March 20th is the half way mark. I left DC on January 20th and will leave Sydney on May 20th. Entering a different phase of the sabbatical; finishing projects, pulling together pieces and welcoming family and seeing more of Australia.
First the finishing projects part. We have made significant progress on the Philippines initiative. The first trip encouraged us that there really is something there that is worth developing. The creative process was interesting to watch and be part of. Ideas were tossed around, LeapFrog experts would weigh in, case studies of previous initiatives considered, more ideas on the table, analysis done, testing of ideas, drafts written, more expert advice, some luck, fate and serendipity, and we are starting to have a vision for a major project. We think a pilot study would be the best first step, testing out two different ideas and lining up regulatory and structural framework. What is really exciting is if this works in the Philippines, there is a high probability that the model will be able to be used in many different emerging markets. Heading back to Manila tomorrow to spend the week and put some meat on the bones, testing ideas and digging into more specifics. We may have lined up some talent to be on the ground which will be great for him and the project. Really exciting to see this come together.
After five days in the Philippines, I'll head to South Africa for a series of meetings on global issues for LeapFrog and then some time with LF experts to do further work on the Philippines plan. Also anxious to work on finalizing the social and environmental metrics that LF will monitor on portfolio companies. The best investment funds/private equity funds are establishing the metrics that are important to them and working with their portfolio companies to measure and report. Most of the emerging markets don't have compliance and social metrics ingrained in their culture so it is falling on companies, and investment funds, to set the standards. I'm glad LeapFrog will have a seat at the table because they are thinking very hard on this issue. The old management saying that you get what you measure will be very true in the social and environmental arena.
On the fun side, I've worked through most of my "bucket list" for Sydney, saving a few things for when family arrives but have seen a lot. Last weekend I went to Taste Sydney, a restaurant/food fair in Centennial Park, Sunday went with friends hiking in the Blue Mountains. The best of the city and the woods or bush as they say here: a perfect weekend for me. The Blue Mountains are wonderful, nice trails, waterfalls and exotic birds. Ended up at a RSA for dinner. A strange, uniquely Australian invention. Seems as though the veterans years ago wanted a way to drink longer than local liquor laws allowed at regular pubs, so they petitioned the government to let them establish private clubs for veterans. Sort of a VFW or American Legion. One thing led to another and now they have gambling, night club acts and Chinese restaurants. A weird combination of American Legion Club, Holiday Inn Acts and a Chinese restaurant, go figure. There is a RSA in virtually every Australian town, lots in the suburbs of Sydney and you can become a "temporary member" for the day if you live five miles (or some short distance) from the club. The liquor is cheap, there is some sorted story of why all of the restaurants are contracted out to be Chinese restaurants, but here these clubs sit, taking in members and temporary members alike. The slot machines subsidize the entire operation. I don't think there is a lot of charity work that comes from them, the RSAs may support some youth sports leagues. But they are very popular and very much a part of suburban and rural Australia.
I finished my sailing and bridge lessons. Quite sure I won't skipper a sail boat but I could hold my own if asked to crew and I'd like to continue to work on my bridge game. I know why Buffet and Gates love it. Tactical, strategic and fun.
This past weekend was rainy, Fall is in the air. Took the ferry to Circular Quay and walked all over the Royal Botanical Gardens, checked out this amazing salt water swimming pool, Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool and Mrs. Macquaries Chair. Half of Sydney is names after Governor Macquaries and the other half after Darling, not sure what he did but he got a lot named after him. Saw a play at the Opera House and ferried back to dinner and apartment.
Today, Sunday, took a cooking class at the Sydney Fish market. Been meaning to get to the market for awhile and although I missed the wholesale fish auctions, which end at 5:30 am, the retail markets are amazing and the class was loads of fun. We did five Seafood BBQ dishes. An hour and a half of demonstration and then in teams of 5 set about to cook the dishes, finishing up with a bottle of wine and all of our creations. Learned how to clean, prep and cook a squid. Learned that all calamari is squid but not all squid is calamari, how to fillet a Garfish (or other smallish fish) and how sashimi-grade fish earns its designation. Also learned to make some pretty good dishes that I'll try out when we get home. If you have some extra days in Sydney a cooking class would be a great event.
In for the night to read, pack for the week and work on a knitting project. Ate so much at the cooking class, dinner won't be necessary.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
To Manila and back
Returned to Sydney on Saturday at noon after Monday-Friday in Manila and surrounding communities. Manila is like many cities in beautiful countries, Johannesburg in South Africa, Casablanca in Morocco to name two, that are best used as transit points to more beautiful parts of the country. I am told that the beaches in the Philippines are some of the best in the world but tourism won't really take off until they build up their infrastructure, airports and roads are pretty poor. But my traveling companion, a LeapFrog partner and I were focused on business and stayed in Manila the entire time. It is a dirty, crowded city with huge disparities of wealth. One of the business people we called on described the Philippines as a country that spent 400 years in a convent and 40 years in Hollywood, summarizing the Spanish occupation of 400 years and the 40 years of pre-WWII US occupation. As dirty and uninspiring as Manila is, I'm not sure I have ever met nicer people. Everyone was friendly, warm and engaging. Made me want to like Manila despite the lack of physical charm.
I had a strong case of deja vu on the trip. Scenes from my travels to Africa in the 1980s came rushing back. Big hotel, cool rooms but the air conditioning not quite reaching the halls. Abundant food at the hotel buffet and instead of Africa and European dishes, substitute more Asian food. Men walking around with guns. I guess guarding, but they were either too young or too bored to give one much comfort. But I never felt unsafe. I think the bus hostage situation last year and the armed struggle in the southern part of the Philippines are driving the security. Lots of security, at the entrance to the hotel, checking under cars with mirrors, entering the very upscale mall next to the hotel, and in all office buildings. Instead of British, French and Americans in the hotels in Africa, there were Chinese, British, Americans and did I mention Chinese? Very strong ties between China and the Philippines. One can really feel the pull and presence of China through out Asia and Australia.
