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Hello everyone. Sorry I didn't respond, Wade... But I need to come back here to the old Tubenet. I'm sick right now so the computer is a good place to be.

I will be moving to Manila in about two weeks. Why the sudden change? Well, asides from the relationship breakup here and the fact that I can't speak to anyone without being understood, I really can't think of a good reason to move.

My work with Long An University ended on amicable terms. The Vietnamese aren't ready for the projects that I wanted to do here. If you haven't ever been to a place like this, it's strange because everyone expects you to react and behave the same way they do.

I had an English language/American culture TV show that aired once a week on LA34, the one TV station in the province of Long An. It was very popular. My sponsor, a company that makes an insecticide to kill cornworms (if you see one, chances are the entire rice paddy has had it) gave me a bonus when I went off (it was enough to pay for lunch... for me alone.)

Feel free to ask about anything I had to go through. If it gets too personal, I'll let you know.

My job that I was to have in Manila has been canceled due to the financial collapse of Washington Mutual Bank. (Did you know when you called their help center, you got someone in the Philippines?) Anyway, I got to work fast this week and managed to get a job quite similar to the one I had here in Vietnam until last month, where I was Associate Professor of Communication and Culture. It's in Isabela province, about nine hours north of Manila on the bus. (Or 45 minutes by air.)

I will be leaving here in Vietnam Friday night, then get to Manila before the sun comes up. My airplane doesn't leave for eight hours. So, call me sick, but it's been TWO YEARS since I've been to McDonald's. That's where I'll be. They don't have them in Isabela province, either. (When I was in Manila earlier this year, I only went to Burger King.)

The big hamburger chain in the Philippines is Jollibee. We have Jollibee in Vietnam, though the menu is very abbreviated.

This is where Shakey's Pizza ended up after they fizzled out in America (though you do see a few in California and other places). Jollibee owns a pizza chain called Greenwich, which they pronounce "green-witch." (When I called it "gren-itch" they had no idea what I was talking about.)

Jollibee owns another fast food chain, my new favorite, Chow King, which specializes in Chinese food.

Anyway, I will be busy packing for the next three days. Some of my things have to stay here. That means I have to come back.

Moved (temporarily) to Dasmarinas, Cavite, south of Metro Manila (If you know Southern California it's what Ontario is to Los Angeles.)

I am legal and working on getting the Philippine version of a Green Card. I have started a company which is now working in consulting and import/export. Ironically, the Philippine economy is now the worst in the world.

When I moved here (one month ago) the rate of the Philippine Peso to the US Dollar was 46:1. It's now 50:1. The Peso was 46:1 when I visited here this past June.

Wade, I'll send you a PM later to explain why my health has improved so much.

Anyone else seeing ads for "Find your Filipina Beauty???"