Top 10 things people in the Philippines find up setting.

[Teacher]

I apologize if I confused anyone in the context that I was using “stalwartly” it’s meaning is don’t strongly argue with someone.

[Arie]

Originally Posted by Teacher

I apologize if I confused anyone in the context that I was using “stalwartly” it’s meaning is don’t strongly argue with someone.

yeah no problem, no need to excusse yourself

but why get annoyed? Just avoid them, there are bitter ppl everywhere and with aging they start to complain more and just become less flexible and tolerant. If they haven't crasped the basics of how to behave if you settle somewhere new they won't change and once they are getting annoyed about everything they will leave sooner or later.

I understand the underlying embarrasment to get identified with them but little to do about it than to do your own thing your way.

[Teacher]

I can truly say that my intent of my posts are not to offend anyone just enlighten everyone to the facts in the place they are living, I lived in Thailand for 4 years before coming to the Philippines. As my wife has corrected me, I lived in the Philippines for five years, At first I had a love hate relationship with the country, I made quite possibly every mistake a foreigner can make I blew up a life time of savings with my arrogant American Values and “we did it like this in my country” and seemed to forget I was not in my country and things don’t work the same way. So I was forced to return to work, at first I worked in the Philippines even with my income being 3 times higher than the locals teachers. It was no enough to insure that my wife and I would be okay in the future. So with great reluctance I accepted a job offer in Taiwan in an attempt to generate capital to return home to the Philippines and open a business. So you think America has higher moral values than Filipino’s? You must have been a very protected child and adult not to see what was going on with American values today. I guess you don’t remember why you came to the Philippines in the first place. I think not. In your post SurfinUSA you haven’t told anyone something new about the Philippines just the same old complaints and nothing positive is that really helpful, NO . You only think you get along with Filipino’s, they give you respect because you are rich and it is not in their culture to be confrontational they will just smile and agree but, about what you say if someone was talking about America that way. Really what would you do? Like I said a different culture which you don’t understand and seem unwilling to accept. You want it to change then be the change build Public restrooms and public bath houses for the Filipino’s help the Philippines become better. Complaining doesn’t work here the squeaky wheel won’t get greased. They will wait until it falls off then buy a new one. I am very sorry that your delicate sensibilities have been offended by the people of my new home. I remember my American up bringing as you crudely put it. On this occasion it would be said no one will help you but yourself. So whether I am on my way up or down I am on my own. But my life has been far better in Asia than it was in America.

[tubigboy]

Teacher? What do you teach in Taiwan?

[Franko]

I won't be directing my comments towards anyone in particular. I just want to comment on a few things. First, it has been my experience that people who use "unique" vocabulary are often uneducated or full of themselves. It's just one of those oxymoron types of scenarios. Second, nobody has to give up their culture to live somewhere else. It's all about respect.

For example, I am Canadian and I have worked with many people in my lifetime. Many of them kept their own values and customs from their countries. I can't remember anyone looking down on them for that. In addition, being polite is not culturally specific to the Philippines. And, Philippinos are not ALL polite. Just like foreigners. Nobody is perfect.

We are all different in many ways and all the same too.

I am not going to get into issues about urinating in the streets and lack of places to go for that purpose. It isn't a cultural thing in my opinion. It is more of an economic thing. It isn't my place to say anything one way or the other. And I will bet many Philippinos themselves would like to put a stop to it.

The problems with helping Philippinos "see things our way," is difficult because any funding needed for anything is located in the pockets of persons in authority. Admittedly, corruption is every where not just in the Philippines. However, it's in the Philippines on a grand scale and it almost seems like it is acceptable behavior. Paying extra for services offered by the government in order to get things done fast is very common it seems.

Also, I think it is wrong to go around spouting off about how wrong everything is in the Philippines. Naturally we all have opinions and stories to tell and I think that is a healthy thing. It is good to talk about these things among ourselves as long as we are not attacking the Philippino culture. There is certainly things about the culture I left behind that I was not happy with. I find that when my friends complain they mostly do it in a humorous way.

