Is It A Safe Place To Be

[i am bob]

I lived in a rural-ish area (5 km outside of a fairly large city) north of Cebu City for nearly three years.

 

I knew most of the people in the barangay and developed good friendships. I never once felt threatened, and felt especially safe because everyone in the barangay knew everyone else and would know if anything suspicious was going on.

 

I often brought a friend or two with me when I visited Cebu City and they would give me good advice on staying safe. For example...closely guard all your valuables, as there are many professional pick-pockets who are extremely good at what they do.

 

One thing I saw MANY expats doing was yelling at Filipinos when things weren't done to their liking. A common scenario was that the Jollibee (a McDonald's facsimile) cashier didn't completely understand an order. (The way some of them talked, *I* could barely understand their order!) Aside from being completely embarrassed to be seen with them, this type of behavior can potentially get you into trouble in the Philippines.

 

I know what you mean!  I am starting to get a reputation around Davao and I guess I will have to start avoiding certain places soon...  Not because I was rude to the locals and/or staff but rather from putting on that old special 50,000 decibel "military voice" (which is definitely not what the kids would call an inside voice) and supplementing that with the old "You're Gonna Die" stare (which my kids definitely loved and called the Psycho Dad look) and just letting a few unfortunate expats know what I thought of their treatment of the locals / staff at these fine establishments...  So far my record over the last 6 months is 4 obnoxious expats who (at minimum) wet themselves, 1 standing ovation (by the whole 2 filipinos and 3 other expats in the place) and I didn't track the freebies I was given by the managers (always on the side and shhhh-don't-tell-anyone)...  Sorry, guys, but I just won't stand for someone who is supposed to use manners when visiting a country other than their own and instead act like they both own the place and own the people who invited them to share this paradise...

 

:36_6_3[1]:  :36_6_3[1]:

[Jake]

Sorry, guys, but I just won't stand for someone who is supposed to use manners when visiting a country other than their own and instead act like they both own the place and own the people who invited them to share this paradise...

 

Right on Bob!  I have caught a couple sharp jabs in the rib cage from Judy to mind my own business.  I also broadcast a military voice in English to anyone, including Filipinos for making themselves a public arrogant fool.  But now whenever I go back, the desired outcome would not be the same unfortunately.  You never know if they're packin' (bladed weapon at least) or they are part of a pack.  Please proceed with caution Bob -- always watch your six!

 

But for the foreigners mistreating any locals, they deserve to be called out.  Filipino mob mentality will take it from there.

 

Triple LIKE Bob!

Edited July 13, 2015 by Jake

[Gerald Glatt]

I myself am guilty of being an UGLY AMERICAN jumping in and speaking louldly when I shouldn't at times.

 

It's the Hopalong Cassidy thing.  But some time you correcting a compatriot loudly may save him much more than a guilty feeling later.

 

:1927_: 

[sonjack2847]

Bad manners should not be tolerated but we must remember that there sometimes 2 sides to a story.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Bad manners should not be tolerated

 

I agree.  I also think 2 wrongs don't make a right, so I listen to the rude person and ignore him, just like all the polite filipinos are doing.  The rude person never gets the hint but neither does he learn anything from rudeness returned to him.

[Jake]

I myself am guilty of being an UGLY AMERICAN jumping in and speaking louldly when I shouldn't at times.

 

It's the Hopalong Cassidy thing.  But some time you correcting a compatriot loudly may save him much more than a guilty feeling later.

 

:1927_: 

In many cases, the expat is drunk on his butt and will continue to be an a$$hole, in spite of your warnings.  Jungle rules apply here and his days are marked.  Sort of like a Dirty Harry thing.   

Edited July 14, 2015 by Jake

[Gerald Glatt]

:bash: @ least he will make someone's day~!

[i am bob]

 

Bad manners should not be tolerated

 

I agree.  I also think 2 wrongs don't make a right, so I listen to the rude person and ignore him, just like all the polite filipinos are doing.  The rude person never gets the hint but neither does he learn anything from rudeness returned to him.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I"m not jumping in whenever some expat just raises his voice...   There are many reasons that are practical for doing so...  I'm jumping in when some rude obnoxious expat is screaming at a person behind the counter at McDonald's because the expat refuses to wait the extra 2 minutes for the not-so-popular food item to be freshly cooked for them....   I"m the one jumping in when the obnoxious expat goes to the public market and screams at the vendor because they can't get them to drop more than 25% off the price posted...   I'm jumping in when the obnoxious expat is screaming at some poor salesgirl in the NCCC Department Store because the shirt he wants does not come in his favorite shade of blue - as a member of this forum found out one day...  Yup, that was me you met...  hehe!

 

:rolleyes:  :1 (103):  :mocking:

[sonjack2847]

 

 

Bad manners should not be tolerated

 

I agree.  I also think 2 wrongs don't make a right, so I listen to the rude person and ignore him, just like all the polite filipinos are doing.  The rude person never gets the hint but neither does he learn anything from rudeness returned to him.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I"m not jumping in whenever some expat just raises his voice...   There are many reasons that are practical for doing so...  I'm jumping in when some rude obnoxious expat is screaming at a person behind the counter at McDonald's because the expat refuses to wait the extra 2 minutes for the not-so-popular food item to be freshly cooked for them....   I"m the one jumping in when the obnoxious expat goes to the public market and screams at the vendor because they can't get them to drop more than 25% off the price posted...   I'm jumping in when the obnoxious expat is screaming at some poor salesgirl in the NCCC Department Store because the shirt he wants does not come in his favorite shade of blue - as a member of this forum found out one day...  Yup, that was me you met...  hehe!

 

:rolleyes:  :1 (103):  :mocking:

 

I understand where you`re coming from Bob I would probably tell them to chill out and maybe talk more slowly and clearly. Our accents can sometimes throw people from understanding us. My daughter sometimes talks with a Bristolian accent and my wife has a very hard time understanding.

[scott h]

Bob, I just have to ask, do you jump in when a rude Filipino yells at a clerk in full voice? I have seen that to often to count. Did you jump in when a jerk Canadian upbraided a clerk back home?

 

Not saying your right, wrong or indifferent. Only that there are real jerks everywhere in the world.