Living in the Philippines is an awesome experience, and for me, it was possibly the best decision I ever made. Everyday I wake up grateful for the chance encounter that snowballed into me packing up shop and moving here in 2004. The flip side of the coin though, is that everyday I’m also reminded why I left the West in the first place.
Let me explain…
Whenever I venture outside of my house and head downtown to run my errands, I inevitably encounter a number of ‘foreigners’. As the years have gone by, I notice the number of white guys I see keeps getting higher and higher… which is a good thing… but it also has some drawbacks. The ‘problem’ is that along with the great ones, like you and me, there are a few ‘bad apples’, and they give the rest of us a bad name.
Case in point…
I was in the barbers yesterday, getting my monthly trim, when a particularly loud-mouthed Australian guy walked in and demanded to know, ‘How long is HE going to be!’. The ‘he’ in his inquiry was in fact me. Well the instant reaction on the face of most of the guys and gals in the place was a combination of shock and disgust. They couldn’t respond to his outburst as quickly as he wanted, so he launched in with round two. ‘Is it going to be 30 minutes or more like an hour? I’ve got to get to the movies with my girlfriend!’
I resisted the urge to say something myself as that wouldn’t have been as pleasant as the owner would have liked, so instead I muttered to Onyot, ‘tell him 30 minutes’. So Onyot told him and after a bit of teeth grinding and cursing under his breath, he stormed out. Presumably he just had to get to the movies and the haircut wasn’t quite as urgent as his temper tantrum seemed to indicate. I guess ‘Iron man 3’ had more of an appeal for Mr. Personality!
The moral of my little rant is simply this… The Philippines is a great place to live, and the people are amongst the most welcoming and generous people I’ve ever met. Treat them with the same respect that you would hope to have shown to you, and you’ll enjoy your time over here. Whether that time is short,on a vacation for example, or much longer, because you’ve retired here.
I have lived here in the Philippines continuously since 1988. The first 18 years in very rural Leyte. We went to Cebu for 18 months for my wife to get some medical work done. I am just giving some of my background.
I don’t associate with a lot of expats most of them have such a negative point of view. I ask them if the Philippines is so bad why do you stay. The Philippines is far from perfect but I sure enjoy living here. Sorry didn’t mean too be so long winded.
Hi Dick – Thanks for your comment. I know exactly what you mean… for the past 10 years I’ve pretty much kept myself to myself and just was hanging out with the gf and her friends and family. Had a few personal issues and decided to start making a bit more effort and actually talking to a few ‘foreigners’ and I managed to find a few that are actually pretty laid back and enjoy living over here as much as I do.
They see it as a blessing and, like me, laugh about the minor ‘inconveniences’ and negligible differences that arise from time to time.
The fact is there’s nowhere else I’d rather be and I totally agree with you… if some of these guys have such a problem with things over here, then why don’t they just go back to their own country.
Steve
I am living near Iligan City Mindanao – and have been for the last 4 years. I can leave my home take a 20 minute ride to Iligan walk the two main streets from one end to the other doing my shopping. I can do this 10 times over a 6 or 8 week period and not see another foreigner. I do have a few foreigners I consider my friends that live here. I have made a few new friends and short time friends here by simply saying hello with a smile Try it you may find a new friend for life
Thanks for your comment Ross.
Steve
I have lived in the PI since 2004 with the first 7 + years being around Manila and in Tagaytay. Since January 2011 I have lived in rural Bukidnon Province where while the internet claims my “city” of Malaybalay has 153,000 people, in reality the urban area is around 7 ~ 10 K with the rest being scattered out over a very rural area the size of my county in Pennsylvania. Of the 46 barangays most of them are actually villages and would be called towns in most parts of the world. “The total land area of the city is approximately 108,259 hectares (984.38 km²), that is about 13% of the total area of Bukidnon. An estimated of 65% of this is classified as forestland/timberland and the remaining 35% is alienable and disposable areas: lands which could be used for purposes such as for agriculture or for industry” (from Wikipedia).
Although there ARE places where you could surround yourself with howling dogs and videoke machines it isn’t hard to find a quiet place to live. The major drawback to life here is the fact that the local Gaisano’s is the only shopping center and it is very small and the management of it is severely lacking. This problem is compounded by the fact that the mayor has arbitrarily forbidden the supermarket to sell beef, pork or fish. That makes us go to CDO every couple months to stock up on those items so we meet up with some other expats for drinks, lunch and English speech like that we were accustomed to in our previous life.
This is a place where one can very easily shed any misconceptions brought from the west about Muslims and how they act. I live among Muslims and interact with them on a daily basis so it makes me bristle a bit when all Muslims are painted with the “terrorist” brush. Although if fear of Muslims keeps my area foreigner free, then all the better.
Thank you for your comments, Jerry.
There are two mosques in Bacolod City that I am aware of. There is ISBAC, Islamic Society of Bacolod City, located in Barangay Taculing. One of the things that ISBAC is involved with is meeting with non-Muslims in groups on a regular basis to allow people to get to know them. They are not terrorists or kidnappers. There has not been any bombings or kidnappings carried out in Bacolod City by Muslims.
A number of Muslims are vendors at Libertad Public market and a number of Muslims have kiosks set up in Gaisano Mall and in 888 Chinatown Mall. They do not bother anyone and no one bothers them. We live together peacefully in our community, which is the way it should be.
~ Gary ~
Most of my friends in Negros Occidental are Filipinos but I do have a few foreign friends. I spend most of my time with my own family, wife and son, and with Filipino friends and my extended family members, however, I enjoy getting together with other foreigners a couple times a month or even just every other month.
One of the craziest stunts I have seen happened in Gaisano Supermarket about a year or so ago. There were only two or three checkout counters open and all had long lines. I heard a guy in the back of one of the lines yell, “Hey, I’m an American and I demand you open another check out!” Everyone turned to look at the guy and he was holding up his blue colored American passport for everyone to see. He received a few dirty looks but no one seemed to say anything to him. Another checkout counter was not opened and he shut up. I think he realized he was outnumbered. I was glad he was not next to me in line!
~ Gary ~
Gary,
If i was there, i would say ” Sir, go to that check in ,cashier will be there manana and you will be first in line” lol
Hi all, I’ve been here 7+ years in Metro Manila with my wife. I haven’t been off the main Island of Luzon as we mainly travel to the North to Ilocos Sur or La Union for family and vacation. We’ve also been to Batangas several times as well. I haven’t encountered very many grumpy foreigners; although I’m sure there are some around. I think that the Philippines is not suitable for some people in general, as it does take alot of patience to live here and adapt to this lifestyle. I know of some friends that would not do well here! Some people believe that it will be like their home country and it is far different. I’ve been around filipinos for about 40 years in the US and here, and there’s the good, the bad, and the ugly…just like in all cultures…no different. John L.
Significance of the picture? Angry Anderson.
Steve, I agree with you totally but would like to ask you this, Why do those guys you describe as having a problem with things over here stay here? Actually, they stay here because they have the same attitude where they came from and their home or other country doesn’t want them either!
I’d like to request Jerry Lynch and other expats familiar with Malaybalay and nearby cities to tell us more about them. I heard good things about Bukidnon, a gem of a place that people want to conceal from potential settles/retirees like me. Is the climate there realy cool throughout the year? What about peace and order issues? Since you need to go to Cag De Oro to stock up on some grocery items, is it safe along the way? Thank you.