I've come up with a general technique when writing each "Days Go By" article. While the votes are being tallied and the time gets near, I will sit and stare at the pictures that are up for nomination, letting random images and phrases flash through my mind. I knew that 'Manila Laundry' would probably be this week's winner, so in preparation I decided to load the page and stare at the picture. After a moment, one clear phrase stood out: "Good things come to those who wait." All I could recall about that line was that it came from some commercial in the 80's or 90's. I think it had something to do with candy? (Feel free to refresh my memory if you know.) Anyway, I just kind of sat there wondering why that phrase kept repeating in my head as I stared at an Instagram picture of two friends doing laundry on the streets of Manila. And then I decided to reflect on some of the good things that took time. It had taken time for Janine, the girl on the left, to finish her laundry, as she was doing it by hand. I had just woken up after my siesta to hear her scrubbing and pounding. I went out for a walk, and when I came home, she was still up to her elbows in soap suds going at it. It took her what seemed like hours to get her wash done! As I sat down for a merienda with my host family, I heard Janine and Beth's laughter, this brought me outside, where I took this candid shot. After some time, Janine's laundry was hung up and drying, and I had managed to capture a memorable moment in Manila. I also reflected on how it had taken me a long time to finally get to Manila. Not just in terms of commuting, which took days after a misunderstanding in departure times, but it had literally taken me a long time to go to the Philippines, as in it took many years before I finally got around to visiting the country! During my travels, I had visited so many countries other than the Philippines. I had even lived in Taiwan, a country only an hour and a half north of the Philippines, for almost 3 years, and flew to several other neighboring countries, before I finally cleared my schedule and booked myself tickets to Manila for a weekend trip. While there, I was surprisingly confronted by a beautiful country full of unforgettable people, and my heart was stolen by its vibrant culture. Just today, Beth, the girl to to the right in the picture, posted a candid shot of two men walking down a road in the Philippines. The men were carrying a freshly butchered pig strung up on a pole with one man on each side of the pole. In the background, peeking out from behind the pig as the men passed by, was Beth, crouched down and flashing a big, toothy grin for the camera while trying to squeeze herself into the shot. In her comments for the photo she wrote:
I had to laugh at that. Through my years here in Asia, while befriending Filipinos working in Taiwan, I've learned that not only do Filipinos have an overwhelming zest for life and a love of laughter, they also have a great sense of humor. This was yet another realization that I had taken time to discover! During my reflections on good things that took time, my mind finally came to this very platform, "The Drifters Blog." Originally launched in March of 2010, I started this blog off as an experiment of sorts. But after just a few months it was beginning to gain some steam. However, as the realities of expat life crept in and I found myself dealing with the growing pains of living in Asia, I slowly felt my creativity and passion for writing fade away. In time, the whole setup gave out, and for over two years, "The Drifters Blog" lay defunct, an aging online journal, tucked away in some digital corner, collecting worldwide cobwebs. It wasn't until two months ago, when I finally made time for a weekend trip to the Philippines, that a strikingly beautiful yet tempestuously dangerous muse named "MANILA" kick-started my creativity back in to life. This, in effect, revived "The Drifters Blog." Now, the blog is up and running again, full steam ahead, .and as we say in Hawaii, "Shootz, brah...no worry, we get 'um!" As I sat there reflecting on the many good things that I've learned in my life while staring at a simple Instagram picture of two Manila friends hanging up laundry and laughing in the afternoon sunlight, I realized that although all of these "good things" may have taken time to uncover, they were all worth the wait. So in retrospect, I guess it's true, good things really do come to those who wait. PS: I recently booked a ticket, taking me back to the Philippines next month for a two-week stay in Guiuan, a small beach town on the outskirts of the lowland rainforests of Eastern Samar. I'm FINALLY going to give the Philippines the time it deserves for a proper visit.
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16 Comments
Michael Duxon
1/18/2013 02:56:29 pm
Aloha JR, the ad campaign "Good things come to those who wait," is from a Guiness commercial because of how long it takes to properly pour a Guiness. There was a who series of these ads.
