“Ketsana made landfall in the Philippines early on September 26, 2009.   The tropical storm brought Metro Manila its worst rainfall in record history on the morning of September 26, causing heavy flooding that left about 80 percent of the capital underwater.  Power and communication lines went down in many areas, many major roads and highways were rendered impassable, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport suspended operations for several hours. According to Philippine weather bureau PAGASA, the metropolis received 42.4 cm of rain in just 12 hours, exceeding the 39.2 cm average for the entire month of September. The previous record was set on June 7, 1967, with 33.4 cm of rainfall over a 24-hour period.

A ‘state of calamity’ was declared in Metro Manila and 25 provinces affected by the storm. At least 72 people have been confirmed killed by flooding and landslides, and nearly 280,000 people displaced. – Wikipedia

To help…   Donations in kind to the Red Cross:

LOCAL
Please send in-kind local donations to The Philippine National Red Cross – National Headquarters in Manila. We could also arrange for donation pick-up.

INTERNATIONAL

1. Send a letter of intent to donate to the PNRC
2. A letter of acceptance from PNRC shall be sent back to the donor
3. Immediately after shipping the goods, please send the (a) original Deed of Donation, (b) copy of packing list and (c) original Airway Bill for air shipments or Bill of Lading for sea shipments to The Philippine National Red Cross–National Headquarters c/o Secretary General Corazon Alma de Leon, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 2803, Philippines.

The PNRC does not accept rotten, damaged, expired or decayed goods. Though we appreciate your generosity, the PNRC also discourages donations of old clothes as we have more than enough to go around.

Whether you only have a brief fling in mind or something which you might be open to “continuing” after the vacation, I guess I can safely assume that most would be open to some holiday romance.

So you pass the initial getting to know you stage with no cultural faux pas to speak of… ready to go hot and heavy (after all, isn’t that what holiday flings are really made of?) and then you discover that there are some differences in your culture and his, after all. A falter in your step, as you get the first sight of his uncircumcised (or circumcised, depends on who is looking) errmm, manhood.

The facts (girls, take note!):

Circumcision is performed for religious, medical or CULTURAL reasons. Some do and some don’t.

The majority of males are circumcised in the following countries, in most of which the predominant religion is Islam, which endorses circumcision: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, “Somaliland”, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

In other countries where circumcision predominates it is endorsed by religion (Israel) or by local custom or tradition: Philippines, Samoa, South Africa, South Korea, Togo, Tonga, The United States and Vanuatu.

And in most European countries, circumcision is NOT performed. Circumcision rate is generally estimated at 10-15% but this rate varies from country to country.

Be prepared for what you might encounter!

Take this advice from someone who married a European!

source: wikipedia