Positive Is Not Just The Red Wire...

[i am bob]

I was reading a thread on the forum where a member wrote of his wife and her family and a few other things in a very positive way. And he ended his thread saying that he presented this because he was tired of hearing about all the negative things written about the Philippines on this forum - a forum that I thought was suppose to be for people who enjoy and want to learn more about the Philippines. And I agree with him... Too many times we will read where somebody is upset that the standards of where he lives don't match his high western standards so the whole country is terrible. Or he can't survive in the big city with big city prices so the whole country is worthless. How the cities have only pickpockets and thieves living there. And how every girl is after your money so don't talk to them... But that isn't life. Sure these things exist on some scale but there is also another side to it... The side where people live a happy life... With someone they love... Families... Friends... More content than if they were back in the old country.

Ok, so maybe I went a little overboard in saying people are always negative. But we do need to hear some positives too. I would like to challenge all the members - if you have contributed or not before - to let us know what YOU consider to be GREAT ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES? It can be about family, places, people, food, fishing, charities, heck, it can even be about coconuts or even your dog! Anything so long as it is a positive!

:dance:

[Old55]

Great timely topic Bob.

The Filipino people, especially my wife our family living there and our friends.

[earthdome]

I just got home from hanging out at a local street party for the neighborhood children just before Christmas. It was paid for by my gf family and other neighbors. The children had a great time with different games. At one point all the children lined up to wait their turn to try and break a hanging clay pot full of candy with a stick while blindfolded. Kind of like the Mexican Pinata. Later all the children were fed. Seems like the spirit of Christmas. Sharing with others. Someone I didn't know brought over a chair and insisted I sit while watching all the fun.

I have mentioned in other posts how helpful my girlfriends family has been, never asking for anything. The other day I needed to install an antenna for the new TV so my girlfriend could watch 2 Korean soaps, Two WIves and Pink Lipstick. I borrowed all the tools I needed from her father... and if I had asked he would have been happy to install it for me.

I offered to buy some Christmas presents for her family within a certain budget. My gf suggested giving half the budget to her father so they can continue the work to improve their new property so they can move. He bought paint and I ended up spending the afternoon helping the whole family paint the house inside and out.

The girlfriend and support from her great family is what has really made my experience to this point so positive.

[nor cal mike]

I will add that in some 12 years now my best time of each of those years has been spent in the Philippines with my wife, our son{4 yrs.} and her family. Her family has been very supportive and I feel blessed that they have accepted me with open arms.

[MacBubba]

For those with the time and the inclination - the tradition of Simbang Gabi for the 9 days leading up to Christmas can both complete and enrich your Filipino Christmas experience.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I went to the Garden of Eden once. People say it is such a paradise but let me tell ya, it is also a paradise for mosquitoes. The little buggers will feast on ya while you try to enjoy life in heaven.

(said tongue in cheek to illustrate how we let the little things bother us and feel the need to vent about them).

[MacBubba]

Sunrise and sunset at Manila Bay...right up there with the best!

[Mike S]

While I don't know who wrote the post referred to above about only the negative things or happenings here in the Phils being posted we need to be VERY CAREFUL with just posting the positive things here also .... we don't want people to think that this is utopia and everything is always rosy .... on some other boards negative posts are deleted and only good things are allowed to be posted ..... this is wrong .... living in the Phils is just like living anywhere else on the planet there are bad and good things about living here as many have discovered AFTER moving here ....

As far as people expecting everything to be like the place they come from ..... if you expect that then stay where you are ..... you might ask yourself if everything is so great in your home country why are you wanting to move here ????? ...... (not referring to anyone in particular here) ..... if I was as happy in the US as I am here and my asawa lived there I would never have moved ...... what would be the need ..... I never intended to find the way of life here just like it was where I came from ..... there are a great many things I like here and some I don't like and usually when I post about things I don't like it is to make others aware of some possible problems they may not be aware of ...... and sometimes just having a bad day and want to bitch ..... :28: .......

Now having said all that there are some people who are extremely unhappy here (maybe they didn't do their homework OR only read about the positive things here) and for what ever reason can't go back to where they came from and have nothing but negative views on EVERYTHING here ..... constantly bitching and complaining about EVERYTHING ..... these people I avoid like the plague and do like I did the other day at McDo's get up and move to another table .... (never said I was social ..... :thumbsup: ) :71161: ...... on our trip to Bacolod I had both negative and positive things that happened to us .... should I only post the positive things ..... no ..... because I want other people to be aware of things that could happen to them and hopefully avoid them or be prepared to deal with them .... (there were 10 times as many good things as bad that happened on our trip .... just as a hint) ... and I will be posting both as soon as I get back into the swing of things again .....

Anyway just my intake on the subject ..... IMHO ..... :71120:

[MacBubba]

Diversity in regional cuisine...in Luzon, Pampanga takes the cake. In the Visayas, it is said to be Iloilo.

[Jake]

Diversity in regional cuisine...in Luzon, Pampanga takes the cake. In the Visayas, it is said to be Iloilo.

Diversity in regional cuisine.....I like that. To sample the many delicacies of different texture, unique

spices and the way it is served from various regions is positively delightful in the land of Brown Sugar.

Ooh yeah -- Jake