General Info

[QUOTE=Omega3;2054249]<SNIP>

For what it's worth, I have a good old American friend who retired to the Philippines 35 years ago, and who started and has run for many years a thriving, low-overhead business here. He still gets pissed off (in a manageable way) at similar daily experiences, and swears at the execrable traffic. He calls the Philippines "The Land of the Not Quite Right" among other things. But in his more philosophical moments, his view is as follows: Because things don't work efficiently or effectively, the country has not progressed economically as fast as many other countries in Asia. Because of this depressed economic situation, foreigners with some money are still attractive to Pinays.[/QUOTE]Your good old friend's philosophy is misplaced Om.

Thailand's structure and economy has outstripped the Philippines and yet their sex industry is many times larger than the Philippines, because there are literally millions more foreign visitors each year. These surplus foreigners with money are also attractive to Thais. KL (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia) also are much more advanced than the Philippines and foreigners with money attract women there too.

I have said many times before on this board that any guy using the exclusive criterion of "lots of available and willing women" as the primary basis on which to make a decision to live here will end up a sad and sorry person, especially if everything else irritates him. I originally came to work in Manila for 3 months and liked it enough to extend my contract to 2 years which has since morphed into 20 years. At no time was ease of mongering a factor in my decision-making although, of course, it is a nice sideline benefit. There are so many other aspects that I enjoy and for me, life is good.

Fuckin' hell guys. I now remember why I seldom delve much further than the PG these days😩.

[QUOTE=RedKilt;2054747]Your good old friend's philosophy is misplaced Om.

Thailand's structure and economy has outstripped the Philippines and yet their sex industry is many times larger than the Philippines, because there are literally millions more foreign visitors each year. These surplus foreigners with money are also attractive to Thais. KL (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia) also are much more advanced than the Philippines and foreigners with money attract women there too.

I have said many times before on this board that any guy using the exclusive criterion of "lots of available and willing women" as the primary basis on which to make a decision to live here will end up a sad and sorry person, especially if everything else irritates him. I originally came to work in Manila for 3 months and liked it enough to extend my contract to 2 years which has since morphed into 20 years. At no time was ease of mongering a factor in my decision-making although, of course, it is a nice sideline benefit. There are so many other aspects that I enjoy and for me, life is good.[/QUOTE]May I respectfully disagree if we change the comparison from local sex industries to finding ordinary local ladies willing to satisfy? I've been to Malaysia and many other countries covering most of the Northern Hemisphere. I've found no country yields better results with the ladies than the Philippines when comparing against the same time / money / effort expended elsewhere. Whether it's poverty, English proficiency, culture, extreme wealth inequality, low expectations of men, or what I don't know.

[QUOTE=Pompetus;2054539]

(1) Only one person handles the cash register which will make it harder for employees to skim money.

(2) The wait staff are assigned numbered charge slips which they use for each transaction. This will discourage skimming and pilfering.

(3) The system has deliberate redundancies which seem to be aimed at preventing employee theft.

(4) The inefficiencies in the system never seem to be intended to serve the consumers' interests but rather to protect the owner from his own employees.

(5) The method of transacting business seems to be nationwide and not just in Angeles or Cebu. It is probably taught in accounting programs nationwide where its practices are integrated into an entire business model. It is part of the national psyche as much as is driving on the right side of the road.

(6) Where did the PI get this system? Is it is a throwback to Spanish colonialism? Did the Americans teach them this business model along with instruction in English? Or is it a homegrown Philippine chestnut?
[/QUOTE]What is being described here is pretty much what goes on in black Africa. Plausibly for the same reasons (preventing theft by staff).

[QUOTE=RedKilt;2054747]

I have said many times before on this board that any guy using the exclusive criterion of "lots of available and willing women" as the primary basis on which to make a decision to live here will end up a sad and sorry person, especially if everything else irritates him. I originally came to work in Manila for 3 months and liked it enough to extend my contract to 2 years which has since morphed into 20 years. At no time was ease of mongering a factor in my decision-making although, of course, it is a nice sideline benefit. There are so many other aspects that I enjoy and for me, life is good.[/QUOTE]RK is again correct, the ready availability of sexual partners is a poor criterion for making the decision to live here. As many thoughtful expats would substantiate, it all gets rather old rather fast, and it's just not enough to sustain a meaningful lifestyle here or anywhere in SE Asia including Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia, and I've lived and worked in two of the former three. I came here originally on a four-year contract to manage a program, and it's now 16 years later. Obviously, I've found more to my liking here than readily available sex and while I'm mildly bothered by some aspects of life, I find much more that I like. I find that when I do return to "civilization" in the West, 3 weeks is about enough for me and I start to miss this place after being away from it for brief periods.

Yes, the SWT availability is a lovely side benefit, but it's simply not nearly enough of a basis on which to relocate to this part of the world.

GE.

[QUOTE=RedKilt;2054747]Your good old friend's philosophy is misplaced Om.

