Studying in the Philippines is like a bumpy jeepney ride Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The University of the Philippines at the Diliman Campus (UPD) academic standards are so high! It was much harder than I expected. Though all the classes are in English, these classes were difficult. You have to really absorb and know the material backwards and forwards to pass the quizzes and tests. Handing in mediocre work is not an option or else you will fail. Even if you do all the work and attend all the classes, there's a chance you still might fail. They want details and perfectly argued papers. Studying here has really pushed my intellect and analytical skills further. I've seen many "zombies" at this school because there are students that don't eat or sleep because they have been focusing their time studying or doing papers. Also this school is a no spoon-feeding school. At times, the professor will just give you the syllabus and you have to just study on your own because the lecture material is not enough for you to pass. If you like a relaxed schedule or like being stress-free, this is not the place for you.

On-site administration of your program

The coordinators for the international students were really helpful and knowledgeable. Roger Cabiles, my on-site coordinator from World Endeavors, was extremely helpful and understanding. He was always there to help me in my crises and cultural shock. They are a good bunch of people.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

MY HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS AT MY PLACE MADE MY TRANSITION EASIER AND EASED MY HOMESICKNESS. I lived in a double with another UPD student off-campus at the My Place dorm/hotel. We had an air-conditioner, a fridge, cable TV, elevators, hot/cold water dispenser (refilled every 3 hours by the dorm management) comfy beds, a couch, lots of storage space, a microwave, hot water and cleaning service every week. However, no stoves in the dorm so you had to go outside and get food. It was great compared to the other living arrangements of other international students at the UPD campus, who had no hot water or air-conditioning. Cold showers and hot nights would have been horrible, especially in a tropical country like the Philippines. The location was perfect for public transportation and dining. There is a gym, plenty of tables, silent study rooms, and group rooms. There was only Wi-Fi in the study rooms and lobby. Usually internet came from an ethernet cable. It's not fast but it's fast in Philippine standards. To have faster internet and have it on the go, I bought an internet stick that's faster than the ethernet cable and for 200 pesos or $5 USD you can have unlimited internet for 5 days. It was handy when I was traveling around the provinces of the Philippines. The dorm was cheaper than dorming in the US. It was almost $500 USD/month with utilities. For 5 months, $2,500 USD for dorming is not bad at all, compared to other students paying usually more than $10,000 for a year of dorming. The dorm is composed of UPD, Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam college students. The students at the dorm are really classy and rich-looking because this is one of the most expensive dorms in the country. However, they are really friendly, intelligent and outgoing. I made a few really good friends at this dorm. They were there for me when I felt lonely and homesick. The staff was also really friendly and ready to fix something at anytime. I loved watching Cable TV at the dorm because it had HBO, the travel channel, MTV Asia, lots of American shows and channels and all the international news stations CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera. I really liked watching Al Jazeera. I'm quite upset that America has blocked this channel for years. It's really informative and gives everyone a closer understanding of the world and the Middle East. The only thing is that the room gets really humid when the air-conditioner is and makes the cabinets moist and smelly. So you need to get a dehumidifier kit for the room. Also you can't escape from small little ants anywhere in the country. Even though the management has routine pest controls and tests, they can't get rid of all the bugs and ants. So you have to do your best to close all food containers tightly and throw out your garbage daily. Other than that, my housing arrangements were amazing.

