I was born in Manila, lived here for my first 7 years, and came back for high school. Manila’s got the same problems every big city has, plus all the problems developing cities have as well: it’s overcrowded, polluted, the traffic is insane and it’s hard to find history in a city that’s 400 years old.

However, it’s improving, it’s got charm and heaps of personality, things are way cheap if you’re a balikbayan, and the food is fan-friggin’-tastic. If you look hard enough past the malls, skyscrapers and crazy bus and jeepney drivers, you’ll find clues about the rich history of Manila.