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Blast
I spent a year in the Philippines working and living around Manila. There was always the chance of an attack and it was always worse with the Americans in the center because we were excellent targets. From October of 2005 to March of 2007 we never had an attack within the city. There were attacks in the south of the Philippines but never in the city.
Which makes this news all the more painful and disturbing. From Yahoo News. (addl at LGF)
MANILA, Philippines – A bomb made from high-grade explosives — and likely set off by terrorists — caused the blast that killed at least nine people and wounded more than 100 at a mall in Manila’s financial district, officials said Saturday.
The bomb exploded near a mall I had been to and also dangerously close to the church I attended while I was there.
The strong explosion ripped through three floors of the Glorietta 2 shopping mall in Makati city on Friday, hurling slabs of concrete, twisting steel reinforcements, and shattering glass panels. Earlier police reports had said a fuel tank caused the blast.
And of course you have the people who would get along really well with the 9-11 truthers on this side of the pond.
Several opposition politicians and Arroyo critics had suggested the government may be responsible for the bombing to divert attention from scandals plaguing her administration, over alleged overpriced projects and bribes to lawmakers to defeat an impeachment movement.
Seriously people. If this was Iran, Syria, Lebanon, China or some other country I might believe you. But this is the Philippines. A country striving for freedom from the shackles of the Spanish and American rule they experienced for so long. A country trying to find a place in the world and the economy. A country struggling for hope. Arroyo has done many stupid things (several during my time there that made me smack my head with my hand) but this is accusation is beyond the normal brain functions of a normal human being.
I can only hope and pray that those who were murdered were not among those that I know and that the families who have lost will be supported in this time. My prayers for the injured and affected. The only thing is that at least it wasn’t worse. Malls in the Phils are crowded, jammed and packed to the hilt.
Japanirific
Sitting in Narita International Airport waiting for my flight in three hours to San Fran. I’m saddened that there won’t be a return trip to appreciate the amazing beauty of the Japanese women.
It was very hard walking out of work today. I nearly cried. I was an emotional wreck. I tried to say goodbye to everyone, but that didn’t work out. I still have an empty feeling in my stomach although that may be connected to my hunger. Just kiddin’.
Farewell Manila…
This is the final post of the Leaving Las Manila series in which I talk about things I’ve missed, things I’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as I reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005. This is a fictional recreation of what my goodbye looks like. Some truth is found here but there is also pieces of invention in this. Hence, “Fiction”. This is the last post I’ll probably do until I land in Denver. Until then, enjoy.
The silence of the moment surprised him. The hours had passed quickly at a breakneck pace. The sun was nearing the horizon as the darkness anxiously waited in the wings. The room was empty and cleansed of the memories from the past year. The room was at it had been when he had walked in the door that warm day in March. Hot and sticky with sweat on his brow he had found relief in what he saw.
Now he looks around feeling the pang of emptiness gnawing at the corners of his heart. The clothes have been neatly arranged in the bags and stuffed in preparation for the long flight across the globe. The belongings, reminders and personal affects are all zipped up in the luggage he stares at now.
This and That
This is just a meandering post that has so much random stuff in it…
As the countdown continues towards departure I’m nearly complete in my packing, cleaning and readying for leaving. I’ve said goodbye to my young adults group (it was just about as hard as saying goodbye to my kids in Children’s Ministry) and made my final trip out of Makati back home. It was a small moment for me driving out of the city knowing I wouldn’t be back.
Walk with me
This is a part of the Leaving Las Manila series in which I talk about things I’ve missed, things I’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as I reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005. Take this opinions for a grain of salt. They are not fact or statements of any kind of position of a company or call center. It’s just my brain trying to process ideas. Capiche?
There are days where I wonder if I’m really human anymore. Like if my muscles and nerves have suddenly transformed into a cybernetic robotic machine that drones through the workday, eyes glowing red with maniacal focus. Working the graveyard can do this to you.