Since there were no stoves in my dorm, I had to go outside and get food or go online for delivery. I loved street food especially the barbecue chicken and pork, fish balls, spring rolls, and sweet desserts. However, after so much fried and oily food, I missed salads, vegetables, and soupy dishes. I couldn't buy soupy dishes off the streets because of health precautions. Every 2 weeks, I would visit my grandma and loved getting home-cooked Filipino food because she made really delicious and healthy dishes. Other than street food, there were plenty of American fast food choices near my dorm like KFC, McDonalds, PizzaHut, Shakeys and Kenny Rogers Roasters. Most of them you could order online for a minimum purchase of 200-250 Philippines pesos worth of food. I'm surprised that the Philippines has these services when New York doesn't like for McDonalds. For grocery shopping, Rustan's Supermarket has all the international brands. So I munched on food from Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, America, and of course the Philippines. I loved this store but I was sad that I could not find fresh cow milk to put on my cereal. Since Filipino tradition is to eat rice and some sort of meat or fish for breakfast, cereal was not normal. I ate a few Philippine delicacies like balut (duck fetus egg), one day old fried chick, and isaw (chicken intestines). The only of the 3 I liked was isaw which is good with vinegar and onions. It's pretty tasty. But the most important thing to eat in the Philippines is not the Lechon, the adobo (meat cooked in soy sauce and vinegar) , the sinigang (a soup where it main components are vinegar and other sour elements) or other fried foods, I think you should take advantage of all the fruits like the mangoes, papayas, bananas, rambutans, lanzones, pomelos, chicos, durian, jackfruit, mangosteen and more. There are so many delicious and weird looking fruit out there. You should just go to a fruit stand and try them all. Also the upside to all the food is its cheap prices. You could get a BBQ pork or chicken stick for 10 Php or $.25 USD. You get a kilo of mangoes for 20-40PhP, which is less than $1 USD. So I would say have an open-mind when you are eating in the Philippines.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I believe there's no way of escaping integration when you are a student here. I was very much immersed into the culture and Filipino life. The only way I got around the city was using jeepneys, tricycles, and trains. I rarely used a cab because I felt cab drivers always overcharged me, and I felt uncomfortable being alone in a car with a stranger in a foreign country. The only food I ate for lunch was Filipino food. I was culture shocked seeing naked children on the street, beggar children, farm animals on the street and the campus, and shanty/squatter/unorganized living in the neighborhoods. The only neighborhoods that had organized buildings and houses were the rich neighborhoods. The roads were rocky and there are no pedestrian walking signs so you had to walk with caution and courage. In my jeepney journeys, I saw people from all walks of life in this small open metal vehicle. I saw the fancy dressed workers from the business districts, the construction workers with tired, calloused hands and dirty shirts, families with 2 or 3 children with them, high school and college girls with skirts only 2 inches from their ankles, employees with their work uniforms, old people, blind people, young people, vendors with pots of soup or corn gruel, and others. I became one of the people traveling, eating, and experiencing normal Filipino life. However, I wasn't one of them because I am an American and I could never feel exactly like a native. They distinguished me through my clothes, my accent, my use of English, my slang, my behavior, and my ideas. At times, it feels great to be different. However, I don't always like being seen as the foreigner. I felt excluded from the native people like I'm something extraterrestrial. I felt very integrated but I still felt so different though I'm Filipino.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Before going to the Philippines, you have make sure your hepatitis and tetanus vaccines are up to date. Bring lots of Off spray/bug spray and drink lots of water. Refrain 2-3 weeks upon arrival before trying the street food and always drink bottled water to not have stomachaches or diarrhea. If you do get sick, the University of the Philippines provides free check-ups to its students. When I had a fever, the school doctor prescribed me Buscopan that made my fever and sickness go away in a few days. Usual health issues in the Philippines is dengue fever, diarrhea, and malaria (in the provinces, not Manila). For serious illnesses, most international students are sent to the fancy St. Luke's Hospital.

Pickpocketing and abduction are frequent crimes in the Philippines. So I would say to be always attentive and keep your belongings in a purse close to you. I have been a victim of a pickpocketing incident because I went out one night with my cell phone in my pocket. I guess I felt confident because I have never been pick-pocketed in New York. However, the difference was that a child pick-pocketed me instead of an adult. So don't presume all people including children are good-hearted and won't steal from you. Nonetheless, have travel insurance because it will reimburse you for your lost items. In my case, my phone was completely reimbursed and half of my replacement. Don't travel in strange places at night alone. Try not to travel at night alone. Always ask security guards or store associates for directions or questions.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I lived off of $200 USD for a month since my family gave me $1000 for my 5 month stay. Though this sounds great, I was very tempted to buy many things because it was cheaper. Then I lost my phone which made me realize cellphones without a domestic mobile plan in the Philippines are expensive like $200-$300 for a 3G phone. So try not spend all of your monthly budget so you can have money left over for emergencies. I actually went over my $1000 budget by a few hundred dollars. Word of advice: always keep track of your expenses.

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• Dorm
• Other

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• International Students

• the immersion and integration
• the political science courses
• food and housing

• more people joining the program (I was the only World Endeavors participant in the Philippines)
• more feedback about the experiences at UP Diliman
• registration for classes