The Smell of Home?

It comes as no surprise that the Philippines is hot, humid, and otherwise wet.
It also comes as no surprise that the city smells as a result of the heat, humidity, and....wetness (which more often than not really just plain sweat).

What is a surprise, however, is just how bad the stench is. As we all know, smell has a direct line to memories and can bring up things from the past -- both good and bad. The smell of metro Manila is very distinct, and even though it's been over 16 years since I've been here, the moment those airport doors swung open and that refreshing gust of memories assailed my senses, I knew I was in the right place. This city's odor is wondrous mixture of gasoline, body odor, and sewage/urine. Quite unique, it is a smell I've never forgotten. Add that to skin that is constantly damp, and you have yourself an instant body spray that'll never leave you (so to speak).

It doesn't seem like anyone notices the smell. Really, the only way I do is when I consciously think about it. Oddly enough, it doesn't bother me in the slightest....it's kinda reassuring actually. It's a good reminder of where I am.

The gasoline comes from the abundance of vehicles on the road -- everything from buses, cars, jeepneys, tricycles, taxis, etc -- is in excess. If they cut out even a third of service vehicles from use, not only would people be able to get around quicker on the unclogged roads, but they wouldn't have extra cars lying around for no reason wasting resources.

Body odor -- I think that one is self explanatory. I've found Filipinos are very hard workers even without the incentive of money (which is so ironic in a country that has an overwhelming amount of people living well below the poverty line). Not wanting to waste money on such things as deodorant or body spray, their body odor can become quite....distinct.

Sewage/urine seems to run in the streets these days. Not joking. Sewage is everywhere. Due to the fact that it rains nearly everyday, things tend to flood into the streets on a regular basis. And due to this fact, it makes everything smell like sewage. Also, I've stopped keeping track of how many little boys and men I've seen peeing on the side of a building or bush. Apparently toilets are more of an accessory rather than necessity. In fact, I've also seen several signs meant to stop people from peeing in public places such as this one:



I know it's in Tagolog, but trust me, it means: "Please do not urinate here"

And this is the smell I am surrounded by day in and day out. It's quite homey.