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1/18/2013 09:46:56 pm
Hmm...Guinness is it? Still doesn't really ring any bells for me. I do know that I properly poured Guinness is hard to master though. I'm glad you guys are enjoying my posts!
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Kalei
1/27/2013 12:17:54 am
Guiness... I thought it was a coffee commercial, like Maxwell House or Folgers.
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1/27/2013 03:37:43 am
Actually, another reader emailed me that it was from a Heinz ad campaign. Anyway, I took the liberty to Google it, hello...shoulda done that from the beginning yeah, and learned it was used by Guiness in the 90's and 00's, and Heinz in the 80's!
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Kalei
1/27/2013 08:18:21 am
THAT'S RIGHT! The Heinz commercial, the soldier & his wife slow dancing in the kitchen, while they wait for the ketchup to come out of the GLASS BOTTLE. LOL
jackie
1/18/2013 04:04:51 pm
Nice, I enjoyed your blog. So glad u ejoyed your stay in manila
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1/18/2013 09:48:18 pm
Oh yeah! I totally LOVED it! Thanks to you and your 'adopted' family, it was an awesome trip. I can't wait to see you guys again on my way back to Manila from Guiuan!
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Scott
1/20/2013 02:01:22 pm
I can honestly say that I'm jealous that you are going back to the Philippines (expecially the Visayas...is Eastern Samar considered part of the Visayas?) The Philippines is somewhere I feel like I should have already traveled to by now. I can't wait to read more about your next trip...and I can't wait to visit myself someday!
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1/20/2013 11:12:25 pm
Yes, Samar is part of Visayas. I know what you mean about feeling like you should have visited the Philippines by now, I totally sympathize with those sentiments. Those 2 days in Manila were a life-changing experience for sure. I hope you can visit yourself someday soon!
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1/21/2013 08:07:15 am
I loved this one! the girls seem so happy doing something that is hard and that takes a lot of time and effort. I remember doing laundry by hand in Nicaragua for 2 whole months... I have to say it wasn't my favorite part of the trip. anyways back to the post, I really liked the hawaiian phrase...Felt proud of myself for understanding it! haha I remember you and Jon going back and forth talking in pigen and me with a big question mark in my face....hahah anyways...keep up the good work. and thanks for helping me out with ideas for my shop! :)
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1/21/2013 02:43:03 pm
Yeah, not easy to do laundry by hand. I remember trying to do it in Panama, and my friends landlady stood there laughing at me. I guess she kept saying it looked like I was trying to make bread! And I didn't even realize that you took notice of us speaking Pidgin around you, I thought we were doing a good job of just speaking it between ourselves, especially whenever we're around other people. I'm glad you liked the post!
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Ash
1/21/2013 04:38:06 pm
loved this picture, and now the story behind it....I want to see that pig photo tho!....
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1/22/2013 02:07:10 am
Yeah, it's one of my favorite photos! There's a lot to be told just by looking at it, I had to keep it simple though. I'll definitely dig up that pig photo for you!
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1 of about 8 million
1/22/2013 02:18:21 pm
My sister and I did laundry by hand for a while on one of our trips... it's very therapeutic. Compared to being master of a washing machine, there's something uniquely satisfying in doing things with your own two hands, specially beside friends. What a gift... we can sense accomplishment, and see good for our hard work.
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1/24/2013 01:08:52 am
That is so true! But I find that doing laundry by hand is walking a fine line between satisfying, fulfilling work, and physical punishment! Your comment reminds me of a time when I was trying to do laundry by hand in Panama and my friend's landlady stood there laughing at me. Apparently she kept asking if I was trying to "make bread"! I must have looked ridiculous kneading the clothes like that! But you're right, whenever we finish a task that has taken a lot of effort to accomplish, it's always a time to sit back and reflect on what a growing exprience it was.
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M. Hancock
10/28/2013 02:28:35 pm
J.R.,
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SUBSCRIBEABOUT MEI'm JR. I come from a long line of adventurers, some were nomadic explorers of the sea and others wandering cultivators of the earth. Ultimately, this legacy of drifters has deeply affected my view of travel. Read more...
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