Sunkissed

Well I'm here, so we might as well get things started. Every time I arrive in the Philippines, I undergo a re-baptismal of sorts. Today, I decided to scout my current area -- by foot, as I usually do. This familiarizes myself with the positioning of roadways and establishments, and awakens my system to the chaos that is normal in the Philippines, though you hit some of this right off the bat when stepping out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport. A kiss from the sun is also a welcome greeting and helps me to re-acclimatize to the tropical weather.


On my little walk, I stumbled across the Ynares Center, the significance of which I am currently unaware of, except that it appears to be a major sports coliseum in the area, and is seemingly named after the Ynares family (whose faces are plastered on various objects in the vicinity) -- a prominent family in the area and apparently of some relation to Jose Rizal.

I'm usually not of the superstitious type, but interestingly, a black cat literally crossed my path while at the Ynares Center.

Apart from that, I enjoyed the time alone. Yes, I timed the shots to capture myself in the photos.

I ended the walk with a noontime drink of fresh coconut water.

Right now, I am just easing into what may come, giving my mind a break while I still can.  But soon I know that money will be an issue.  It will be a major challenge locating a US telecommute job, US government job in the Philippines, job in the Philippines for a US citizen, or a high-paying Philippine job.  Or I may need to be creative and seek out unconventional avenues.  If anyone has any ideas, feel free to let me know.