My parents just sent out the last mortgage payment on our house this week. They’re ecstatic. They now truly own the house, and there will be extra cash in their bank account from now on. However, there’s still another house they’re paying for, but no problem…. it’s being rented out and therefore, it’s paying for itself.
I had an enlightening conversation with a co-worker from Afghanistan. He said he had a hard time finding a job here in the US ( he used to work as an airplane mechanic at a US air base in Afghanistan ). He felt that because he was a Muslim he was always viewed as potential terrorist. He also joked about him coming from a sh*thole country. I blurted out , ” Me, too ! ” Then, I suddenly had a mental image of the city where I was born. Hmmm, is it really a sh*thole, or just a sh*thouse ?
Here’ s a video of the capital city of Manila, Philippines . It doesn’t really look like a sh*thole , does it ? But then, that’s just my humble opinion.
And why did HE build a Trump Tower in Manila , and plan to build another one at Clark City, Angeles, Pampanga, about 4 hours from the metropolis , if he now thinks immigrants from terrorist countries, like the Philippines are ” animals” ? Yep, he did mention the Philippines as one of the terrorist countries. Ha Ha Ha ! Who gave him that idiotic, ridiculous information ?
Below is the Trump Tower in Manila ( the one on the right )
About Clark City….. it used to be US’s Clark Air Force Base. It was on lease from the Philippine government for 99 years, the largest US base /territory outside of the US. When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, the whole base was covered with ash, and since the US was then downsizing all its military bases outside the US, the US government decided to just bail , without renewing the lease which was about to expire , instead of spending billions of dollars to clean up the base . Now that the Philippine government has started the conversion of the base to a modern, futuristic, green, city , we were all surprised to learn that piece of US property was about 1/2 the size of Metro-Manila. They will also build an international airport to relieve the one in Manila which is already bursting at the seams. In fact, there’s already an existing excellent international airport at Clark….. it was a US airforce base, for Pete’s sake. The runway is so long and so well-made that it is actually an alternative landing runway for a space shuttle.
Now, for a bit of fun…..
There’s a town in Angeles near Clark base named Sexmoan, I kid you not. Well, you know, where there are US soldiers = Red light district, strip bars, etc. You know what I mean. But, that’s been its name for hundreds of years, Spanish colonial era, and it’s pronounced Ses-mo-wan. I’m guessing the origin is from Bilbao, Spain. When I was in Bilbao, I saw a lot of letter X in signboards over there. ( Here I go again, I’m making theories, he he he , but it makes sense, yeah ? Besides, the Philippines favorite chorizo/sausage is Chorizo de Bilbao…so, there you go. ) ~_~
Okay, this is it for now.
Please check out my manga /anime/ video games blogsite @ https://2megaworthitwordpresscomblog.wordpress.com/ I have a new entry, RWBY, Penultimate Episode, Chapter 13.
Bye ! Thanks for reading. Peace.
Am a Molecular Microbiology student, love to read books, and I play the violin. 
dreamsending
renxkyoko
renxkyoko's space 
Posted by Xena on January 27, 2018 at 1:18 am
Congrats to your parents, and thanks for the information about U.S. properties overseas.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:43 pm
Thanks ! It is such a financial relief !
There’s another one…. Subic Naval Base .
Posted by Precious Jasmin on January 27, 2018 at 1:31 am
Congratulations! And that’s a funny name… ses mo wan~
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:46 pm
Ha ha Ikr ? Such a funny name to write as one’s address, he he he.
Posted by hellodewww on January 27, 2018 at 2:21 am
Wow. Congratulations to your parents. That’s a nice place! :O
Posted by nigroskitchen on January 27, 2018 at 8:19 pm
I’m sure a lot of sacrifice went into that accomplishment ☺
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:49 pm
Thanks. My parents say it was like renting ,and the landlord was a lending company.
Posted by Jim on January 27, 2018 at 3:10 am
wow! some day I won ‘t have a mortgage payment too. congrats to Mom & Dad.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:55 pm
You’ll get there, as well. We make do with what’s left after paying all the bills. We can turn up the heater now. lol
Posted by Shreya Jindal on January 27, 2018 at 4:21 am
Congratulations!! It was an informative post..