My Facebook has lots of pictures from the week, from Harold the eager bomb sniffing dog to the amazing women who run Sari Sari stores. The Holy Grail of micro insurance is finding a distribution channel that reaches the poor and costs very little. We spent much of the week thinking and exploring different options. We met amazing people, who are working very hard to alleviate poverty in the Philippines. One man, attended UVA, and was back home running micro finance companies among other initiatives. He said, "I have studied poverty for many years." And he had good insights into the causes. The migration from rural villages to Manila was at the root of much of the poverty and politicians who seemed to encourage squatters and this migration to build a power base are also at fault.
Particularly impressive in Manila were the number of senior women we called on. Executive Vice Presidents, Senior VPs, leaders of companies. I can't remember ever calling on this many women, in the US or other countries. Women with real power and authority. It was a joy to call on them. The real joy came though in seeing the owners of the Sari Sari stores. All women who wanted to be their own boss and add to their families' income. The photos on my facebook page shows their stores and a bit of their lives. The importance of OFWs (overseas foreign workers) for the Philippines can not be over stated. They contribute about 10% of GDP. Sending home remittances to support large families. They are in the US, Canada, Middle East, almost everywhere. The TV had images of the slowness of the evacuation of Philippine OFWs from Libya. The country is too poor to send special boats or planes to bring home their citizens as other countries did.
The Philippines is also replacing India as the call center capital for the US . Their English is much closer to our English. On the way to dinner one night we drove by huge buildings of JPMorgan Chase and other banks where the call center workers answer phones.
On returning back to Sydney, Saturday was a quiet day, although I was in business class on the trip back, changing planes in Hong Kong, the little bed in Cathay Pacific wasn't as good as a real bed. I did get to see The King's Speech, which was on my list to see. Bought some food, did some laundry and watched the boats in the harbor. Today I took a very long hike through Double Bay, Rose Bay, Watson Bay and ending up at the Tasman Sea. Swam in Shark Cove (there is a big net barrier up so it doesn't attract its name sake), walked through a native bush area and another swim at Camp Cove before seeing the light house at the end of the hike. Pictures on facebook. I took the ferry back from Watson Bay to Double Bay and walked up the hill to my apartment. Lots of walking and exploring. Weather is now overcast and feels a little like the end of summer.
I had a strong case of deja vu on the trip. Scenes from my travels to Africa in the 1980s came rushing back. Big hotel, cool rooms but the air conditioning not quite reaching the halls. Abundant food at the hotel buffet and instead of Africa and European dishes, substitute more Asian food. Men walking around with guns. I guess guarding, but they were either too young or too bored to give one much comfort. But I never felt unsafe. I think the bus hostage situation last year and the armed struggle in the southern part of the Philippines are driving the security. Lots of security, at the entrance to the hotel, checking under cars with mirrors, entering the very upscale mall next to the hotel, and in all office buildings. Instead of British, French and Americans in the hotels in Africa, there were Chinese, British, Americans and did I mention Chinese? Very strong ties between China and the Philippines. One can really feel the pull and presence of China through out Asia and Australia.
My Facebook has lots of pictures from the week, from Harold the eager bomb sniffing dog to the amazing women who run Sari Sari stores. The Holy Grail of micro insurance is finding a distribution channel that reaches the poor and costs very little. We spent much of the week thinking and exploring different options. We met amazing people, who are working very hard to alleviate poverty in the Philippines. One man, attended UVA, and was back home running micro finance companies among other initiatives. He said, "I have studied poverty for many years." And he had good insights into the causes. The migration from rural villages to Manila was at the root of much of the poverty and politicians who seemed to encourage squatters and this migration to build a power base are also at fault.
Particularly impressive in Manila were the number of senior women we called on. Executive Vice Presidents, Senior VPs, leaders of companies. I can't remember ever calling on this many women, in the US or other countries. Women with real power and authority. It was a joy to call on them. The real joy came though in seeing the owners of the Sari Sari stores. All women who wanted to be their own boss and add to their families' income. The photos on my facebook page shows their stores and a bit of their lives. The importance of OFWs (overseas foreign workers) for the Philippines can not be over stated. They contribute about 10% of GDP. Sending home remittances to support large families. They are in the US, Canada, Middle East, almost everywhere. The TV had images of the slowness of the evacuation of Philippine OFWs from Libya. The country is too poor to send special boats or planes to bring home their citizens as other countries did.
The Philippines is also replacing India as the call center capital for the US . Their English is much closer to our English. On the way to dinner one night we drove by huge buildings of JPMorgan Chase and other banks where the call center workers answer phones.
On returning back to Sydney, Saturday was a quiet day, although I was in business class on the trip back, changing planes in Hong Kong, the little bed in Cathay Pacific wasn't as good as a real bed. I did get to see The King's Speech, which was on my list to see. Bought some food, did some laundry and watched the boats in the harbor. Today I took a very long hike through Double Bay, Rose Bay, Watson Bay and ending up at the Tasman Sea. Swam in Shark Cove (there is a big net barrier up so it doesn't attract its name sake), walked through a native bush area and another swim at Camp Cove before seeing the light house at the end of the hike. Pictures on facebook. I took the ferry back from Watson Bay to Double Bay and walked up the hill to my apartment. Lots of walking and exploring. Weather is now overcast and feels a little like the end of summer.
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