My first day at Makati...

Arrival at PHP airport at 26th July 2009 around 5.00a.m local time - After getting through all the necessary procedures and getting my baggage, I felt the first warm wind brushing on my face. Hmm, warm welcome greeting from the PHP guardian angels, I reckoned?

I was too tired to look around after I got into the van. Didn’t get very good ride as the flight was quite bumpy. PHP weather reported to be very cloudy that day.

Checked into the dorm at approx 6.04a.m. I was astonished with the condition of the apartment – too good to be true! The building looks like our typical first class apartment at Kota Damansara (really!) and once I step into my dorm, it looks like exclusive condos! Well it’s much spacious than most apartments we have in KL. Although the rooms are average in size but I’m impressed with the living space and kitchen. Fully equipped with all sorts of cooking utensils and the living hall is bigger than my home’s. Also, total privacy for all tenants here because all rooms have our own toilet. Here in PHP, they call “toilet” as “comfort room”. I wonder if that is international language....

My housemates

Well, there are 3 rooms here and it is shared between 7 persons. 2 guys and 5 girls. The guys are getting very lucky this time.

Dewi + Hartono: This couple occupies a room of their own. Both are from Indonesia, Batam but they look even more like a Chinese than me! We call the girl Jacelyn and the guy Ah Soon - very regular couple. They married at a younger age and have a son aged 4. Well, Ah Soon is a very quiet guy, or maybe because he doesn’t speak too well in Mandarin & English. So we usually communicate in Bahasa and a little of my broken Hokkien. Jacelyn is the dominant one as she is more outspoken and chatty.

Joyce + Susy + Roslina: Well, 3 girls in a room will usually lift up the positive energy a bit. Very noisy and chatty girls they surely are. Joyce is a Malaysian, Seremban. She’s quite chatty, but just a little too calculative and “kiasu” among all. No doubt, there are so many faces out there and I’m not surprised to come across with her type here. Overall, it’s really not much a problem to get along with her. Susy is also from Indonesia, Batam - is the noisiest, crazy, fun and full with beauty queen tendencies in her. She needs the most time to get ready every morning and she looks good at all times. Youngest at home and being single, we don’t mind a little “mascot” having fun at home. Roslina (Indonesia, Batam) is very quite just like Ah Soon, but certainly not a trouble-maker type (currently). She follows the flow of lifestyle at home and we are comfortable with her too.

My first maid – Joy

Company will hire a maid for us at approx Peso 12, 000 inclusive of her salary, allowance, meal (with us) and miscellaneous. Well, Joy is new and we are her first employer. She can’t speak English too well and there is a slight communication problem with her. However, there is exactly no problem with her performance. Our house chores are done in perfect manner daily. The best thing that I love is; she brings my slipper every time I’m home. Yes, it is Hong Kong style here; we wear slippers and walk around the house like no one cares! If her performance reaches our expectations, we will pay her bonuses or raise her salary (apart from the monies paid by the company). Well, giving her an extra Peso1, 000 (converted approx RM100) is enough for her to support her family of five for about 2 months already! So, we will wait and see….