Taking the IELTS in Manila

So here's the procedure and what to expect when taking the IELTS exam here in Manila.  Although I know that I already speak English fluently, we as Filipino's still have to take it regardless.  For things such as work and migration to different English speaking countries etc.  It's a reality we have to face and it's a somewhat costly one.

So the big question is: How much is it?

It's P9, 400 if taken with the British Council Philippines.  You can find their website here:  https://www.britishcouncil.ph/.  Their main office is located in Ortigas near that infamous BPI Julia Vargas Branch.

Are there cheaper options for the IELTS?  I personally didn’t find any other testing centers that where cheaper.  But I did find one that was more expensive at around P10, 000.

If you have other questions such as what to study, how to study etc., that information you can find online.  There's plenty of review material for you to take.  Generally Google and YouTube will be your best friend for this.

So the first step is to realize that you need to take this exam.  Then, go to their website and sign up.  Fill out some personal information and make sure your name is spelled correctly and that the government ID you provide has the same name with signature.  And make sure that your ID is valid as you will need to bring this exact same ID with you to the testing center.  If you lose this ID or it becomes invalid before you take the exam you will need to either reschedule your exam or you may not be able to take your exam at all.

Please note that there are several different IELTS versions, so you'll need to know which one you need to take before applying.  If you take the wrong one your results might not be recognized by the school/country/work you're applying to.

If you're going to the UK for work/immigration there is a separate exam so please read up on the website.  For the rest, such as for immigration to Australia, UK, and Canada you have two options:

General Exam

Academic Exam

Generally speaking if you want to immigrate: take the General Exam.  But if you want to go to school/take up a master’s degree or such:  take the Academic Exam.  If in doubt, check with the requirements.

What's the difference?  Not too much of a difference between the two exams really.  The speaking and listening part are the same.  The main difference is in the writing and reading part.  For the Academic exam it is more science oriented since that type of English is what you're most likely be encountering in school.

So if you want it a bit easier, take the General Exam if you can.

When you sign up for the exam make sure you’re on the right website because the website can be a bit confusing.  They will show you a bunch of dates and times you can take the exam on.  But there’s a tiny link on the top that shows you what type of exam it is for.  Make sure it’s for General or Academic, whichever you need before choosing a time.  You can then proceed to payment.  It’s cash or credit card.  There’s even an option for PayPal if I remember correctly.

After paying you will need to wait for the email confirmation.  About a week before the exam they will email you the final venue for the exam.

Exam Parts

1.       Listening

2.       Reading

3.       Writing

4.       Speaking

These are the four parts that you will be tested on.  Personally, I found the listening part to always be the hardest part of the exam because they make you listen to a lot of stuff and you have to quickly pick up some information.  That would even be hard for native speakers.

Exam Venue

The speaking exam is usually held at their main office in Ortigas.  They will send you an email with the confirmation.  As for the rest, the venues are usually at hotels such as the Heritage Hotel on Roxas Blvd corner Edsa.

Be there at least 30 minutes before the time.  Because your exam will be forfeited if you arrive late and bye bye P9, 400.

You also need to be there before the exam time because there’s a security process that needs to be followed.  Since they need to maintain the credibility of the test security is of utmost importance.  They will check your name, your ID, they will take your picture, and fingerprints.  Once inside the exam venue and the exam starts you will no longer be allowed to leave.  So go to the bathroom beforehand.  Cheating will definitely get you immediately kicked out so do not try it.

Results

Results will be released 13 days after the exam date.  You can check your results online.  You can either pick up the hard copy at their Ortigas office or have it sent by mail.  On average you want to aim for a 7.0 or higher.

Hope this helps you out.

Suzhou Dimsum Mandaluyong

Anybody who knows me even for a short period of time understands that I LOVE food.  And I love to eat.  So that means I explore a lot of the places were one can find food.  Since I spend most of my time at work and in and around Manila I have to find places that interest my palate.

So I get most of my leads through my Facebook timeline (I know sad) but sometimes I get a tip from friends and family that this resto is good etc so on and so on.  And the other day someone talked about Suzhou Dimsum Mandaluyong.  Naturally I had to go check it out.  One, it's in Mandaluyong, and second, I heard that they had a great Xiao Long Bao.

This Chinese restaurant has been around for a while, practically over 10 years and is a family run business like most Chinese restaurants are.  This particular branch is located in Mandaluyong but there are other branches near you.

