It’s been a while since I wrote my last article on RTTP. The fact is it usually takes something substantial to distract me from my normal everyday existence and compel me to write.
Last time it was because of a particularly annoying and arrogant expat that terrorized the barbers shop I was sitting in. This time the ignition for my ranting is an expat blog I just happened to come across this morning.
The problem I had with this particular blog was that the author seemed to be implying that there are those in the Philippines who see the expat life ‘through rose colored glasses’. He seemed to be implying that these folks were some how being deceptive, naive or just plain stupid.
He goes on to assert that his view is the only view that matters and that only he holds the ‘true’ secret, to the expat lifestyle.
What a crock of horse shit!
Now it’s not the first time I’ve heard the accusation and indeed, it’s one that’s been leveled at Gary and I quite a few times over the years. But the problem with the accusation is the inference that we are somehow being less than honest in not writing about the many bad things that can and do happen to expats over here.
We could write about all the negative things we’ve encountered since we’ve lived in the Philippines. We could write a whole blog about them and I’m pretty sure I could make it sound quite clever and witty, and people would love to read it… but here’s the thing…
…why the hell would I?
See the reason Gary and I, and many other expats choose to live here is because it makes us feel happy.
That’s it! Plain and simple.
We are not naive, we are not stupid and we are not deluding ourselves or those we encounter.
The bottom line is we all have come here from different countries, cultural backgrounds and economic circumstances. We now choose to live in a country where we feel comfortable and relaxed – and to us, that is paradise!
For some of us – and I can speak from my own personal experience – this is the first time in our lives that we’ve actually felt this way. I have a huge list of bad luck stories and sadness that I could fill a book with… and some of those happened right here in the Philippines.
Nobody is saying that this country is perfect and is completely free of nefarious people who are looking to harm the expat and profit from him. To think anything different would be naive and stupid.
If anybody does think that then please send me an email… I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I’d like to sell you!
It’s not a matter of ‘wearing rose colored glasses’ or any shade of colored lenses. It’s about making a conscious decision to live life on our own terms. To choose to be happy and content and to only focus on those things that are in keeping with our basic objectives.
Sure we see the negatives around us. I am surrounded by them everyday but here’s the thing… I choose not to let them consume me or define me. I’m not ignoring them and I’m not being selective in what I observe. I’m just deciding not to let them affect me as much as the gago on the other blog seems to enjoy doing.
I would say the color of my lenses are crystal clear but if I have to have a tint – and these negative expats insist that I do – then yes, so be it… they’ll be rose colored.
To my fellow expat blogger I would say this – “If the only alternative shade of lenses on offer, are the ‘shit colored’ ones that you seem to prefer – then yes, I’ll stick with rose colored… or maybe even aqua marine!”
Hi Steve,
A great article and so true! You are right on, mate. The same guys who bash the Philippines would bash Shangri-La, the Pearly Gates and even the city where the roses never fade!
I have never seen the same Philippines that some of the bitter expats post about and I have been in and out of the Islands the past 27 years, while living here year round going on 5 years now. My experience is not limited to just the Bacolod Area, as I spent a lot of quality time in Luzon for a 14 year period.
I had lunch today with an American expat friend who has only been in Bacolod City several weeks and he is raving about how great it is here! He has previously visited Luzon and Mindanao. My friend was invited last weekend to be a Judge in a local Beauty Pageant and he is having himself a time here! We both talked about the cultural values, Filipino hospitality, the friendliness and the helpfulness of the local people in Bacolod. We both compared it to our hometowns back in the States when we were growing up in the 1960s and 1970s. A very happy time that was stress free. We can never go back to those times in our home country but we have found it here in the Philippines. Life is great in the Pearl of the Orient!
~ Gary ~
So what’s wrong with rose tinted glasses? Don’t (didn’t) we all wear them in our home towns and other places we visited or spent time? Shit is everywhere, just more so in some places than others. Some people go looking for it, and, of course, they find it. Others just accept that it’s there, but choose to ignore it, or deal with it and move on to enjoy the time and places that are not shit. Also, shit attracts shit!
Richard
As I was about to comment about your subject in today’s article a banner showing the weather in Manila caught my attention: Manila-75 degrees F. I glanced up to my outside thermometer and it reads 16 degrees F. I need look no further for a solid reason to pack my bags and head to the Philippines. 🙂
Good idea, Thom! It is going on 430am in Bacolod City and it is 81F Degrees!
~ Gary ~
I’ve resided in four different countries in my lifetime (The U.S., Sweden, Ireland and Japan). I’ve also been to the Philippines on six different occasions. The one thing I can say is that every place has their pluses and minuses, but that doesn’t make every place equal. That all depends on what you are looking for in life…and what you are willing to put up with on the minus side of things.
Sweden probably had the highest standard of living of the places I’ve lived when it came to infrastructure and work/life balance. On the other hand, the people are very stoic and not very talkative. You also don’t see much of the sun for several months out of the year. For some that might be a trade-off they can accept. For others, not so much.
The Philippines has trade-offs, as well. The people are friendly, the sun shines frequently and there’s a great work/life balance. The infrastructure is horrible, though and much of the Philippines looks like a bomb dropped on it. This could be a real problem for many.
In the end, each individual has to do their homework as best they can when they think they might want to relocate someplace. That will help diminish much of the culture shock that often accompanies a move away from your own country and culture.
In the end, we can all be accused of trying to wedge in the best of our own cultures into that of the Philippines (or elsewhere). It doesn’t always work though – or it works to a certain degree and we have to be willing to accept that while embracing the best your adopted country has to offer. It’s in that sweet spot you’ll find your own piece of happiness.