Loved your blog
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:55 pm
Thank you. I’m glad you find my post informative. Cheers !
Posted by Ushnish the Crown on January 27, 2018 at 4:31 am
Congratulations 😁
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:56 pm
Thanks, Ushnish the Crown. And thank you for reading and commenting. Cheers !
Posted by arlene on January 27, 2018 at 5:03 am
I think the town has now been officially called Sasmoan!
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:58 pm
Really ? That’s good ! Having that name as one’s address is certainly awkward,he he he.
Posted by raistlin0903 on January 27, 2018 at 7:45 am
This was a great post! And of course congratulations for your parents! That’s awesome 😊😊
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 4:59 pm
Thank you, raistlin .
Posted by TWWK on January 27, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Congrats to your parents! I have…29
years to go myself, haha, after moving recently so I’m anticipating that same feeling, longgg from now!
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 5:01 pm
My parents made it , like , 15 years to pay. The torture is shorter, lol
Posted by Peter Wells aka Countingducks on January 27, 2018 at 1:55 pm
I’m really pleased about the mortgage payments finishing: that’s a very nice place to be. With regard to the man in the White House: he and his opinions are beyond depressing on every subject at every level, You are one of the sunniest loveliest people I have connected with in Blogland and to have you or your country described in that manner beggars belief. As a matter of interest, my Dad worked In the Philippines when he was a young man!
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Whoa, Peter Wells ! Your dad worked in the Philippines ? Was it an American company or British ?
Posted by Peter Wells aka Countingducks on January 28, 2018 at 6:18 pm
I think it was a British company, might be a bank but I’m not absolutely sure. What I am sure about is he would have been appalled at the views expressed about yours and other countries by a certain gentleman!!
Posted by renxkyoko on January 29, 2018 at 5:20 am
I was appalled… and I think most Filipinos too. It was so preposterous that we couldn’t believe he’d say that in public so casually. I know there are some terrorists in southern Philippines ( just spitting distance form Borneo,) but it’s domestic civil unrest that only affected that part of the Philippines) …. the rest of the country are peaceful . Some Filipino lawmakers were angry at the irresponsible statements of this man. Of course, nobody would believe this person. Anything that comes out of this man is pure garbage.
Posted by Peter Wells aka Countingducks on January 29, 2018 at 6:16 am
And almost everything that goes in: fast food and trash tv hahaha.
Posted by thelonelyauthorblog on January 27, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Congrats for your parents. Interesting post tyo read. Sexmoan. The name sounds wonderful. lol
Posted by renxkyoko on January 28, 2018 at 5:05 pm
Sexmoan is such a unique name , albeit a bit awkward, ha ha.
Posted by Steve.... on January 27, 2018 at 6:51 pm
Congrats…..
Posted by renxkyoko on January 29, 2018 at 4:30 pm
Thanks, Steve.
Posted by nigroskitchen on January 27, 2018 at 8:19 pm
I started learning tagalog…amazing language ☺
Posted by renxkyoko on January 27, 2018 at 10:08 pm
No kidding ! Really? So, what do you think, difficult ? I think it’s very easy . Let me know how you’re doing.
Posted by nigroskitchen on January 29, 2018 at 10:08 am
I think it’s really difficult. So many words are used to explain just a small phrase. I just love the culture and people because they are warm and so hospitable. I am going to enjoy this bilingual journey.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 29, 2018 at 4:45 pm
You just have to learn some quirks in Tagalog sentence construction. These quirks make the language seem difficult.
For example : Your house.
This can be translated to ” Ang iyong bahay. ” Roughly, ang means ‘the ” ,and iyong ( or iyo ) means your, yours .
Or, it can be translated to ” Ang bahay mo. ” This translation is more commom and simpler, though its rough translation in English is less common, which is,” the house of yours . ” iyo becomes mo if it follows a verb or a noun.
Don’t worry , though. Even Filipinos themselves are not fluent in Tagalog, ha ha ha. They speak TAGLISH.
Posted by nigroskitchen on January 31, 2018 at 11:25 am
Thank you for the time you gave me writing this helpful information. I really appreciate it. Taglish?! LOL I’ll remember that one. Your reply was great!