This branch is a bit out of the way but that doesn't stop regulars from going there.  When we arrived there were a few people there and that's already a good indicator that the food is worth it.  If there are regulars - it means the food is good enough to return to.

We immediately got our hands on the Xiao Long Bao (P135 - 4pcs).  And good thing we did because this one is really worth it.  If you're familiar with the one restaurant in Megamall that offers this same dish you won't be disappointed with this one from Suzhou.  It's a fraction of the cost and that means more Xiao Long Bao for us!  Yehey!

Xiao Long Bao

And in true family fashion the wife ordered dessert immediately.  She got the Fried Banana Nuggets (P140).  They taste like, well, Banana, fried outside, soft and tasty on the inside.

Fried Banana Nuggets

The next dish that was served was the Kuchay & Pork Dumpling (P195).  Yet again, a worthy dish to be eaten.  Just dip it into the vinegar sauce and you're all good.

And another worthy dish to add to any meal are not even meat dishes.  They are tofu!  Tasty and healthy so that's always a great combination.  Tofu with Century Egg & Pork Flakes (P220) and Salt & Pepper Fried Tofu (P135).

For a complete meal syempre, dapat meron rice and beef.  Steamed beef in Garlic (P360) & Pork and Vegetable Fried Rice (P180).  These two go great together as the rice has a mild taste while the beef dish has a very strong garlic and beef taste.  Put together they make a team.

 And when the wife wasn't looking I snuck in some more dishes.  Pancake with Spring Onions (P130), Special Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup (P255).  And the veggie dish I believe is called Suzhou-style Vegetable (P220).

I guess by this time you're saying that wow, they've eaten a lot but that's normal for my family.  We added another dish: Stir Fried Noodle Beef (P220).

At this point we were quite full already.  So I decided to check out the place.  The restaurant does some local deliveries if you're craving Chinese Food.  And they also do some catering and special events.  The restaurant offers two rooms that can be rented for special events.  Each room can take an estimated 30 persons each.

Room 1

Room 2

I try to keep my blog short and sweet but it's hard to do when you have plenty to write about.  Suzhou Dimsum has plenty to offer and I'm quite glad I got to visit and experience their food.  For now, I'll let the pictures do the talking and entice you to a good meal at Sizhou Dimsum.

Kodanda Archery at MOA

For those coming from Cavite do I have great news for you!  Kodanda Archery indoor range has opened up another branch!  This would be their third branch and just like the previous branches this one has a great location. The new branch is at the MOA Annex in Pasay, which is just a short walk away from the Mall of Asia itself.  So that is great news for those who want to try out archery and right after you can relax at the mall.

We had a bit of a hard time finding the range but that was due to the building being renovated by SMDC.  We didn't see an external sign that there is an archery range so we asked one of the guards. Turns out that the archery range is inside the building on the ground floor.  It's right beside the parking area so you'll have plenty of parking if you're taking your car with you.

At first we didn't know that we were walking in the right direction.  You have to walk into a dark corridor into the parking area and turn right.  Once you turn right you see that the archery range is right there.

Kodanda MOA

The great thing about Kodanda is that they always have friendly staff willing to answer all of your questions.  That is a big plus for any business.  Their staff is well trained and will help you put on your gear if this is your first time to try archery.

Adjusting my sights.

Kodanda staff providing archery instruction.

Kodanda MOA is fully airconditioned and has a 12 lane shooting range.  That is so far the largest of the 3 branches.  They have brand new equipment for your use.  You get professional archery instruction and use of equipment for a mere P580 only.

12 lanes

Recurve bows for your use.

If you've always wanted to try archery, now is the right time.  This branch is open from 10am to 10pm daily.  For reservations and inquiries you may contact the following numbers:  0943-627-9748 or 02-805-8858.   If this branch is too far from you, you may opt for their other two branches which are located at the Makati Cinema Square and at the Metrostar Mall on Aguirre Avenue.

My Beef with Grab and Uber

I love the service that Grab and Uber provides.  Ever since they started operations I never had to take public transpo again going home from the mall or whenever the family needs to do something that necessitates travel.  Previous to their service we had to wait in line for 1 to 2 hours before being able to board an FX going home.  Now, within 5 minutes I can hail a car and get home.

