  Just some catching up here on things I may have missed over the past week... Over the weekend (Saturday) I had the opportunity to go to a massage parlor. I know what you're thinking (bastos! ) but just because the massage parlor is in Angeles City (know for its prostitution) it was clean and wholesome fun and was conducted at Indulgence Spa which actually is a spa and the staff was is very professional there.
The next day I went to the Robinson Mall which located next to the SM Mall. The malls are the same size as the ones in the U.S. but have about 3 times as many consumers. Didn't buy much, just some CK1 and some souvenirs and ended seeing a movie (I-Robot) since there was a typhoon outside.
Don't worry Jeff and Shak, I'm still looking for a life-sized barrel man for y'all but you'll have to watchout because that boner will knock you out (mama said knock you out!). The next couple of days were typical office days. However I did get the chance to have dinner and visit the Red Light district with my classmate Ruby Asuncion Turalba (she's like the Lara Croft of environmental activism except shorter) and Christina Leano (saavy and sultry executive director for Ayala Foundation, USA). Both young women along with their entourage of eco-crusaders were charming companyto say the least. I think what caught me off guard was a) the Red Horse Stallion, and b) the non-accented English. However, I have to thank my host NGO and host family for putting up with my accented Tagalog (or lack there of) and having the patience to speak with me in the first place... ;) On Thursday I went down to Manila to visit an NGO called the Shinning Light Foundation (the title reminds me of the Shinning Path guerillas that were once lead by Che Guevara or maybe the Shinning...). This NGO is a religious (Born-Again) organization that concentrates mainly on helping other Born-Again organizations and individuals, missionaries, etc. and had graciously sponsored the AWECA Foundation's scholarship program (SLF sponsors 3 high school and 1 college student out of the total 100 scholars that AWECA coordinates) since SLF and AWECA have the similar goals of education and religion as part of their service to their community. Anyways, the SLF executive director is very fiesty and not your typical pinay (she contributes this behavior to her living in Chicago for 1-year, which I'm sure would make anyone edgy).
All in all it was a good experience and I learned a great deal, for example, that being open (for example one's religious views) is paramount to form lasting and positive partnerships. In the U.S. I don't work so much with religious organizations because I want to maintain a non-partisan view that religion can sometimes bias. When I do consider a religious partner, it's important to consider several religious partners so non-bias can be maintained. Well, I'll probably have another update on Monday. This weekend we're supposed to have a staff retreat on Saturday and on Sunday it's off to the Taal Volcano. 
