Work Hard...Play Hard

Today I left Manila and traveled to Cochin, India.  We had planned our trip to leave at this time anyway though it was fortuitous since there was a typhoon bearing down on Manila.  It had been raining off an on for a couple of days but there were no obvious special preparations for the storm made by the authorities.  Today, we found out that grade school students were asked to stay home from school.  The rest of the population continued with their normal activities.

I have not written new entries recently mainly because this trip required that I do some work.  Imagine that!  After some sight-seeing over the weekend, the first three days of the week required that I go to the office to meet with our contracting group.  They provide people with specialized skills to help in our software development efforts.  I discussed with my counterparts some concerns I had about their people's training.  I also had the opportunity to interview several development leaders to build relationships and listen to their concerns.  Additionally, we are looking to expand the relationship with their company:  they provided presentations throughout the days that highlighted different capabilities that they possess.  There were also several presentations highlighting the Philippine culture and expertise that provided us insights into the education, flexibility, and expertise available from their company in the country.  The company is world-wide however for a variety of reasons, we want to deal only with their operational unit in Manila at this time.

Even though we were "working hard", we continued to squeeze in "playing hard".  We visited the Ayala Museum: it is a museum dedicated to showcasing the Philippine culture and heritage.  It was impressive although I didn't get to spend enough time to see all it had to offer. 

The last full day in Manila was spent visiting the island of Corregidor.  This was the location of intense battles during World War II.  The island is the biggest of five islands that guard the entrance to Manila Bay and therefore it has very strategic value.  In early 1942, the Japanese forces bombarded the island from sea, air, and land trying to dislodge the American and Filipino forces there.  Eventually the Japanese sent an invasion force.  After many battles, the defending forces finally surrendered, were taken prisoner, and sent to POW camps in Japan.  In 1945, the American forces returned to the Philippines and laid siege to the Japanese forces that now held the island.  The Americans sent in paratroopers and then an invasion force.  The Japanese were defeated with many of their troops committing suicide rather be taken prisoner.

I must be old-school: I recognize that many people endured great suffering during the fighting with many lives lost.  During the visit to the island, I was irked when some young couples would joke and act like this island was an amusement park.  They didn't feel like I did that we should remember that many people died here and therefore we should be more reverent.  I think we should treat the place like the memorial that it is.  Ok...I'm off my soapbox now.

Next is the country of India.  I have been there several times before.  This time however, I will experience a few new places thanks to the insistence of my traveling partner.