Learning English in Baguio City, Philippines.
Note: Hello. We are MONOL, an English language school in Baguio!
We have a promotion for students who are willing to write a blog about MONOL during their study abroad period. Right now, we have a Japanese student who is a blogger, and we ask her to submit her blog draft every week. This topic is about MONOL’s dormitory, meals, housekeeping, and laundry service.
Learning English in Baguio City as a Japanese Student
This is blogger Mizuki! I am a Japanese student who chose to learn English in MONOL which is located at Baguio City, Philippines.
It’s been about two weeks since I arrived in Baguio! I had a lot of fun during these two weeks, participating in school trips, sightseeing on holidays, relaxing together on the rooftop, etc., but I also had some hard times, such as getting homesick because I got sick and missing Japanese food. Today, I would like to talk about MONOL’s services (meals, dormitory, housekeeping, and laundry).
Meals
First, let me start with the food! A meal costs 200 pesos (about 550–600 yen). The cafeteria provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. However, students must make their own food by using the kitchen in the common area, going out to eat, or ordering delivery on Saturdays. Also, there is a spacious and clean common kitchen, and there are water servers on each floor, so you don’t have to buy your own water!
The staple food in the cafeteria is rice, not bread! Most of the side dishes are much more flavorful than those in Japan. I think most of the side dishes are spicy, such as kimchi and spicy sauce. The strength of the flavors surprised me, yet my first cafeteria lunch was better than I had anticipated. Snacks are also more flavorful than their Japanese counterparts. So, if you are concerned about calories, you may want to refrain from them.
If you are thinking of cooking for yourself, I suggest you bring some seasonings from Japan! Salt, pepper, and sugar are available in the communal kitchen at this point! I brought miso (soybean paste), kimchi stock, yakiniku sauce, etc. from Japan, and since I am not familiar with local seasonings, I brought these from Japan, and they have been a big help!
Most of the meat dishes in the cafeteria have large or fine bones attached to them, so they are quite difficult to eat and you have to be very careful.
I thought it was a cultural thing since most Philippine supermarket sell meat with the bones attached. When I cook my own food, I make good use of the bones and meat by removing them from the meat and putting them to good use in pot-au-feu and other soup stocks!
The cafeteria serves soup with every meal, and sometimes they serve miso soup in the cafeteria! It is very tasty.
Dormitory
Next, I will talk about the dormitory. Overall, the dormitory is very clean and comfortable and I think it is because of the renovations. First, let me start with the rooms. I have a semi-single room, and the only thing that bothers me is the noise from my roommate. The water pressure in the shower can be adjusted to three levels but I found it a little difficult to adjust the temperature.
The WiFi in the room is smooth. Sometimes there are days when it does not work smoothly, but it is not a problem. Spoons, forks, chopsticks, plates (large and small), tea cups, mugs, and teapots are provided in the room. It is very convenient. I broke my mug, so I paid 45 pesos; If your personality is a bit clumsy like mine, you need to be careful when using them.
The apartment is also equipped with a microwave oven, refrigerator, study desk, chair, bed, closet, shelves, clothesline, and hangers! It’s really very convenient, and you won’t have any inconveniences living here! Laundry is only available on Mondays and Wednesdays, so on weekends, I use the washing machine on the roof and do my own washing! I like to dry my clothes in the room because it prevents them from drying out and makes them smell good.
Facilities
Now, let’s talk about my favorite place of all, the rooftop! On the rooftop, there is a cafe, a gym, and a sauna. All of them are very open.
We are in the mountains at 1500m elevation, so the view from the rooftop is always beautiful! At night, you can see the stars so beautifully! It’s a sight that any scenery lover would love. After class, everyone gathers on the rooftop to do assignments, talk, have a drink on the weekends, go to the gym, and have a good time. You can buy beer, chocolate lattes, etc. at the cafe. And our clean gym is free to use 24 hours a day! All the equipment is clean and well maintained, so you can use it comfortably. If you like to work out, this is the perfect place for you.
The sauna can be used for 30 minutes by asking at the front desk downstairs. Saunas are separated for men and women. Monol also offers a fitness club, where visitors can experience five types of training: (1) personal training; (2) yoga; (3) Pilates; (4) boxing; and (5) Muay Thai. The days and hours are different for each.
I’ve recently gotten into Muay Thai, and after I’ve finished my meals and assignments, I join a Muay Thai class with a friend! I have never done martial arts before in my life and I’m pretty athletic. But my teacher kindly taught me, and even though I am not athletic, I was able to enjoy doing Muay Thai.
Housekeeping Services
And now let’s talk about housekeeping services! To use housekeeping, you must go to the front desk and make your own reservation. Housekeeping cannot be booked on the same day. The main services they can do for you are cleaning toilets, cleaning bathrooms, wiping floors, vacuuming, trash cans, and changing bed sheets. With the plus option, you can choose only one. The room will be cleaned in detail, and the sheets will be changed to keep the room clean.
Last but not least, let’s get to the laundry service and talk! You will need to obtain a reservation form from the front desk. On the form, write down the number of each article of clothing, such as the number of jackets, pants, underwear, and others. There is a laundry basket in each room, so place the clothes in the basket and put the written form on top of the clothes. Then, carry them to the office and leave them there, and you are done. The laundry service will fold the clothes and return them to you. They will put your undergarments on tightly so that you cannot see them. It is best not to send out sweaters that stretch a lot or expensive clothes. I come home early in the day, and when I do, they are often folded damp so I always re-dry them in my room.
Conclusion
Overall, compared to other language schools, it’s a lot cleaner, and I think long-term residents would find it very comfortable!
Next time, I will talk about the classroom and how the teachers are doing, so please come back to my blog if you like.
Thank you for reading!
Come and learn English in Baguio City, Philippines today. Live and learn with Monol! Send a message to register@mymonol.com | korea@mymonol.com | chinataiwan@mymonol.com | japan@mymonol.com