2.5 weeks in.... Love.

Not in any particular order, here are a few of the things that have happened/occurred in the last couple of weeks.....

-Offer to check out and film a true cock fight.
-Judging of a Lady-boy (transgender) beauty pageant
-Met and made friends with the pioneers of Philippine rock climbing/outdoor adventure
-Island paradise weekend trip
-Started classes
-Thinking about moving out to a much cheaper place, in Los Banos, with grown-men rules
-Hiked to boiling mud springs on Mt. Makiling and Flat Rocks

  I plan on attaching my roommate's (Justin's) manuscript/rendition of the Lady-boy beauty pageant in order to appease any curiosity.
  A brief synopsis is this:  We go hike on a Monday, early morning, get home, sleep and shower to go out for dinner.  We eat dinner on a second floor balcony, and at the conclusion of eating we look over the balcony rail to see a sort of parade.  It was very similar to a high school homecoming parade, sans girls in there daddies convertibles....
  9 very attractive "women" were being escorted down the main strip in Los Banos, by men and we thought nothing of it....
  We left our dining establishment a bit later and took some shots of the end of the parade.  We went to local bar and had some coffee....
  We start walking home and hear commotion down an alley.  We check it out and see a huge crowd of people around what appeared to be a mock "So You Think You Can Dance" Filipino style.... with DJ, MC and all...
  As the only white skinned people for miles around, Justin and I were of course invited to sit in chairs, rather than on the concrete with everyone else, in true hospitable Filipino style, of course.  When a Filipino invites you to sit in their own country at a special event, you don't say no....
  Were we in for a helluva show!!!
  Three and a half hours, and a full length transgender beauty pageant later, Justin and I had surely had enough culture for the day and night and then some.  
  That may be most interesting of the stories as of yet, on our study abroad in the Philippines, but there are surely more to come.  We are actively pursuing the next adventure every single day.
  I'm including some pics of the aforementioned event as well as some others I think you all might enjoy.
Till next time, and that will be sooner than later.

Be well and love life,

MJ

I'm here, I'm safe, I'm hot, I'm loving it.

To no surprise to anyone who's ever been to the Philippines before typhoon season, in May, I am sweating as I write.

I arrived on a late evening flight to Manila on Tuesday.  I spent some quality time in customs (1hr) and waiting for my luggage (45min.), (left baggage at home).  I was met outside the airport with an extremely balmy and smog filled evening, as well as University of the Philippines Los Banos official and driver.

We drove through the insane slow shutter flash of traffic, that is Manila, and made it Los Banos 35 miles and 2 hours later.

Made it my dorm, where I was greeted with the familiar face of Justin, another MSU student, who's here to broaden the perspective.  

It was late, or was that the jet lag?

I've been out in Los Banos, meeting people, getting to know my roommate and eating great food ever since.  Details to come, but here's some sweet pics for you all.  = )

From the Valley of the Sun

Feeling the heat, with early Monday morning 36 hours around the corner. Thus far, Arizona has been a dream as always. Always cut short, surreal.

It's gorgeous out here. My Dad and step family always making me feel like home is out here. The food is great, or so they said so after I cooked this evening. (It was.)

The sun is 100 degrees hot, and dry like the wind. I pace myself in the morning, not wanting to overheat, 4-5 miles or trying to outrun the sunrise. It never works. No sweat, just exhaustion. It's like an oven, but a really inviting one, like the gingerbread house oven in Hanzel and Gretel.

Got almost all of the essential gear necessary for six months abroad, and for shooting a documentary while there. Sans the gear en route to Dad's place, then shipped once again, back to Asia from here. Ridiculous.

Anyway, here's some pics from Phoenix/Scottsdale. Hope you all enjoy. I'm loving the G11 PowerShot from Canon, btw. Still got to figure out how to get the damn time stamp to go away, though.

Out for now.


MJ