you were the last downstairs (the last to bed no doubt) and everyone broke spontaneously into Debera by Pulp

You were OUR Debera – the one and only totally irreplaceable Debbie Bell.

You have left us with the memories but you have also left us with your pottery. I suspect everyone at the main event today will have something that you created -you were first and foremost an artist – a very good one at that.

Can it be really true that I’ll not hear you shout “Hey Mulville” ever again? I can hear you shouting it now as u arrive at a party or pub – demanding an account of what is happening, why and when! I hear you were yourself to the end!!! Fabulously stroppy!!! Margie is a saint (thank you) and did a wonderful job along with your family helping you through your last 2 months. You must have been an awful patient at times but I’m so glad your greatest fear did not materialize, of loosing yourself, becoming someone else. We all loved u just the way you were!

I had assumed wrongly that we would grow old disgracefully together but that’s not to be. The experience of loosing you reinforces the fact that none of us know what is just around the corner and we must all live our lives to the full.

I hope you can feel the love we are sending you wherever u are, the gratitude we feel for the love you shared with us. You gave us so much. Thanks for everything; it’s a privilege to have been able to call you my friend. You will always be with me in my heart.

I’ll be raising my glass to you Belly somewhere in the Philippines - I hope that Bodega upstairs has a dam good red so u can do the same

Salute!!

A poem chosen by Debbie

Late Fragment

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

QUEZON CITY (Manila) - Home sweet home

After scouring the length and breadth of Manila , we finally moved into a 3 bed house just over a week ago. It's in Philam, the gated community were my office is located. A 5 min walk to work for me! We did consider a number of other options all over Manila but in the end decided to start off near to the office until we get Gianna's school sorted and if necessary relocate in 6 months time.
The bedrooms are all large double rooms, we have 4 bathrooms and thru living/dining area. No garden - its actually really hard to find houses with gardens, as the Filipinos hate the sun and do everything to limit the sunlight around their houses. We have a huge mango tree that shades the whole house. The net u can see above the house is to catch the fruit and leaves. There is a large outside area where we can put chairs / the kids can play and we are opposite the tennis courts, pool and kids playground so the kids aren't exactly couped up. the photo os front outside our house across to playground courts etc. Its really nice as its one of the older communities and whilst the newer developments are devoid of character, Philam has a church and some local shops at its centre along with the sports facilities and therefore has a natural focal point where people congregate. Everyone seems to know us whilst we are still getting to know people. Angelica is everyones darling and has her own little posse of friends calling her name wherever she goes.

Gianna has just finished 4 weeks tennis course. She was asked to be a model by the course sponsor MILO and interviewed for TV- probably a good thing as shes more likely to have a future in modelling than tennis ( as her father says she has all the required model characteristics - photogenic, loves the attention as well as being wilful and lazy)

The house is a bit sparse at the moment as we have to buy everything from scratch. Feels like I have been all over manila viewing at garage sales picking up odds and ends. We bought some fantastic new bamboo furniture - Marc bargained hard and we got large double bed, table with 6 chair and single bed all for £80!!! We are actually doing some research as we think there may be a business opportunity importing the stuff to the Bahamas!U can see the dinning table in the photos of the first Filipino meal we cooked with our language teacher. We even made our own coconut milk. Its chicken adobo in case your wondering what it is!! There are some fabulous food markets near here where the variety of fish, fruit and vegetables is amazing - We have had some great meals since we moved in, 6 weeks of eating out in restaurants had us craving for home cooked food!

U can see the kingsize bed sitting in the covered area below our bedroomin the photo! It was too big to fit up the stairs so we are waiting fo the guys to come and take the window out and haul it into the house that way. Not as difficult as it sounds because labour is so cheap here and we have borrowed the landladys handyman to help us out. We had the whole hosue painted and scrubbed inside and out before we moved in.

Now the house is sorted we are focusing on schools for the girls. Angelica will only go a couple of hours a day to a lovely little nursery between my house and work (ie 3 mins away). Gianna will start at around 7.30 and finish at 2.30 each day over in Makati. She is sitting a test this week for a posh Filipino school where all the rich kids go. We decided the British school was just going to cost too much especially when there are so many good Filipino schools about,This school has one class each year which is just for foreigners - mostly Korean and Filipino kids who have been brought up in the states although there are other nationalities. She will get to learn Tagalog. Its in the poshest part of town where many ex pats live and therefore a lot of the kids from the British school, so she can go and play with her friends or do after school stuff quite easily. It will be a 40 min commute each day for her on the train . They do get busy but unlike the tube in London they have aircon and have a woman's/family carriage she can travel in. I've also contacted an English woman that does home tutoring and though might get her to come and do a couple of hours of English geog/history so she keeps up with that side of things.

I have started work proper today after 7 weeks induction with VSO which included 5 weeks language training. We had a wonderful teacher who has become our friend. We plan to go out to some nightclubs together soon! He lived in the states for a while and is great at interpreting Filipino/UK,US culture clashes!!!!Not exactly sure yet what I'm actually supposed to be doing at work yet but have 6 months to find out so not too worried.

Off to join the super new gym today in the mall next to where we live. They are busy constructing the biggest Mall in Asia and have already completd this flashy new gym. Its just too hot to run and will soon be too wet to do much else so will spend my spare time in the gym and being pampered in the spa.................Missing friends, family and camping but not much else about UK ...oh yes English mustard!!!