Thanks to Maldita and Jessie- fellow Filipinos that I met through Siam Pinoy (an online community of Filipino expats in Thailand), I finally got myself a nice apartment in two week's time.

I live in an apartment catering mostly to foreigners. I think that about 70% of the tenants here are Japanese. And about 98% have cars.

I belong to the 2%.

(On a curious note, I wonder what my Japanese neighbors are up to in their rooms. I would always see their used eating utensils sitting outside their doors. Interesting. Are they expecting little elves to collect and wash their dishes while they were away? If that is the case, can I leave my soiled clothes out my door as well?)

My other newfound friends, Harold (a fellow Zamboangeno who works as a doctor up country), Cathy (a nurse) and Johan (a teacher) have also been very kind enough to show me some vacant apartments in their vicinity. Ultimately, however, I decided to go for this apartment because of its strategic location.

The apartment is just a few walks away from the skytrain station "Phrom Phong." The skytrain takes me all across Bangkok through interconnection with the subway. The apartment is also just a few yards away from Tops supermarket, a police outpost and a large and fancy mall, The Emporium. What do you say, cool, huh? Also, a short motorcycle ride will bring me to warehouse stores like Tesco Lotus and Carre Four. (Yes, motorbikes here are used for commute.)

One day I was having lunch in one of the restaurants in The Emporium, and while I was eating, I looked out the glass window- guess what I saw?

There's a park near my place! And not just any park, but a really picturesque park complete with a man-made pond, artistic monuments and a jogging trail. I am the center of everything. I cannot ask for more and agree with Jessie that I got a steal of a rent for all the intangible perks that came with the apartment. My room didn't look bad either, but it's only semi-furnished so it's a project in the making.

Here, check out my "backyard," the Benjasiri Park: