NOTE: This is a real experience in the Philippines that was sent to us to post. We left out the names as per the request of the sender.
Getting Tired of the Philippines
August 24, 2015
I'm getting tired of the Philippines. Not everyone's tolerance is the same. My tolerance for crap might be a lot lower than yours. People sometimes get negative about a place after a while due to many factors.
I've lived in very small towns in the province - almost went bonkers. No one, and I mean no one, to speak English with other than my then GF at the time.
I've lived in Manila and other very large cities and you become prey - a meal for the dredges of society. Dual price system - one for you, one for Filipinos. Every girl that approaches you is friendly when you first meet, but after a few minutes of small talk the shoe drops and you finally find out what they want. I'll leave it to your imagination of what they "want" and by what manner they intend to get what they want.
I've lived in the two most well-known sex-tourist destinations: Subic and Angeles City. If Angeles City had an ocean ( I love the water) and the crime was less, it might be a better place.
Living in Subic I was hit by the giant flood in 2013 and came down with leptospirosis. Those two things combined kind of just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Following Subic, I moved to Panglao Island, Bohol. 3 days after I moved there, Typhoon Yolanda hit. No damage at all, but power lines that came from Ormoc, Leyte, were completely destroyed and I didn't have power until Christmas. At the same time, they were doing extensive upgrading and repair of the roads making ordinary travel around the Island and to and from Tagbilaran a major pain in the ass at times. When it rained, it was very dangerous to ride a motorcycle even at very slow speeds. For the record, before they began, I thought the condition of the roads were in pretty decent shape compared to almost every other place I've been to in the Philippines. I was told by those who were in the know and by those who had been there for a while that the roads were being completely overhauled because of a planned new international airport on the island.
One night while returning home, I had a nasty motorcycle crash when part of a newly-built temporary dirt road gave way underneath my rear tire. I wasn't drunk and had on a helmet. No life-threatening injuries but I severely bruised my chest wall and had some major road rash. For over two months, every time some one told a joke and made me laugh or if I had to sneeze, I would be in enough pain to cry. Much like my experience in Subic, natural disaster and a dose of bad luck just made me want to leave. I think having no power for so long sucks anywhere you live in the world.
I left Bohol about one year ago and I settled again in Angeles. Not because I wanted to live there but because I had no idea where I wanted to go. I went back to Angeles because of the ease.
Now, for some of the offensive parts of my reasons for getting tired of the Philippines: The people.
I lived in Korea for 16 years. Korea is where I cut my teeth on living in Asia. I was married to a Korean woman for over a decade and she died of cancer. Despite the cost of living and the so-called language barrier, I loved Korea. I had more male Korean friends than I did foreigner male friends. Koreans never asked me one single time for money, favors or really anything other than my company and time. If I had to make a tally, I received far more than I ever gave to Korea or Koreans.
On message boards,everybody goes on and on about how friendly, warm and hospitable the people are in the Philippines.
Really?
Really??
Very true when they want something. As far as genuineness, I've yet to have that experience.
I have a total of 0 male Filipino friends. Zero. I'm sure that I could have an entire gaggle of Filipino male friends as long as I bought lots of red horse beer and cigarettes and have them in stock for my new-found friends. Better add a videoke machine to that as well and lots of pasalubong to keep my new friends happy. Better make sure I don't leave anything valuable around or give them access to anything valuable.
Filipinos speak such great English.
Really?
Really??
Yes, I have met Filipinos in my life who speak English very well and with a good accent. I have also met people who are fairly conversant in English but have a horrid accent that makes it hard to converse. I've also met more who can't say anything whatsoever.
Before someone tells me that I better learn the local language, I will counter with 25 + years of language, literature and linguistics - both L1 and L2 study that clearly shows that once a person hits 40 there is a physiological hindrance to becoming fluent in a 2nd language. I speak, read, write and understand the Korean language and studied in formal, academic formats. I also learned it before the age of 25. I'm sure that played a big role in my being able to adapt and enjoy Korea.
One of the things that drives me literally insane is the lack of professional behavior among employees in the Philippines. 4 days ago, I went to a local mall to buy a new cell phone to replace a destroyed one and heard one of the clerks make disparaging comments about my body and asking her co-worker to surmise about the size of my cock. Then changing to English to comment on my questions to the clerk that was helping me to set-up my new phone. When I left, I said to the woman in English, "In the future, you might want to watch what you say in front of customers because some of us understand Filipino very well, but just can't communicate as well verbally." She never said sorry or even acknowledged her behavior. Just a shocked look on her face.
I could tell you a million similar stories. Unprofessional doctors and nurses, surgeons, billing staff, lawyers, managers, desk clerks, cooks, any profession. In my experience, very few people take their jobs seriously.
I also have a few stories of how well I've been treated. The only problem is they are dwarfed by the negative ones.
The Philippines is known as an Asian nation. But is it really? Culturally, I find Filipinos to behave something more akin to Native Americans (Indians) or Mexicans. Weren't Mexicans originally an amalgamation of Indians and Spanish? At best, they are more Eurasian than anything else.
I love Asia and Asians. Filipinos are no Asians.
400 + years of Spanish rule along with 40+ years of American rule has led to a culturally and racially confused nation with a really pissed-off attitude towards foreigners whether they realize it or not.
I've lived in very small towns in the province - almost went bonkers. No one, and I mean no one, to speak English with other than my then GF at the time.
I've lived in Manila and other very large cities and you become prey - a meal for the dredges of society. Dual price system - one for you, one for Filipinos. Every girl that approaches you is friendly when you first meet, but after a few minutes of small talk the shoe drops and you finally find out what they want. I'll leave it to your imagination of what they "want" and by what manner they intend to get what they want.
I've lived in the two most well-known sex-tourist destinations: Subic and Angeles City. If Angeles City had an ocean ( I love the water) and the crime was less, it might be a better place.
Living in Subic I was hit by the giant flood in 2013 and came down with leptospirosis. Those two things combined kind of just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Following Subic, I moved to Panglao Island, Bohol. 3 days after I moved there, Typhoon Yolanda hit. No damage at all, but power lines that came from Ormoc, Leyte, were completely destroyed and I didn't have power until Christmas. At the same time, they were doing extensive upgrading and repair of the roads making ordinary travel around the Island and to and from Tagbilaran a major pain in the ass at times. When it rained, it was very dangerous to ride a motorcycle even at very slow speeds. For the record, before they began, I thought the condition of the roads were in pretty decent shape compared to almost every other place I've been to in the Philippines. I was told by those who were in the know and by those who had been there for a while that the roads were being completely overhauled because of a planned new international airport on the island.
One night while returning home, I had a nasty motorcycle crash when part of a newly-built temporary dirt road gave way underneath my rear tire. I wasn't drunk and had on a helmet. No life-threatening injuries but I severely bruised my chest wall and had some major road rash. For over two months, every time some one told a joke and made me laugh or if I had to sneeze, I would be in enough pain to cry. Much like my experience in Subic, natural disaster and a dose of bad luck just made me want to leave. I think having no power for so long sucks anywhere you live in the world.
I left Bohol about one year ago and I settled again in Angeles. Not because I wanted to live there but because I had no idea where I wanted to go. I went back to Angeles because of the ease.
Now, for some of the offensive parts of my reasons for getting tired of the Philippines: The people.
I lived in Korea for 16 years. Korea is where I cut my teeth on living in Asia. I was married to a Korean woman for over a decade and she died of cancer. Despite the cost of living and the so-called language barrier, I loved Korea. I had more male Korean friends than I did foreigner male friends. Koreans never asked me one single time for money, favors or really anything other than my company and time. If I had to make a tally, I received far more than I ever gave to Korea or Koreans.
On message boards,everybody goes on and on about how friendly, warm and hospitable the people are in the Philippines.
Really?
Really??
Very true when they want something. As far as genuineness, I've yet to have that experience.
I have a total of 0 male Filipino friends. Zero. I'm sure that I could have an entire gaggle of Filipino male friends as long as I bought lots of red horse beer and cigarettes and have them in stock for my new-found friends. Better add a videoke machine to that as well and lots of pasalubong to keep my new friends happy. Better make sure I don't leave anything valuable around or give them access to anything valuable.
Filipinos speak such great English.
Really?
Really??
Yes, I have met Filipinos in my life who speak English very well and with a good accent. I have also met people who are fairly conversant in English but have a horrid accent that makes it hard to converse. I've also met more who can't say anything whatsoever.
Before someone tells me that I better learn the local language, I will counter with 25 + years of language, literature and linguistics - both L1 and L2 study that clearly shows that once a person hits 40 there is a physiological hindrance to becoming fluent in a 2nd language. I speak, read, write and understand the Korean language and studied in formal, academic formats. I also learned it before the age of 25. I'm sure that played a big role in my being able to adapt and enjoy Korea.
One of the things that drives me literally insane is the lack of professional behavior among employees in the Philippines. 4 days ago, I went to a local mall to buy a new cell phone to replace a destroyed one and heard one of the clerks make disparaging comments about my body and asking her co-worker to surmise about the size of my cock. Then changing to English to comment on my questions to the clerk that was helping me to set-up my new phone. When I left, I said to the woman in English, "In the future, you might want to watch what you say in front of customers because some of us understand Filipino very well, but just can't communicate as well verbally." She never said sorry or even acknowledged her behavior. Just a shocked look on her face.
I could tell you a million similar stories. Unprofessional doctors and nurses, surgeons, billing staff, lawyers, managers, desk clerks, cooks, any profession. In my experience, very few people take their jobs seriously.
I also have a few stories of how well I've been treated. The only problem is they are dwarfed by the negative ones.
The Philippines is known as an Asian nation. But is it really? Culturally, I find Filipinos to behave something more akin to Native Americans (Indians) or Mexicans. Weren't Mexicans originally an amalgamation of Indians and Spanish? At best, they are more Eurasian than anything else.
I love Asia and Asians. Filipinos are no Asians.
400 + years of Spanish rule along with 40+ years of American rule has led to a culturally and racially confused nation with a really pissed-off attitude towards foreigners whether they realize it or not.
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