Day 6: Someone who does not live in your country

What can I say about a person who does not live in my country?  I am from the far-east, the Philippines, born and raised.  I currently live and work however in the Middle East.

If I were to describe someone who doesn’t live in the Philippines, they’re probably westerners.  I can’t really describe the visitor’s without knowing them.  So I’ll describe the Philippines and the Middle East instead.

I always describe the Philippines as vast greenery.  Composed mostly of islands, the Philippines is surrounded by pristine beaches, endless rivers, springs, waterfalls, and mountains and croplands.  It is majestic.  I love looking at nature.  The breeze is just relaxing.

You won’t get what I described if you live in Manila, the Philippines’ capital.  I have nothing against Manila.  In fact, I was born there.  Manila is an urban jungle.  Traffic is a nightmare.  The city is full of life, full of people, full of vehicles.  I like Manila because it’s convenient.  And even in the city, there is still a sense of community.

I like that you feel you belong wherever you are in the Philippines.  People are very accommodating.  They are so generous that even when they don’t have enough, they’ll still give.

The Middle East, on the other hand, is more than just oil and desert.  Yes, it is vastly desert.  Yes, it is dry.  Yes, they’re rich in oil.  And it’s sad that there are a lot of bad stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims.  They are actually very friendly.  They have great respect for women - and love their mothers.  They’re generous too, especially with food.

I can’t really describe the goodness of the Arabs and the Muslim, unless you’ve witnessed and experienced it first-hand.  I encourage everyone to visit the Mid-East just to see the beauty of their country, being religious, and how they interact with the world.  They’re not backwards or slow.  They are modernized, smart, and rich.

Sorry, if I keep coming up with topics about traveling or to travel.  Not my intention.  That’s just been on my mind a lot.  In short, keep traveling and keep learning.