Thailand's structure and economy has outstripped the Philippines and yet their sex industry is many times larger than the Philippines, because there are literally millions more foreign visitors each year. These surplus foreigners with money are also attractive to Thais. KL (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia) also are much more advanced than the Philippines and foreigners with money attract women there too.

I have said many times before on this board that any guy using the exclusive criterion of "lots of available and willing women" as the primary basis on which to make a decision to live here will end up a sad and sorry person, especially if everything else irritates him. I originally came to work in Manila for 3 months and liked it enough to extend my contract to 2 years which has since morphed into 20 years. At no time was ease of mongering a factor in my decision-making although, of course, it is a nice sideline benefit. There are so many other aspects that I enjoy and for me, life is good.[/QUOTE]Yeah right, RK.

If the Philippine economy were like Japan, then Walking Street, Burgos, and the 3,000 peso bar fine would just be distant memories of the good old days.

And the simple reality is that many, although not all, of USA Are here because there are "lots of available and willing women".

OM.

P.S. Who said anything about living here.

Hi GE and RK,

Thanks for your many posts and insights, USA politics notwithstanding. Other than your work there (and the steady availability of sweet young things and a Filipina wife / family) what would you says are the main draws? Economy, of course, but what else keeps you there, please?

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;2054826]RK is again correct. I find much more that I like. I find that when I do return to "civilization" in the West, 3 weeks is about enough for me and I start to miss this place after being away from it for brief periods.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=DCups;2054873]Hi GE and RK,

Thanks for your many posts and insights, USA politics notwithstanding. Other than your work there (and the steady availability of sweet young things and a Filipina wife / family) what would you says are the main draws? Economy, of course, but what else keeps you there, please?[/QUOTE]It's a good question D, and I'm not sure I can provide a succinct set of responses, though I'll try. I've spent most of the last 35 years or so overseas, and most of that time was spent in what are euphemistically called "developing countries," mostly in Africa, and Southeast Asia. During the time I spent in Africa I was actually based in France and during downtime spent most of my vacations either traveling through France or other Western European countries. Thus, I've not actually lived in my country of birth for a long time.

Generally, I've observed that long-term expats develop a worldview, or perhaps a loose set of perceptions or beliefs that evolve, over time, into a mindset that's different from those who remained in their countries of birth: not better necessarily, but different. In my case, which I'm sure is not unique, I found that I could adapt readily to new cultures, could be comfortable in a variety of cultures, but of course didn't belong to any of the cultures in which I was living or working. I also found that, having been away from the US for so long, I did not really fit in there either, and the longer I remained outside of the country the less comfortable I felt when I did return. This has little to do with politics per se, as my alienation started well before the election of Trump or Obama. So, the bottom line for me is that I felt, and still feel, more comfortable, more challenged and more fulfilled I suppose, in cultures that are not my own. I also feel less constrained.

Turning to the more specific question of what I find appealing about the Philippines, I'the have to start by stating that I've always enjoyed SE Asia, particularly Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, which are the countries in which I've spent most of my working time. I could have been happy living in any of them, and in choosing the Philippines, I can't separate the reasons underlying my choice from the. Fact that I found here the best relationship with a woman that I've ever had, since this relationship figured hugely into my reason for remaining. Without it, I might have opted for a different country in the region. Having said that however, I have no problems citing factors that reinforce my choice of countries:

1. My academic interests lie in the study / understanding of different cultures and societies and ethnic groups. The Philippines offers an incredibly rich pastiche of languages, tribal cultures, ethnic groups and potpourri of customs that would take a lifetime to try to understand. I've been fortunate as well to have spent more than a decade in various Muslim areas of Mindanao, and working with highly differentiated Muslim cultures throughout the region, and this too has reinforced my interests.

2. I find the people of the Philippines among the most friendly, open and welcoming nationalities I've ever encountered, and I've made a lot of close Filipino friends. I'm not sure this would have been possible in other countries in the region that tend to be less permeable.

3. I think, to some small extent, my work here has made a positive difference in the lives of the people with whom I've worked. This has been for me, if not unique, then rare. I've worked in the field of Development almost my entire professional life, often believing that the programs I helped to design and / or implement had little or no impact. That's not been the case here, and it's highly satisfying to know I might have made a small contribution to the lives of several thousand Filipinos.

4. As absurd as this may sound, I've grown accustomed to the chaos, to the quasi-anarchy; the shrugging at rules, the impishness, the joie de vivre and the genuine joy that Filipinos seem to find in each other's company (and sometimes even in my company.).

5. The older I become, the more I appreciate the deference paid here to age. I like the preferences given to senior citizens. I like the fact that there are special lines for me in supermarkets and pharmacies. I appreciate the fact that I can jumpwithout incurring any resentmentto the head of a queue at the airport because of my senior citizen status. From this standpoint, the Philippines may be the best country I can think of in which to grow older.

