But really, the name of the city I'm lived in is Quezon City which is in Metro Manila, Philippines.
Here are just a few things to expect when living in Manila:
#1 Day-to-day travelling is more exciting. First thing you should know about the Philippines, is that there is traffic morning, noon, and night. For those that have been to or lived in the Philippines, you know already know what I'm talking about. Katipunan Avenue and EDSA are especially congested and are even worse on the weekends. This can be partially attributed to the dense population in Manila. Physically, everything was relatively close by, but in terms of travelling time, some places felt worlds away. Since it was so bad, I tried to walk whenever I could. It was just so much faster and easier. However, if you need to take a cab, you would have to leave way in advance, around 3 - 4 hours even for short distances. Believe it or not, it really helped me to appreciate the traffic conditions in Hawaii. Let's just hope it doesn't get any worse!
Also, there are many modes of transportation. Besides the usual buses and taxis/cabs, the Philippines also has a railway system, jeepneys, and tricycles. Jeepneys are like a cross between a mini bus and jeep. It's the cheapest mode of transportation in the Philippines and is usually very crowded. A tricycle is motorcycle with a small sidecar attached to it. People also tend to overcrowd tricycles. It is not uncommon to see a group of 5 friends somehow fit onto one tricycle. In general, public transportation is always crowded. Because of this, it is very important that you keep watch of all of your belongings when travelling. You would be surprised how subtle and skilled a pickpocket can be. My advice is to never bring anything too valuable with you.
#2 Manila never sleeps. Despite the crazy traffic, I really liked living in Quezon City. I grew up in Ewa Beach, so this was my first time living in a real city and metropolis-like environment. It was really exciting! There is always something to do or somewhere to go. New restaurants, stores, and businesses were opening up all the time. There were two malls within close distance and multiple banks along the avenue. There were also quite a few places open really late or 24/7. I also loved the building I lived in!
Just a few quick facts about my living accommodations:
Location: SMDC Blue Residences, about a 10 - 15 minute walk from ADMU
Monthly Cost: 16,500PHP (~$360) + utilities
Room Features: 1 bedroom w/ 2 twin-size beds & wardrobe; 1 bathroom w/ running hot water; Small kitchen area w/ hot plate, sink, & cooking/dining utensils; Small living/dining area w/ couch; Fully furnished; Amazing view of school and Quezon City
Building Features: Study room & lounge w/ free wifi; 2 pool areas; Kiddie playground; Multiple function rooms; 24/7 security and lobby staff
Ground Floor Stores: Olivia's Concept Cafe; Laundry service; Purified water service 7-11; LBC Delivery
I chose to stay off campus because I liked the freedom of living outside of the school. It was also very close to ADMU and walking distance from many other stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. A lot of other exchange students stayed in the same building as me, however, there are also a lot of other living option in the area. You can contact ADMU's OIR Office to see what is available that semester.
#3 There is food ev-ery-where. It was very easy to get groceries or to grab a quick meal. There are countless restaurants that cover a wide variety of cuisines and tastes along on Katipunan Avenue. Many are just a short walk or tricycle ride away. However, if you prefer to cook, there were also a couple of grocery stores along Katipunan Avenue. Some places you might be familiar with are Max's, Jollibee, Shakey's Pizza, Starbucks, Kenny Roger's Roasters. There is also a Cold Stone at the UP Town Center, which is about a 10 - 15 minute tricycle ride. Another great thing about the area is that most food establishments deliver!
#4 The tap water is different. Coming from a place that is known to have the really clean and great tasting drinking water, it was a little hard for me to accept that fact that I always had to buy water. Please, drink only bottled/distilled/purified/filtered water. You can get seriously sick if you drink contaminated water from the faucet. Yes, it is more expensive, but your health is more valuable and important!
#5 Security checks and exposed weapons are normal. At the malls, schools, centers, banks, apartment buildings, bridges/skywalks, there is security. At the banks and malls, the security would check your bag/purse or use a metal detector. Often, the security guards would also carry gun or weapon. This used to freak me out, but eventually made me feel secure. It was comforting to know that someone was on the lookout all the time and had the means to protect. Most of them are also very nice, so if you get lost you could ask them for directions. Just a note, that most are not fluent in English, so you would have to know a bit of Filipino to talk with them.