Anyway I digress, my whole point to posting here is that you can talk about issues in a nice way or you can instruct people on how to behave. I am all for discussion but I hate it when someone comes off as a know it all. Lastly, when I read a book and the author starts using words that are rarely used, I stop reading the book. I want to read a book that tells a story not one that tells me how smart the author "supposed" to be. Why was Steinbeck such a popular writer? He had the ability to paint a picture with his words. His words were very common and that's what made him famous and liked by many. He didn't come off as a pompous ass.

Nuff said.

[tubigboy]

I totally agree with Franko.

A lack of natural flow in a sentence can make someone sound stilted and fake.

[Teacher]

My writing in anyway offended you. I am an English instructor for children and I’m also a university lecturer here in Miao li. So to put it very simply, words are my business. Thank you, I have never been insulted by someone so politely before. For someone that doesn’t know me, you seemed to have a great deal to say. Being called a pompous ass is interesting I would have used ostentatious a bit less offensive to someone don’t you think, but that is either here nor there. I am honestly sorry to disrupt your forum pleasures. You seem to have a fair grasp of the problems here in the Philippines. I know that I have a bad habit of forgetting to remove my educator’s hat. And for that I apologize to you and everyone else. I tend to write more technical and have never been able to paint a picture with words. But I have never pretended to be a writer, author, novelist or playwright of any kind. I feel sad that I have failed at trying to help people understand Filipino’s, but it okay. I will leave it to you professional writers, you far more knowledgeable and skilled in this craft. I never asked anyone to give up the culture simply respect the one they are living around try to understand it. My only objection is if they write; don’t offend the fellow forum members. There are many Filipino forum members along with foreigners. To sum it up I agree with your words and they do seem to be of the same sentiment as my own.

[jellyfish]

I smell a strange direction in this thread.
Teacher is to me a guy who I certainly like to meet when he comes to here.
I don't get bad feelings reading his posts and wonder why some others do.
No need for Teacher to say sorry so many times.
I don't believe however that another forum member here did accuse you (Teacher) of being a pompous ass (although it's possible to read it that way !).
A teacher is a teacher and most of them I know have in common that they say things on an special teaching way with also quite some unusual words.
I learn from them because I take my dictionary.
I won't look into that however when the message and attitude of the writer disgusts me.
Teacher....keep it going ...but more simple
Your selfcriticism I do like much more than the behaviour of those foreigners who find their own values and culture soooo elevated compared to what they find here in the Philippines.

[Arie]

I thought Franko made a real good post there that sums up a lot, and the last bit sounded a bit tongue in cheek to me as was my post earlier.

A bit more humour and a lighter tone to aproach serious subjects wont hurt this place and everybody is free to make fun of me.

And Teacher please use alininea's

[Timn8ter]

Soft-Boiled Rice

One time, three men met at a trail crossing. One was a Boholano, another was a Pangasinan, and the last was Pampangueño. Each had only a smattering of the dialects of the others, but they managed to learn from each other that they were all bound for the same destination and to make it understood between them that, because of the distance and the difficulty of the way, it would be a good thing to travel together. They each carried an equal quantity of rice and agreed to put all their food together to make the cooking easier in the camp.

They walked on for several days and their supplies were running low. Finally, while camped near a spring, they noticed they had only very little rice left.

"Mayap no lilotan tapamo para dakal," said the Pampangueño. (It would be better if we make lilot so it will be more).

"Pare, lugaon lamang ang bugas aron madaghan," said the Boholano. (Pal, lets make linugao of the rice so that it will be enough for us).

"Andi u-umpay, maong na balbalon tayo piano dakel," said the Pangasinan. (No my friends, it would be better if we cook binolbal, so it will be more.)

"I tell you, lets make linugao," said the Boholano.

The Pampangueño got angry: "No lets make lilot out of it."

"Stop," shouted the Pangasinan alarmed. "It would be very unwise to quarrel here. Let us re-divide the rice so that each one of us could prepare his share in his own way." They did so and soon three fires were burning beneath three pots. When the cooking was finished and the three men looked up from their efforts, Their eyes widened in surprise.

"Linugao!" cried the Boholano.

"Lilot!" exclaimed the Pampangueño.

"Binolbal!" shouted the Pangasinan.

They all only cooked the rice a little longer and with more water, making the grains larger and softer than usual. A common understanding might many times have saved both time and temper.

From Boholano Folklore by Maria Caseñas Pajo