PART 2: The Philippines (2002-2004)
For two years, Baguio City, the Philippines was my home. I lived and worked at an international school in the ‘City of Pines’ in the mountainous Cordillera region of northern Luzon. It was the beginning of my international teaching experience. It also represented an extension of my love of travel. I was able to travel extensively throughout some of the 7107 islands of this amazing country and experienced many things that I never thought I could.
This blog article will be a combination of the experience of living in the Philippines as well as some of the travel that I did while there. It is a country very close to my heart and I have travelled there many times since. In fact, I will add to these travel experiences in the Philippines when I spend another 4 weeks there in June 2024.
Introducing The Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of more than 7,000 islands lying about 500 miles (800 km) off the coast of Vietnam. Manila is the capital.
It takes its name from Philip II, who was king of Spain during the Spanish colonization of the islands in the 16th century. Because it was under Spanish rule for 333 years and under U.S. tutelage for a further 48 years, it has many cultural affinities with the West. It is, for example, the second most populous Asian country with English as an official language and one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia.
Despite the prominence of such Anglo-European cultural characteristics, the people of the Philippines are Asian in consciousness and aspiration. A developing country, it has great disparities in wealth and has endured several political upheavals such as the overthrow of the Marcos government in the 1980’s. It is well known as a tourist destination for its beautiful beaches and also its friendly people.
The Philippines certainly has its problems and its challenges. But I found it to be a fascinating place to live and to travel in.
Let’s begin….
The Arrival
Sometime in July 2002, I arrived in one of Asia’s craziest cities – the madness that is Manila. With a metro population of over 13 million people and with huge disparities in wealth and infrastructure throughout, this is one of those places that you either love or hate, depending upon what part of the city you experience.
This is where you will see incredible poverty, homelessness and despair as well as great wealth, luxury and hope. You will feel the warm Filipino smile and the heart that embraces you the moment you arrive. But you may also experience frustration, sadness and even fear.
On this occasion, I was only briefly passing through, on my way to the mountain city of Baguio in the north. But it is a place that I would frequently visit and a place that would provide me with plenty of fun and interesting experiences as well as some challenges.
I was met at my hotel by a driver who had been assigned to take me on the 7 hours of often winding roads to Baguio and to my new home. Most people associate the Philippines with beaches, palm trees, mangoes and humid, hot weather. I was headed for mountains, pine trees, strawberries and much cooler conditions. Months later when I returned to Australia for the first time, I was mocked by my friends for returning from the ‘tropics’ without a sun tan.
Baguio City
Baguio is a city of around 340,000 people in the Cordillera region in the north of the country on the island of Luzon, which is the largest and most populous of the over 7000 islands that make up the second largest archipelago in the world. It is situated 1500 meters above sea level and a fairly steep two-hour drive from the coastal town of San Juan. A weekend trip to Manila took over six hours at that time.
Baguio City, Luzon, Philippines
Baguio is known for its cool climate, scenic landscapes, and vibrant cultural scene. It’s often referred to as the “Summer Capital of the Philippines” due to its cool weather, making it a popular retreat during the hot summer months. The city is renowned for its picturesque parks, such as Burnham Park and Mines View Park, as well as The Mansion, the official summer residence of the Philippine President.
Baguio is also famous for its annual flower festival called the “Panagbenga Festival,” which showcases colorful floats adorned with flowers, street dancing, and various cultural events. The city’s market, known as Baguio Public Market, is a bustling hub where visitors can find local handicrafts, fresh produce, and unique souvenirs.
In addition to its natural beauty and cultural attractions, Baguio is home to several educational institutions, including the University of the Philippines Baguio and the Baguio Cathedral, adding an academic and historical dimension to its charm. It is also the home of Brent International School, a place that would dominate my life for the next two years.
Settling In
When I arrived in Baguio, I was met with typical hospitality, shown to my on-campus apartment and helped to settle in with a large helping of local food and a meet-up with other newly arrived teachers from the UK, South Africa and New Zealand.
One great thing about being an international teacher is that you are very well looked after on arrival. At least that has been my experience. The first week or so before work actually begins, often involves city tours, shopping expeditions, social activities and well-prepared orientation processes to help new arrivals settle in. Add that to the famous Philippine friendliness and it was fair to say that I enjoyed my introduction to life in the Philippines.
