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Alabalfred, I hope you didn't have to exchange any currency here in the US. USA is #1 in many ways but not with currency exchange. Few places do it here and the ones that do charge out the wazoo. We always got good deals at the money changers in PI & usually saw one about every corner. Never more than a few blocks away. Rate given was pretty close to official rate and fees very reasonable. 2nd trip, I forgot to exchange at airport until we had passed security, too late then. I exchanged it at the Detroit airport & lost my shirt on the deal. An elderly couple behind me were going to Japan. I told them they'd probably get a better deal in Japan, that I had just paid 3-4 times more on Philippine currency exch. They decided to chance Japan.
I had a similar experience years ago, about 1979. I went to Canada with some friends. Many stores there accepted US currency & could calculate currency along with sale. Any bank there exchanged currency & a few other places did. I think large dept stores would do it at their service desks. Went back to US with about $50 Canadian. No bank would do it. I got to Baltimore, was out of gas, out of US $. Went to a bank nearby & they could do it but had to hold a full day to check exch rates at day's end, etc. Someone in line said they would take me to the airport, that a bank there would do it on spot. She took me there & I got the $. Deal was not too bad back then, but took forever to find a place.
Quote "you will just say "bayad po!" (here's my fare) and hands will stretch to take your money and give it to the driver... and when the driver gives back your change, same thing will happen... and you get your loose change. We call that "damayan" (caring for each one)."
Has nothing to do with caring for each other, they do it cause the driver will not drive w/o his passengers paying for the ride! Its also part of the Jeepney culture to properly get money to & from passengers for this service to operate.
We had chosen the motel from a website with side notes on convenience to airport, etc. Unfortunately it did not give notes about neighborhoods, etc. Didn't take long for us to find out though! We talked a lot to a Filipino business executive next day on the plane to Cebu. As soon as I said Mabini St, he said we needed to find another motel. I said we were already working on it. We talked on & told him what parts of North Carolina we were from. He asked if I knew of Wilson & Rocky Mount. Wilson was 1/2 hour from my home town & Rocky Mount 1 hour. His co. sold packaging products of all kinds. He had visited companies in those towns to sell packaging. It really is a small world and getting smaller.
Yes... It's a small.. small world after all... I learned that song when I was at my elementary grades LOL!
Alabalfred, I hope you didn't have to exchange any currency here in the US. USA is #1 in many ways but not with currency exchange. Few places do it here and the ones that do charge out the wazoo. We always got good deals at the money changers in PI & usually saw one about every corner. Never more than a few blocks away. Rate given was pretty close to official rate and fees very reasonable. 2nd trip, I forgot to exchange at airport until we had passed security, too late then. I exchanged it at the Detroit airport & lost my shirt on the deal. An elderly couple behind me were going to Japan. I told them they'd probably get a better deal in Japan, that I had just paid 3-4 times more on Philippine currency exch. They decided to chance Japan.
I had a similar experience years ago, about 1979. I went to Canada with some friends. Many stores there accepted US currency & could calculate currency along with sale. Any bank there exchanged currency & a few other places did. I think large dept stores would do it at their service desks. Went back to US with about $50 Canadian. No bank would do it. I got to Baltimore, was out of gas, out of US $. Went to a bank nearby & they could do it but had to hold a full day to check exch rates at day's end, etc. Someone in line said they would take me to the airport, that a bank there would do it on spot. She took me there & I got the $. Deal was not too bad back then, but took forever to find a place.
Nope I didn't exchange my currency in the US... I usually use the ATM Card to pay... Online is much better
Quote "you will just say "bayad po!" (here's my fare) and hands will stretch to take your money and give it to the driver... and when the driver gives back your change, same thing will happen... and you get your loose change. We call that "damayan" (caring for each one)."
Has nothing to do with caring for each other, they do it cause the driver will not drive w/o his passengers paying for the ride! Its also part of the Jeepney culture to properly get money to & from passengers for this service to operate.
Have you been to Dumaguete City and Sijuijor Island? It would be a fun and interesting places to visit. From what I've read Dumaguente City looks like a nice place. They say at its present growth rates, it will take only 2 to 3 years for DCs economic output to double, but more than 15 years for its population to be twice its current size. They are calling it Real tangible economic growth area, unseen in other parts of the Philippines. Do you think that's true? I'm sure you know the reputation Sijuijor Island has for magic potions, shamans, and sorcerers. I was reading about some old guy from there, he even goes to Manila and performs his spells for people. Some do still believe in this stuff. It still looks like a wonderful place to live to me. Absolutely beautiful!
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