I was contemplating purchasing a car a few years ago but that changed when Grab and Uber came along.  That’s because it’s more convenient for me to just pull out my phone than drive and find parking on my own.  Also, with Manila traffic I’d rather just sit back, relax, and spend time with my daughter in the car.  With me not driving I can pay attention to her instead.  I also don’t have to pull out cash to pay for my fare.

And an additional plus to being driven around is the fact that I get to ride in all manners of cars!  So far it’s been mostly Toyota’s and Mitsubishi’s but there is the occasional Chevy, Ford, Suzuki, and other cars.  I would have never experienced riding in these cars if it weren’t for Grab and Uber.  Too bad I missed that time when James Deakin was driving around with a Lambo.

But with all the good also comes the bad.  Below is a list of the things I have noticed with their services.

1.       No seatbelts.  I feel so uncomfortable when I get into a car without seatbelts.  I usually ride in the back and around 70% of the cars I ride in do not have seatbelts!  I mean they do have them but are hidden beneath the car seat covers.  Not cool.

2.       Rush hour traffic.  With Uber it’s ok because you can get a car pretty much anytime even during rush hour.  But be prepared to pay.  But that’s how it works and I’m cool with that.  But with Grab, that’s a whole different story.  With Grab I have NEVER been able to book a car during rush hour.  Last time I tried I got 3 cancellations in a row before I switched to Uber and got a car right away.  One cancelled, the other asked me to cancel, and the third made up a story that he forgot his license at home.  It’s virtually impossible to get a car with Grab during rush hour even if you’re willing to pay the extra pesos.

3.       Grab and Uber are being infiltrated with the same rude behavior of taxi drivers.  I suppose it’s because taxi drivers are now driving for Grab and Uber.  The same attitude is what they bring along.  From asking for additional money, to the obvious taking you for a longer ride.  

4.       Grab customer service is ridiculously slow.  I mean really slow.  It takes them like 3-4 days to reply to any issues.  Last time it took them over 1 week to provide credit for P200 when a driver accepted my fare then tagged it as completed without picking me up.  Compare it to Uber who reply within an hour or two.

5.       Uber is not driver/worker friendly (anymore).  I have talked to countless drivers and they all say that it’s no longer viable to work for Uber.  They have pretty much cut off all good incentives and/or have set ridiculously hard to achieve parameters for incentives.  When incentives were good, drivers earned a living wage.  And me as a customer, I was always able to get a ride at anytime of the day near my home.  But now cars have disappeared and it takes more than 10-15 minutes (sometimes even up to 40 minutes) to hail a ride now from my house.

6.       Drivers are generally in a somber or dismal mood.  Must be because of the lower incentives and longer driving/working hours to make up for the lower amount earned.  You can really feel that negative energy unlike when Uber/Grab was starting.

So those are some of my current observations.  I’m pretty sure I had some more but I can’t think of them right now.  But even with these issues I would chose Grab and Uber over public transpo anytime of the day.  It’s convenient, safe, fast, and affordable.  The only way I would stop using their services is if Manila would get a modern commuter train system like in Singapore and Hong Kong.  And we all know that’ll take years to accomplish.  So Grab and Uber, you have my business for a few more years to come just please address above issues.

For the Food Lovers: www.cookening.com

So this is going to be a very short blog.  But it's about food so if you're reading this or following my blog you know I LOVE food. I'm not even sure I have readers haha...but anyways if you love food you might want to take a look at this website: www.cookening.com.

What is it?

Well, in a nutshell it's the AirBnB or Uber of food!  The basic concept is the same as these two.  There are a lot of people all over the world who love to cook and are good at but don't own a restaurant for various reasons such as they really suck at business or don't really care about the business side of cooking.  They are just passionate about cooking and want to share this talent with others.

Now, isn't that a great idea?  You can pretty much go anywhere in the World and look for a place to eat at!  People will invite you into their homes and share their life, homes and stories.

This is really fun and great if you love meeting new people.

This isn't really big yet in Asia but it's really big in Europe such as the UK.  But this might change pretty fast once people find out about this.  I mean Uber and AirBnB pretty much came out of nowhere and blindsided people.  And people love food so this is probably going to be a contender in the next few years.

I tried searching for Manila and I already found one place in Cavite that is offering their home to food lovers for about P900.  Might be worth a try the next time I go to Cavite. Or maybe I can ask my grandmother to come out of retirement and cook? LOL.

Enjoy and rejoice for all the food lovers out there!