Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / March 2004

My special thanks to Mxsmanic, John Ings, and Bill Bonde for the
corrections and comments on my first text. I wrote it as if I was
doing an English exam in a hurry because time is over – no reading nor
checking what was written. However, I wrote a second text (below)
again for everyone to correct and comment on, this time it was read
and checked after typing. Your corrections and inputs are very much
appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance.

Living in Manila

Coming to Manila for a new job offer, and not knowing what to expect,
I was a little excited and terrified on the prospect of better
opportunities in the company and a slightly different lifestyle, like
maybe living in one of the tall buildings. Peering at the skyscrapers
from the taxi, I thought they looked like odd-shaped arrows shooting
from the ground aiming for the heavens. Not that I haven't seen tall
buildings just not as many and close together. My imagination suddenly
flew away and I was in one of the skyscrapers lending an eraser to my
girlfriend on the next skyscraper. Is the gap between the buildings
that close? Then I was led to one of the skyscrapers, and there it
was, a big yellow arrow painted in the middle of the structure
pointing skywards. Alas! I am going to live in one of these arrow
structures. I already had had the feeling of déjà vu that entering the
elevator of a skyscraper would be like turning into a cannon bullet
and being fired into nothingness.

The climb was actually uneventful and settling down was a breeze. The
job was simple and coworkers were easy to get along with. Of course
there was the usual jealousy of subordinates who had been in the
company for a longer period but it was tolerable. Everything was so
smooth that falling to the routine does not merit mention.

Traveling along the Manila highways is the real challenge and a feat
for the faint-hearted. The gap between cars on the road is a mere inch
or two during rush hour, which is most of the time during weekdays.
Aside from the usual jam-packed trains and buses, the FX taxis are
quite comfortable for cheaper transportation except when obese
passengers sit together in the middle seat, it is difficult to hold on
to the seat while being squeezed.

Shopping and dining however, is fun in Manila. Many restaurants are in
the malls or within the vicinity and are easy to find. The big malls
are located just along the main highway (EDSA) and are accessible by
any public transportation for those who want to go window shopping in
all the malls. From the south are the Metropolis and Festival Mall, SM
Makati, Glorietta, Greenbelt and Landmark in Makati, Shangri-la and SM
Megamall in Mandaluyong, and Farmer's Plaza, SM Cubao and Alimall in
the north. Bargain hunters will also have fun visiting Divisoria for
all kinds of goods, Greenhills for electronics and Baclaran for all
kinds of stuff.

Four years after, I am still here enjoying my stay, but not in a
skyscraper anymore. I live in a modest unit in one of the residential
villages. The neighbors see each others and are friendly. People say
words longer than hello and will invite when they have parties. Ah,
this is a side of Manila that only a few knew about and where the
Filipino spirit still lives on.