The Good, the Bad, and the Philippines

I think I’ve delayed long enough in writing this post. I wanted to wait until I’m became an expert in all things Filipino, but I figured I’d be waiting ‘til the cows came home. Regardless, I’ve earned my stripes and am probably the closest you’ll ever come to an expert in field.

First of all, let me clear up a small misconception: I really like the Philippines. No, I did not find a Filipina girlfriend who changed my whole outlook on the situation. I’ve always liked this country; I’ve just never liked being stationed here. There may be very little difference between the two outlooks, perhaps they are even indistinguishable. However, it is a view I’ve held onto this entire trip.

The Good – Imagine you’ve worked for the last four days from seven to seven and you can’t believe you’re arriving back at work for another equally long day. Now imagine that everyone you see whose name you’ve forgotten gives you a warm smile and a “Good morning sir Matthieu”. By the time you’ve walked down the corridor you’re smiling back and today suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

The Bad – Did you pick up on the subtle mention of the work hours?

The Good – The culture here is amazing, as it is filled with people like those above. Everyone is fairly laid back about most things and I get the feeling it is nie impossible to anger a Filipino.

The Bad – The only complaints I have about the culture concerns religious ubiquity. Christmas carols from September to February is a bit much.

The Good – I have mixed feelings about the weather. I used to complain about the heat but I’ve basically gotten used to it by now. For the most part, each day is just another beautiful day in the tropics.

The Bad – But there’s the rub: the tropics breeds and mutates the yearly cold virus. ‘Tis a strange feeling to be a viral vector; I’ve gotten this year’s cold and passed it on to California bound coworkers. I won’t spoil the surprise but all I can say is this new virus mutation is a doosey.

The Good – The work I’m doing is very interesting. There are dozens of problems to solve on the tool and each makes for a fun puzzle. Put it this way: I’ve never picked up a sewing kit my entire life until I had to calibrate a million dollar robot.

The Bad – I came here to characterize a tool; I can’t do that until the damn thing operates.