Thanks for raising the question. You've made me think about the major aspects of life and culture here that cause me to stay. I hope my response wasn't too boring.

[QUOTE=DCups;2054873] what would you says are the main draws? Economy, of course, but what else keeps you there, please?[/QUOTE]Your generic, non-descript guy no one in USA gives a second glance at, in the Philippines can become a little king by virtue of a bit of the hard currency. There's no mystery why their boosted little egos are kept there.

[QUOTE=Golfinho;2055029]Your generic, non-descript guy no one in USA gives a second glance at, in the Philippines can become a little king by virtue of a bit of the hard currency. There's no mystery why their boosted little egos are kept there.[/QUOTE]A one size fits all answer based on nothing much in the way of facts and reflects nothing of the truth of the longer-term expats I know here. Of course it might provide a reasonable explanation for shorter term visitors such as yourself.

GE.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;2055028]It's a good question D, and I'm not sure I can provide a succinct set of responses, though I'll try. I've spent most of the last 35 years or so overseas, and most of that time was spent in what are euphemistically called "developing countries," mostly in Africa, and Southeast Asia.

{Big snip}

Thanks for raising the question. You've made me think about the major aspects of life and culture here that cause me to stay. I hope my response wasn't too boring.[/QUOTE]Wow Good Enough, your post really resonates with me.

I too have spent a considerable time of my adult working life in other countries, although I am now marching rapidly towards retirement age in my home country. Australia. I, like you, find myself to be a little bit of an outsider in my home country mainly due to the different work / life experiences I have had compared to my friends. Where they are fairly intolerant and ignorant of the other cultures and nationalities that have made Australia home, I find myself being quite blasé about it all.

Your post has got me thinking, where do I want to spend my final years? Do I want to spend it in the predictability, comfort and safety of my home country and be bored out of my brain, or do I want to extend myself a little and find a nice overseas location that I can both afford and keep the feeling that I haven't seen all in life there is? I'm sure there is a PhD thesis somewhere in this topic, but thanks for getting me thinking.

Styk.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;2055028]It's a good question D, and I'm not sure I can provide a succinct set of responses, though I'll try. I've spent most of the last 35 years or so overseas, and most of that time was spent in what are euphemistically called "developing countries," mostly in Africa, and Southeast Asia.

{Big snip}

Thanks for raising the question. You've made me think about the major aspects of life and culture here that cause me to stay. I hope my response wasn't too boring.[/QUOTE]Wow Good Enough, your post really resonates with me.

I too have spent a considerable time of my adult working life in other countries, although I am now marching rapidly towards retirement age in my home country Australia. I, like you, find myself to be a little bit of an outsider in my home country mainly due to the different work / life experiences I have had compared to my friends. Where they are fairly intolerant and ignorant of the other cultures and nationalities that have made Australia home, I find myself being quite blas about it all.

Your post has got me thinking, where do I want to spend my final years? Do I want to spend it in the predictability, comfort and safety of my home country and be bored out of my brain? Or do I want to extend myself a little and find a nice overseas location that I can both afford and keep the feeling that I haven't seen all in life there is? I'm sure there is a PhD thesis somewhere in this topic, but thanks for getting me thinking.

Styk.

Thanks for such a thoughtful response, GE. I don't find it boring at all. Quite the contrary. Like Stykler and you, I don't feel like I really fit in my home country USA any more. The bipartisan bickering, blatant disrespect for elders and authority, rampant feminism and homosexuality, an overall decline in mortality, interminable cell phone addiction and exorbitantly rising costs, especially in California, confirm my plan to exit to the PI in five. I lived in PI Angeles City as an airforce junior officer and became enamored with it back in the early 80's. Sure the girls were and still are incredibly beautifully feminine domestically inclined, tampo and lying notwithstanding, but there was and is a warmth and welcomeness that I have not quite seen the likes of in the other 25 countries I have visited. Now when I return to the PI once or twice a year I appreciate it even more despite the infrastructural and bureaucratic shortcomings. Travel is indeed the best education and I guess I'd rather be a big a bigger fish in a smaller sea than to be eaten alive in the ocean of anonymity that represents my existence in America. Plus, being an amateur musician, I think I will blend in quite nicely there.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;2055028]It's a good question D, You've made me think about the major aspects of life and culture here that cause me to stay. [/QUOTE].

[QUOTE=DCups;2055212]beautifully feminine domestically inclined, tampo and lying notwithstanding,
.[/QUOTE]You really resonant with me with this one. I'm really just getting used to it. Life is better when I just let the lying go without comment.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;2055058]A one size fits all answer based on nothing much in the way of facts and reflects nothing of the truth of the longer-term expats I know here. Of course it might provide a reasonable explanation for shorter term visitors such as yourself. [/QUOTE]The question was: "what keeps you there?" to which I've given you the answer. Shorter term visitors are an entirely different matter. Evidently in them you see an earlier version of yourself.