Posted by mardinanda.co on January 27, 2018 at 9:59 pm
Nice article.. Ate…salamat for you Time.. Good luck all the best
Posted by renxkyoko on January 29, 2018 at 4:52 pm
Thank you. Good luck to you, too.
Posted by KimmieKawaii on January 27, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Ren! I really enjoy these slice of life commentaries from you; just a picture into your world. I think the place you are from is absolutely gorgeous. Congrats on your parents paying off their house! Also, being Muslim myself, I hope your co-worker continues to work hard. There are so many wonderful people in this world to combat all the negativity and hate.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 30, 2018 at 5:28 pm
Yes, he’s a good worker in production, taking care of machineries, right up his alley.
Haha when I read the ” slice of life ‘” thingy, I thought of anime and manga. LOL I hope you get to read my stuff on my manga/anime blogsite.
Posted by KimmieKawaii on February 1, 2018 at 9:13 pm
Absolutely will check it out.
Posted by Yay on January 28, 2018 at 3:05 am
Newbie here ….and just visited your blogs and wanna let you know that you are amazing and your blogs are simple yet amazing .You dont use fancy words that helps me understand even more .Hoping to read more from you 🙂
Posted by renxkyoko on January 30, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Aww, thank you ! Someone did comment that my style was conversational. I wish I could write better, though.
Posted by brokenradius on January 28, 2018 at 11:33 am
Trump is a complete nut. His understanding of politics, social mechanisms and history is 0,00
Take the case of Norway. When there were immigrants from Norway to the US (~100 ago) Norway was one of the poorest countries in Europe. It had the lowest income in Scandinavia, was ridden by diseases, famine, poor education. Immigration to the US was a way of giving the children some hope of a better future (same as the dreamers from South America today). Now Norway is the country with a world leading living standard, stable economy, good educational system, social security. Why should anybody from Norway now go to the US ? If you want to have immigrants who contribute to the countries wealth in 100 years, you have to invite them today when they are desperate to flee their countries that are currently ridden by violence, corruption and economic failure.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 30, 2018 at 5:32 pm
That’s true. Those who immigrate here want a better life, so they work hard to achieve it, and for sure, America will be the better for it.
Posted by westtexaswanderlust on January 28, 2018 at 12:07 pm
The shit hole executive, who’s morals are the same as a sewer rat.
On another note, I loved your analysis on Spanish influence. It’s very similar to questions I have, being Mexican and colonized by the Spaniards, I get that at my core, along with a hate for colonization.
Also, congratulations to your parents that is such a huge thing to accomplish.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 30, 2018 at 5:37 pm
The Philippines and Mexico have almost identical culture. That also makes the Philippines stick out like sore thumb in Asia, ha ha. In fact, at one point, the Philippines was considered a province of Mexico, because the authority did not come from Spain, but from Mexico….. then, there was this Manila-Acapulco galleon trade that lasted for , I guess, 2oo years, or until Mexico became independent.
Posted by Gloria W. on January 28, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Congrats to your parents
Posted by renxkyoko on January 29, 2018 at 5:21 am
Thank you.
Posted by mistermuse on January 29, 2018 at 12:24 pm
Great post — one of your very best. Too bad Trump will never see it — not that it would cause him to have second thoughts (about what he said) for one second.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 30, 2018 at 5:51 pm
They finished the Trump Tower in the Philippines in 2016. He said the animal/terrorist country thing in 2017. He can say anything, or do anything, as long as he doesn’t hit the nuclear button. But, who knows ? This guy is mental.
Posted by loujen haxm'Yor on January 31, 2018 at 6:59 am
My stepfather, a really good man who has long passed away, was from Hernani, Samar. He said that pigs and chickens sometimes lived in his house. But he was proud of his home environment. We are who we are. Peace.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 31, 2018 at 4:06 pm
We once visited a relative’s house in a small town near Manila. There was a nice garden with lots of fruit trees, flowering plants, and yes, chickens, ducks, goats, and pigs running loose and free at their backyard, though there was a confined space ( pig sty ? ) for the pigs where they slept and ate. I loved it there.
