Manila - Monday, February 16th - 12 more things I've noticed

1) I have yet to see a firetruck.
2) As opposed to installing them lower to accommodate for average height, ATM's have booster platforms in front of them. It's pretty funny if you think about it. And then picture it. And then feel bad for feeling like you made fun of short people.
3) Chicken just isn't the same here as in the States. They know pork and beef, just not chicken. Tis sad. America 1, Philippines 1. I'm keeping tally.
4) Even though I knew I would be working a bunch, I seriously over-estimated the amount of free time I would have here. Last night was probably the first time I felt like I had a life since I've been here.
5) Related to #4 - Jim Beam is more expensive.
6) Related to #5 - hangovers feel the same here. No logical reason why they wouldn't, yet I had still hoped.
7) Related to #6 - you get pain relievers like Ibuprofen from the prescription counter at a Pharmacy, not in the aisle. Kinda like trying to get Claritin D in the States.
8) Despite the poverty, there seems to be an extremely strong cultural need to build massive shopping malls and walk around them a lot.
9) Guys don't wash their hands after taking a piss here. Granted, not everyone in the States does, but at least some people at home do.
10) Movies channels here suck pretty hard.
11) As a counter-point to #10, their music television here is quite awesome. They actually play music videos. Tis novel.
12) I really hate extraneous hand movements in Salsa. Maybe that's just how they do it here, but it's stupid, pointless, and frickin' annoying nonetheless.