The Long Goodbye
This is a part of the Leaving Las Manila series in which we talk about things we’ve missed, things we’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as we reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005. Take this opinions for a grain of salt. They are not fact or statements of any kind of position of a company or call center. It’s just my brain trying to process ideas. Capiche?
It’s time to come home. With four days left (and one of those is today, Sunday) I’m starting to really feel the feelings of leaving and never coming back. It’s a bittersweet feeling that has been with me for the last few days. Today was the hardest so far and it’s not going to get easier I get on the plane and soar above the ocean on the way home. You see, today I had to say goodbye to my kids.
I’ve been working at children’s ministry for ten years now and have loved every minute of it. When I came out here I had to say goodbye to my kids at my old church and that was hard. I had been there for ten years doing God’s work and loving the kids. To leave them for a year and a half was hard.
The Fellowship of the Call Center
This is a part of the Leaving Las Manila series in which we talk about things we’ve missed, things we’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as we reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005. Take this opinions for a grain of salt. They are not fact or statements of any kind of position of a company or call center. It’s just my brain trying to process ideas. Capiche?
The Outsourcing world can be a unforgiving mistress at times. She doesn’t give much of an inch and usually shoves back with the strength of a few rhinos. To say she is tempestuous is understating the simple facts of the case. She can (and usually does) exact a terrible toll on both your mind and body in the time you spend at her side.
It’s not unusual to have a case of flashing vertigo. It comes around usually every hour and lasts for fifteen seconds bursts. It doesn’t send you to your knees but it does make your world wobble a bit to the side. It’s not unusual to gain weight. The stress, the emotional pieces it exacts from your heart and the general fun that goes along with working outside your home country can lead you to stress eat to relieve the giant monkey on your back.
The reality of goodbye
This is a part of the Leaving Las Manila series in which we talk about things we’ve missed, things we’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as we reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005. Take this opinions for a grain of salt. They are not fact or statements of any kind of position of a company or call center. It’s just my brain trying to process ideas. Capiche?
With just over a week left before I say goodbye to this country I’m in between emotions of celebration and mourning. I’m filled with sadness at having to walk away from some good friends and amazing people. The bittersweet taste of knowing I may never see Manila or the Philippines again fills my mouth every day as I walk through my normal frenetic rhythm.
You can’t save everyone
This is a part of the Leaving Las Manila series in which we talk about things we’ve missed, things we’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as we reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005. Take this opinions for a grain of salt. They are not fact or statements of any kind of position of a company or call center. It’s just my brain trying to process ideas. Capiche?
Living in Manila (aka living in Quezon City, a city in “Metro Manila”) you have to deal with something you experience in the United States. Beggers. Children who say, “sir, sir money please.” and simply give you the most heartbreaking looks any small child could find deep in the skin they live in. But the difference is that here in this place it’s much more prevalent and at times overwhelming you simply have to adopt the unfortunate stance of “No” to everyone asking you for money. It’s hard, but you can’t save everyone.
Honor
This is a part of the Leaving Las Manila series in which we talk about things we’ve missed, things we’ll miss and whatever else comes to mind as we reflect on heading home since arriving here in the Philippines in October of 2005.
I don’t think I’ve honestly talked enough about my cousin Seth and how cool he is. Seth was born twenty days after me (same year and everything) and we grew up as cousins. There is an incident that I will never be able to forget. I don’t actually totally remember it, but my mom and his mom remind us every so often.
We were like six or some young age in the car on our way to something. We passed a river (or was it a lake, heck if I remember) and I (or Seth) remarked, “It’s a lake!”. Then Seth (or I) said, “No, it’s a river!”. The arguement continued all the way up to wherever we were going. On the way back we once more took up the issue only this time we argued opposite of our original position on the ride up.
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- @JustinCasias1 Yessir.
- http://twitpic.com/180oph - Didn't know @yancynotnancy had a trucking company! #haha
- Great. Ticketmaster is giving me a "no tickets avail" for the @ConanOBrien show in may in boulder. Shoulda figured that'd happen.
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Live from the 303 by Aaron DeLay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. -