My two years living in the Philippines can be summed up by focussing on two main things. The people, and the often challenging travel. No doubt, the people of the Philippines are among the friendliest in the world and I was fortunate enough to make lifelong friends here. As English is so commonly spoken this was a little easier to achieve than in many places I’ve been. Making friends in a country where you are living, is the greatest benefit of staying a while in a place rather than being a tourist. It really felt like my ‘mountain home’ as it was referred to in our school song.
Though the people are friendly, the transport system wasn’t always so. There are many ways to get around this amazing country of mountains and islands and the challenge of getting somewhere was often a part of the adventure. I learnt to be patient here, but I also learnt how to hang on for dear life at times. Planes, buses, jeepneys, multicabs, taxis, tricycles, ferries, small boats and the back of motorcycles make up the various ways of getting around. Most of these involve squeezing in with many others and sometimes just hanging on and hoping for the best.
Getting To Work
Brent School is quite a unique place to work. The buildings came from another era, nearly all wooden and the whole feel of the place is one of history and tradition. Customs have remained throughout the decades through the constant that is the Filipino staff, board and administration. There is a boarding school and all foreign teachers live on campus. This was a first for me. There was a chapel on campus and staff were required to attend services and on-campus events.
The largest student nationality was Filipino, though there were many different nationalities with the largest overseas contingent coming from South Korea. The overall feel was that of a close-knit community. The school was small and people were close. Numerous social functions helped to develop a closeness that I hadn’t quite experienced before. Hence I made lifelong friends. These friends were largely local teachers who helped me to better understand the local culture and traditions. As a first taste of international teaching life, this was just perfect.
As the job was all a little new, it did take a little getting used to. But students are similar in many ways, regardless of where they are from. Developing rapport as always is the most important thing. And I quickly found that these students would be a joy to teach. I quickly put away my classroom behaviour management skills that had been honed in the demountable public school classrooms in Australia, where a loud voice, a stern look and demonstrations of toughness were a part of the teacher toolkit. Little did I know that I would hardly raise my voice to a student in the same way for the next 20 years.
The focus was clearly going to be on mastering my subject and getting the best out of my students from an academic perspective. I could live with that.
Turning Points
In all things new there are teething problems. I was sucking up new experiences, making new friends and generally enjoying my new life. But my old life was still very close to me. I was wondering what I was missing back there. I was desperate to get back at the end of the year to see friends again. The ‘big’ holiday at the end of the school year would come in June. It’s weird for an Australian to have the longest holiday in the middle of the calendar year and also in our winter. But it was something that I was counting down to.
I must admit, that homesickness was something that I struggled a little with in the early years. I kind of wanted both lives at the same time. I even wondered if one year away was enough. Was this really what I wanted? Living in a quite isolated part of a country that felt at times a million miles away from my home. I could break my 2-year contract and go back to my old life. My old job was waiting for me if I wanted.
When I did get home in June at the end of my first year away it was great. But while I had a huge 6 weeks of holidays, my teacher friends only had two. They were on their own countdown to their summer holidays in December. While enjoying my time catching up with friends, something strange was happening. I was reaching out to my new friends via text and wondering what they were up to. They were in Canada, the US, England, the Philippines, and Thailand. I was also thinking about new students that I would be teaching when I returned as well as the trips within the Philippines that I was planning.
In July when I arrived back at my small apartment set among the pine trees of Brent School, I was full of excitement. I was excited to see friends and share holiday stories. I was excited to begin a new year and to do things better than the first. And was was happy to be home. Yes, that does sound a little strange. But I had just spent 6 weeks crashing on friends’ couches and visiting my parent’s homes. I was now back in my place. And it did really feel like home.
Travel
With so many islands to explore, we really are looking at a lifetime of potential wandering. In my two years as a resident, I visited the cities of Manila, Cebu, Legaspi, Davao and Ormoc among others.
Beach holiday highlights were White Beach in Mindoro, Bantayan Island in Cebu and Hundred Island National Park on Luzon’s west coast. But often neglected though, is the northern part of the country. Baguio was the perfect starting point to explore the world-famous Batad Rice Terraces as well as the mesmerising town of Sagada, famous for its hanging coffins.