Here are just a few things to expect when living in Manila:
#1 Day-to-day travelling is more exciting. First thing you should know about the Philippines, is that there is traffic morning, noon, and night. For those that have been to or lived in the Philippines, you know already know what I'm talking about. Katipunan Avenue and EDSA are especially congested and are even worse on the weekends. This can be partially attributed to the dense population in Manila. Physically, everything was relatively close by, but in terms of travelling time, some places felt worlds away. Since it was so bad, I tried to walk whenever I could. It was just so much faster and easier. However, if you need to take a cab, you would have to leave way in advance, around 3 - 4 hours even for short distances. Believe it or not, it really helped me to appreciate the traffic conditions in Hawaii. Let's just hope it doesn't get any worse!
Also, there are many modes of transportation. Besides the usual buses and taxis/cabs, the Philippines also has a railway system, jeepneys, and tricycles. Jeepneys are like a cross between a mini bus and jeep. It's the cheapest mode of transportation in the Philippines and is usually very crowded. A tricycle is motorcycle with a small sidecar attached to it. People also tend to overcrowd tricycles. It is not uncommon to see a group of 5 friends somehow fit onto one tricycle. In general, public transportation is always crowded. Because of this, it is very important that you keep watch of all of your belongings when travelling. You would be surprised how subtle and skilled a pickpocket can be. My advice is to never bring anything too valuable with you.
#2 Manila never sleeps. Despite the crazy traffic, I really liked living in Quezon City. I grew up in Ewa Beach, so this was my first time living in a real city and metropolis-like environment. It was really exciting! There is always something to do or somewhere to go. New restaurants, stores, and businesses were opening up all the time. There were two malls within close distance and multiple banks along the avenue. There were also quite a few places open really late or 24/7. I also loved the building I lived in!
Just a few quick facts about my living accommodations:
Location: SMDC Blue Residences, about a 10 - 15 minute walk from ADMU
Monthly Cost: 16,500PHP (~$360) + utilities
Room Features: 1 bedroom w/ 2 twin-size beds & wardrobe; 1 bathroom w/ running hot water; Small kitchen area w/ hot plate, sink, & cooking/dining utensils; Small living/dining area w/ couch; Fully furnished; Amazing view of school and Quezon City
Building Features: Study room & lounge w/ free wifi; 2 pool areas; Kiddie playground; Multiple function rooms; 24/7 security and lobby staff
Ground Floor Stores: Olivia's Concept Cafe; Laundry service; Purified water service 7-11; LBC Delivery
I chose to stay off campus because I liked the freedom of living outside of the school. It was also very close to ADMU and walking distance from many other stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. A lot of other exchange students stayed in the same building as me, however, there are also a lot of other living option in the area. You can contact ADMU's OIR Office to see what is available that semester.
#3 There is food ev-ery-where. It was very easy to get groceries or to grab a quick meal. There are countless restaurants that cover a wide variety of cuisines and tastes along on Katipunan Avenue. Many are just a short walk or tricycle ride away. However, if you prefer to cook, there were also a couple of grocery stores along Katipunan Avenue. Some places you might be familiar with are Max's, Jollibee, Shakey's Pizza, Starbucks, Kenny Roger's Roasters. There is also a Cold Stone at the UP Town Center, which is about a 10 - 15 minute tricycle ride. Another great thing about the area is that most food establishments deliver!
#4 The tap water is different. Coming from a place that is known to have the really clean and great tasting drinking water, it was a little hard for me to accept that fact that I always had to buy water. Please, drink only bottled/distilled/purified/filtered water. You can get seriously sick if you drink contaminated water from the faucet. Yes, it is more expensive, but your health is more valuable and important!
#5 Security checks and exposed weapons are normal. At the malls, schools, centers, banks, apartment buildings, bridges/skywalks, there is security. At the banks and malls, the security would check your bag/purse or use a metal detector. Often, the security guards would also carry gun or weapon. This used to freak me out, but eventually made me feel secure. It was comforting to know that someone was on the lookout all the time and had the means to protect. Most of them are also very nice, so if you get lost you could ask them for directions. Just a note, that most are not fluent in English, so you would have to know a bit of Filipino to talk with them.