This week has just been a blur. Sure, I think the gin and tonic’s by the pool helped that along…but I’ve kept myself pretty busy too.

I flew out of Boston just in time to miss the most ridiculous rainstorm in about 50 years (at least so I’m told) and hopped my 23 hour flight to Manila.

First and foremost: International business class has ruined flying for me forever. Screw going back to coach, I can’t even go back to US first class. My seat turned into a bed. Yes, a frickin bed. Day one and I’m already getting used to this.

The hotel is just as awesome as it looks in pictures. The staff waits on me hand and foot, it’s posh beyond belief, and I can’t get enough of the pool…or the pool bar for that matter. I’m getting quite spoiled here. Going back to regular life is going to suck. The one thing that’s nice is that there are a bunch of Americans staying here like I am, even a few Jher’s from Boston. Since we all work nights, we have our own little crew to hang out and do stuff with. It makes the transition much easier.

Manila is nothing like I expected. I was stunned by how much western culture has permeated this place. There’s nothing I can’t get here that I can get at home. TV shows, music, stores…Manila even runs on dunkin. They have more Dunkin Donuts in Metro Manila they have in Phoenix for christ sake. It’s kinda crazy. One more thing I didn’t know? Filipino’s love basketball. I mean LOVE it. Every time I tell someone where I’m from, the next words out of their mouths is about the Celtics. It makes for a good ice breaker to say the least. Not to mention, a stocky white kid with a bad back can really lay some game down on 5ft Asian dudes.

The best way I could describe Manila would be if NYC and LA had an illegitimate child, and abandoned it in Florida. It’s built up like NYC, spread out like LA, and humid as hell. But you get used to it quickly. The air is smoggier than LA, but not by a dramatic margin. Pollution controls on cars are pretty much non-existent, and holy shit…are there a lot of cars. I’ve never seen traffic like I do here. Boston, NYC, and LA have nothing on these guys. I leave for work during off peak hours, and it still takes me 45 minutes to go about 4 miles. I didn’t fathom how densely populated it is. 90 million people live in the Philippines. That’s about 1/4 of the US population packed into a combined land mass that’s a little bigger than Arizona. There are people everywhere.

Driving in Manila is like Death Race 2000. Thank god I have a driver. I’ve seen a grand total of 5 traffic lights since I’ve gotten here. It’s pretty much every man for himself. Not to mention, some of the things they call cars over here are questionable at best. That’s not even getting into the crazy bastards on motorcycles and bicycle rickshaws.

While it’s a lot more modern than I expected, it’s still a 3rd world country. you’ll go by three or four pristinely developed blocks and then pass slums for three or four more. In Manila, the rich are rich…and the poor are very poor. I won’t lie, some of the stuff I see would break your heart. It’s definitely a tale of two countries (pay attention America). The best part of this trip for me so far is that it’s re-aligned my perspective on things. For all the shit we complain about, we really have no idea what it’s like to struggle. No idea whatsoever. There are guys that work at my hotel that get paid less in a week than I spend on my lunch. Of course, I tip the shit out of them because I feel guilty. I have to, it’s just one of those things.

My crew at work is awesome. We did a really good job during the recruiting process, and these kids are bright as hell. It’s making my job a lot easier than it should be. I got them to open up right away, which is what everyone tells me is the hardest part. In fact, I think i’ve already found one of my team leads. He’s smart, cocky, and even a little bit of a wiseass. Oh, big shocker…his name is Dave. Yeah, I’m managing the Filipino version of me. Talk about fucking karma. To quote my boss “Jesus Christ, one Dave was bad enough as it is”.  Ain’t that the truth.

I got a lot of shit from people for building this new team out here. The usual outsourcing speech came at me more than once. But you know what? These kids need these 10 jobs a lot more than we do. Plain and simple. We sit around and bitch and piss and moan about stupid bullshit every day, while these people are just trying to get out of the slums and make something of themselves. If Americans were half as motivated and determined as the guys that work for me, we’d be a hell of a lot better as a country, that’s for damm sure. There’s no sense of entitlement here. Nobody thinks they “deserve” to be given anything. They work their asses off for it.

I go home in the morning (5 in the morning in fact) knowing that what I’m doing here is making a difference in the lives of 10 kids who have the potential to be something special. It’s rare you get that opportunity in life. I guess that even warms the cockle of an asshole like me.

Now where is that waiter with my drink…..

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I’ve probably been asked that question no less than 50 times since this whole trip to the Philippines started coming together. Sure, there are great jokes to be made about Filipino prisons, being kidnapped, and the illicit sex trade…but I’ve never been even a little bit nervous about the whole thing. That is of course, until about 8:47 Thursday morning.

It’s weird. I was talking about all the crap I need to get done in the next 8 or so days, (Ya know, because who’s counting or anything) when I got the obligatory question: “so…are you nervous about going over there?”

And for the first time…..I actually was.

The thing is, it’s not for all the reasons I really should be nervous. Sure, it’s a foreign county that’s rife with natural disasters, political instability, petty theft, prostitution, robbery, and rampant poverty. But hey, I’m from Northfield. They kill hookers for sport there. I’m not worried about some crazy little Asian dudes trying to rob me with a broken coke bottle. What’s really getting to me, is what this all means in the grand scheme of things.

This is it. This is one of those infamous “dare to be great” moments that come along maybe once or twice in a lifetime….if you’re lucky. This whole thing is a culmination of my entire career in IT. If I succeed? The sky is the limit. If I fail? Lets just say my climb up the corporate ladder may stall out for a little while. Anyone who wouldn’t get a little nervous about that is either too stupid or too arrogant for their own good. God knows I dance around the line on the latter.

I’m guess I’m really just trying to keep it all in perspective. I’m pretty terrible at a lot of things. Keeping my opinion to myself, relationships, the ability to keep loose change off my bedroom floor…..the list goes on and on. But, I am damm good at what I do for a living. Obviously, I wouldn’t be getting sent over there if I didn’t earn it. I know I made a lot of sacrifices to get to where I am today. Weekends, Holidays, the latter half of my 20′s, and most of my sanity. But all those sacrifices, and a little bit of luck have suddenly presented this grand opportunity at my feet. I always said that all that crap would pay off someday, and despite my own doubts….I guess it actually has.

Anyone that knows me realizes that my self-proclaimed destiny for greatness started a long time ago. I guess it’s just weird to see life finally catching up with me.

So, am I nervous? Hell no. I can’t get started fast enough. As I’ve always said….It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll.

Now lets drink some beer.

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