 improve or not?
Hello everyone. Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Louis and as my name implies, I am from England, U.K.
I am going to be 60 next April and have two 30 + kids in U.K. and two grandchildren. I worked for 38 years before taking early retirement from train driving.
Before I start, let me assure you that I have no intention to cause offence to anyone. The views expressed are my own and I'm not racist, being Jewish I can't afford to be.
Ok , so here goes.
I am here in the Philippines through a number of circumstances. I eventually met the light of my life here and decided to stay. She has two kids.
I am now raising a partly inherited family here. We have one of our own.
Generally speaking I am happy here and want to be here.
However, I am rather confused about attitudes here so maybe some of you can help me out.
Coming from England I am used to a very different way of life, one that encompasses safety, hygiene and consideration for others. Ok I accept that is idealistic, but you get the idea.
I have been coming here for long periods since 1998 and have been a full time resident since 2006.
So here is my problem.
Try as I may, i can't seem to adapt to the lack of consideration Filipinos have for anyone. Please remember I am not out to offend, simply to understand ,so don't get upset with me.
On the roads you have no discipline. You drive right up to each other till you can feel the breath of your opponent and see the blacks of their eyes. Then someone will give in.
The bus drivers terrify me at times. With them it's either foot all the way down or foot up. no inbetween. I spent twenty years driving buses so I do know what safe, comfortable driving is about.
Same with your music. Everywhere I go the volume is full.
People burn stuff everyday and make lots of unhealthy smoke that obscures vision and damages health.
Where I live, the family next door have roosters, dogs, pigs, goats chickens and loud tv and music. In a residential area. The smoke from his dirty kitchen comes over the wall and into my bedroom. I have installed a fan to blow it away. This family think only of themselves.
To put a positive face on this I will now reveal that I am a Rotarian and have worked with many selfless Filipinos. Many men and Women who, like me, give time and money to help others. We ask no thanks other than to thank God for their blessings. We couldn't do what we do without his divine help.
For us, the look on a child's face after a hairlip operation and she sees she is beautiful for the first time in her life, well that's immeasurable.
The point I'm trying to make is that many of you are very considerate and I respect and admire you, but others leave me in despair.
My good friend who you all know but will remain nameless at present, tells me that lack of money is at the root of this behaviour. He tells me the same as some Filipinos have, I am a visitor here technically and if I don't like it, I am free to leave.
I know that but is it the answer. When I lived between two churches in Bulacan, the noise from the loudspeakers during holy week can only be described as a cacophony. I had a large house there and was very well known. when I asked one church leader to turn the mic volume down a little. she told me ," you are a rich man, this is our tradition, if you don't like it, you rent a room in a hotel in Manilla for this week"
I guess most of you will think she is right, but is consideration for others wrong,? is it a thing of the past,? is it necessary to yell through a microphone at 4.30 am when people are trying to sleep.? What about workers who need their sleep, how about the sick and dying who need peace and quiet.? How about the parents who have been up half the night with a sick baby and have finally got him to sleep.?
Well they are some of my views.
I would like to repeat that I am not out to make enemies or offend, I just want to understand. Consideration for others really does make for a better world.
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