Meetings & Greetings

 Friday Aug 8

We head in to the office once again ready and rarin' to go for our presentation to Judith.

All systems go!

Paulo is away and can not attend Brian takes her through the presentation to show her what we have been up to throughout the 3 weeks and the progress we have made.  We ask for her feedback and she is happy about the training extended to her team (by the Police Team)  and that we will have Web content and a Facebook site by next week. Her biggest feedback and comments are reserved for the brochures that Brian has put together. They are colorful and look good so she is delighted. When most of your clients and your office has limited internet connectivity you have to start somewhere and the brochure hits the mark for her need to create more awareness.

The meeting lasts an hour and of course........there is food waiting at the end.  I jut had fruit for breakfast since I knew what was coming. Judith had promised she was personally going to make us something good and it does not disappoint. Pork and Chicken Adobo with rice and some fritters (sort of sweet inside). One of her friends in another part of the building is celebrating a birthday so Judith leverages the opportunity to get some lechon(pork off a whole roasted pig) and some chicken skewers sent down.  Before the meal started Brian was describing some of the food we had eaten and mentions crispy pata. Crispy pata combines the best of pork AND fried chicken.  Basically pork leg/hock/shank boiled, seasoned, then deep fried to crispy deliciousness. :-)  After Brian made that comment 20 minutes later a large plate of crispy pata showed up, magically from I don't know where.  Judith's right hand man Jerry just showed up with one.  Jerry is her driver, organizer and director of office traffic which he does with almost kung fu precision and dramatic effect!  With a flourish he uncovers the pata from  a large paper bag and puts in on the table! We're ready to go!

If calories were weight , this table would be sagging! :-)

Hospitality and sharing is a big part of what we have experienced in the Philippines. Now is not the time to be shy and your hosts want you to eat. I think it would not be well received to pick at things or be wishy washy about eating. Which leads me to a funny recollection of an experience Brian had the first day we were here.

He could not sleep and was out first thing walking around Makati City (within Metro Manila). He needed a coffee and decided to try J coffee. The girl proudly pronounced that every customer who bough a coffee before 7 would get a free donut (called a glazee).  Brian politely declined to save come caloric intake and received a crestfallen look...."but Sir...........your glazee!?"  Brian saved the day for the stricken girl by chomping in to one and doing his part for International relations.

Carina as always tries everything but is sensible, which leaves it to Brian and I to express our appreciation. We do not disappoint! We "eat our glazees" and more!  Thankfully since we are now leaking butter we are able to squeeze through the door :-)

Carina shows off her new hat from Ms Judith

The afternoon is not especially productive but we do our best and everyone wants to leave the office a bit earlier. Traffic is always bad but Friday rush hour is even worse. I skip going out for dinner and just snack later in the evening. Interesting story from those who went to dinner that night. Luciana was in the mood for something different and ordered what she thought was pasta. When a big deep fried pork leg arrived at here table she was the one who was crestfallen. :-)  Pata was a 4 letter word at that point and could not be farther from pasta...pretty much the opposite of pasta!

A few of us get together to play some cards later in the evening and turn in by midnight. An earlier night as tomorrow we will be visiting the Philippines Police Academy and have a long day planned.



#ibmcsc philippines