Samar is in the Visayas region, a group of islands south of Manila.
Posted by Mona on January 31, 2018 at 7:01 pm
I love reading your thoughts on Trump (well, you mention him almost in every alternate post)! along with the many funny tweets I get to read about him on twitter. I saw a picture where people projected the word Sh*thole on one of his towers I guess…
Btw, Congratulations to your parents!
Posted by renxkyoko on January 31, 2018 at 7:07 pm
Much as I want to deny his existence, I can’t…. he’s so……. aaaargh ! ! I can’t believe he’s the President of the United States of America. Unbelievable. Maybe he was elected as a lesson to all Americans…. somebody like him will never get elected ,ever.
Posted by Mona on January 31, 2018 at 7:22 pm
hahaha… I don’t understand Presidential form of government quite well, as we have a parliamentary system here so I can’t comment on how he got elected in the first place. I can’t imagine the mental state of people who were foolish enough to elect a person like Trump to lead them. He makes a mockery of your country every place he visits. He was literally booed over at the recent Davos summit. He is an Islamophobic, homophobic, sexist “person”.
Posted by renxkyoko on January 31, 2018 at 7:58 pm
I wonder how historians would describe this person, and his stint at the White House.
Posted by Ocean’s Waves on February 1, 2018 at 4:03 pm
Nice sharing.
Posted by renxkyoko on February 1, 2018 at 5:41 pm
Thanks, Ocean’s Waves !
Posted by Ocean’s Waves on February 1, 2018 at 6:53 pm
Welcome.
Posted by Franchesca on February 1, 2018 at 5:31 pm
Yey for your parents!! 💙
Posted by renxkyoko on February 1, 2018 at 5:40 pm
I know, right ? Before this, they said we were just renting from the bank.
Posted by Dormboy on February 3, 2018 at 6:09 pm
Kudos to your parents! It feels great achieving a certain milestone in life like owning a house. =) It’s my first time to visit your blog. I guess I have something to read from here on. =)
Posted by imagesbytdashfield on February 5, 2018 at 2:52 pm
It’s a good feeling to pay off something especially something as big as a house! And my brother was stationed at Clark AFB 🙂
Posted by VictorsCorner on February 6, 2018 at 6:58 am
Congratulations to your parents on the mortgage feet. Thanks to you too for the insights on your home country.
Posted by John Hric on February 7, 2018 at 4:01 am
Congratulations to your parents being mortgage free ! As for that other character who shall remain nameless – he will say and do anything and deny it a moment later. He has no morals. He will take your money and make you and us his victims.
Posted by equinoxio21 on February 9, 2018 at 6:40 pm
Congratulations, félicitations, felicidades on the mortgage. It always is a relief. And the other house? It pays itself. 🙂 Mark Twain once said: “Buy land. They ain’t making it anymore.”
😉
Have a nice week-end.
Posted by shafiqkhan7 on February 12, 2018 at 3:12 pm
You seem to be just great, confident
Posted by Paul Stroessner on February 21, 2018 at 6:45 pm
Do you know if the old Naval base in Subic Bay has been fixed up? There were a lot of bases that closed around the same time. I was stationed at Oakland Naval Hospital for abit, and that has closed. When I got shipped out to the Gulf War, we sailed out of the naval base in Alameda, which has also been closed. My old ship is based in San Diego now. It’s like every base I have been at, has been closed.
Trump is an effing moron, and in my opinion, his followers are even worse. He’s obviously sick in the head. What’s the excuse of the people who believe and embrace every BS thing that comes out of his face? Ugh, I could rant on and on about that whole mess.
OK, I’ll get of the toxic stuff, and say congratulations to your parents! That is so exciting!
Posted by renxkyoko on February 22, 2018 at 12:53 am
They have fixed Subic and pretty soon, it will become an even better place than before. The first class infrastructure are already there, anyway. Same with Clark. If you want to know what their pans are for Subic and Clark, check out ” Clark City ” and Subic on YouTube. And I think Sangley Point, as well. ( used to be a US naval base too , closer to manila )
Posted by barkinginthedark on April 11, 2019 at 10:13 pm
bravo on the mortgage and screw trump. gonna eat some crispy pata. continue…