Batad
Still in use today, the Ifugao Rice Terraces were carved into the hillsides of Ifugao Province by hand some 2,000 years ago, and are fed by an elaborate irrigation system that captures water from the forests above. While many people explore this famed landscape from the town of Banaue, probably the most impressive of all the terraces is at Batad, a tiny, remote village in the municipality of Banaue that is only accessible by foot.
Thanks to their pristine condition, these terraces—along with four other clusters—are included in the UNESCO inscription. The reward for your hike up is a panorama of a kind of enormous amphitheatre where each level is actually a rice paddy and where the village of Batad takes the place of the central stage at its base. You can choose to maximize your experience as we did by staying in one of the indigenous huts and waking up to a view of the terraces before you even eat breakfast.
Sagada
Situated in the Mountain Province of Cordillera Administrative Region in North Luzon, around 415 km from Manila, Sagada offers another relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Famed for its mysterious and historic hanging coffins, these Sagada tourist attractions are a testament to 2,000 years of Igorot burial traditions that you can marvel at today.
This trip to Batad and Sagada, undertaken with two teacher colleagues is probably the highlight of my travelling within the Philippines. It stands just above the many gorgeous beach destinations that also fill my travel memory bank.
Beaches And Islands
The Philippines certainly does have some great beaches. Borocay and El Nido are world-famous. I haven’t yet made it to the most well-known tourist beaches, preferring to find my own personal favourites away from the regular tourist route. Mindoro and Bantayan islands definitely quenched my appetite for beautiful beaches while I was there. As an Australian, I’m quite a tough critic when it comes to beaches. But I feel that I do need to check those more popular ones off of my travel list soon.
In my two years in the Philippines, I mainly travelled on short school holidays. I returned to Australia for my best friend’s wedding around Christmas in 2002 and went back again for the longer June-July holiday in 2003. Hence, despite living in the Philippines, I wasn’t able to travel endlessly. But luckily I have been back several times since.
The great benefit though of actually living overseas is that when one returns, it becomes just as important to see people rather than places. I am very fortunate to still have many friends in the Philippines that I can always visit whenever I return.
The Great Philippines vs Thailand Debate
Similarities:
- Both have amazing beaches and islands. Both have friendly people. Both have one huge dominant and often chaotic city.
- Both have tropical weather and isolated mountainous areas where the weather is cooler.
- Both are affordable places to travel in and also attractive retirement destinations for foreigners.
Differences:
- The Philippines is predominantly a Catholic country with much Spanish-influenced culture.
- Thailand is predominantly Buddhist and is home to around 40,000 temples.
- Thailand has better infrastructure and is more efficient.
- The Philippines has possibly more diversity of physical attractions.
Living In The Philippines
It’s fair to say that the Philippines offers a great deal in terms of being a place where foreigners can relocate on a long-term basis. Many have retired there and benefitted from the lower cost of living. In contrast, though, younger people also stay for extended periods for work or slow travel. Digital nomads have also begun to make the Philippines their short-term homes.
My two years were amazing. Though I admit to early homesickness, when I returned from Australia in July, ready to begin year two, it felt just a little like I was coming home. I was to experience this same feeling several times over to coming years. And of course, when it came time to move on to my next adventure, it was after a few tears were shed. The Philippines was in a way the hardest place to go to, but also the hardest to leave. Friendships formed remain to this day. And some students I have kept in touch with as they have moved onto careers and begun families.
As my first international school destination, the Philippines was always going to hold a special place in my heart. When I left and headed to Singapore in 2004, I had no idea that I would return several times. I was also not to know that while living in Singapore I would meet my future wife, who was born in the Philippines. Hence, it will always be one of my homes.
In a nutshell
An amazing country of adventure, full of confusion, beauty, warmth and friendliness.
Key lesson learnt:
Be patient. Not everyone’s world moves as fast as mine.
My wife says:
‘The friendliest and most hospitable people in the world’ (She’s just a little biased)
References:
These travel bloggers provide some excellent insights including many places in the Philippines that I have yet to visit. Please check them out and give them a follow.
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