Thrift Stores Philippines Style

So I have to confess after 3 months of wearing the same clothes over and over – it is getting ugly, so I went to a local ‘thrift store’ the other day. Clothes all over the place hanging on bamboo poles – dirt floors and hard to even get a handle on what they had it was so packed with stuff. But of course I had another of those interesting Filipino experiences. It was a particularly hot and humid day, having rained most of the morning. I found a couple shirts but I wanted to try them on to be sure they fit ok. The first woman found me a mirror and turned the fan on to face me so I could try it on. The second store – connected to this one - I walked over and found a shirt and also asked for a mirror which they produced and as I am trying the shirt on - on top of my shirt – the young woman brings a bamboo hand fan and stands in front of me to fan me to make sure I’m am not so hot as I try on the shirt. It was so cute. They are asking a bunch of questions – the older woman doesn’t speak English so thru the young girl she is asking where I am from and why I am here etc, you know the typical thing here. The young girls says “oh you are so kind” – not sure what I did to deserve that but it was lovely. She was the kind one – standing there fanning me while she is in the sweltering heat. I bought the shirt mostly because they were so nice and I thought what the heck its 50 pesos about ($1.17). Another one of those moments that makes this all an amazing experience in the Philippine