What Sort Of In-Country Social Relationships Do You Engage In While Living Here In The Pi?

[manofthecoldland]

   I personally limit myself to a group of local ex-pats that I meet with 2-4 times a week a the malls or beach resorts. We seldom do home visits, although I have been to most of their homes once or twice if I have known them for more than 5 years. Ditto for the wife's nicer relatives. I highly value my privacy and deeply respect that of others. I have also learned over the last 14 years to keep things at a distance for a variety of reasons since I am here to enjoy my old age. I have been blessed with an A-1 wingman for a Filipina wife. What are some of your philosophies and approaches in these matters?

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

I highly value my privacy and deeply respect that of others.

 

That sounds like me, except when I am feeling particularly social.  But there is a fundamental difference between me and my "wingman" who tends to like to be around people and parties and have people over and go to other people's houses etc.  Fortunately, the differences tend to make us more compatible because I am forced to do more than I would on my own and she has learned to enjoy her own company from time to time.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Moved topic

Please all members put Philippines topics in Philippines Forums.

 

:cheersty:

[chris49]

I personally limit myself to a group of local ex-pats that I meet with 2-4 times a week a the malls or beach resorts

I never got into that.

I don't have a regular barkada, but I have a group of Filipino friends, some of them are godfather's to our kids. Mostly cyclists or sports related. Gina gives me quite a bit of freedom, so I will see these guys once-twice a week.

I see a few ex pats in Mc Donalds about once or maybe twice a month and we will talk, but it's not a regular occurrence. I have been here 10 years, and don't really think much about socializing with ex pats. One guy was an overstayer, who later moved on, although we got on ok, he had too many personal issues and was getting nervous.

I don't mind meeting people in my own age group, I find more in common with them. Especially Filipino who have lived in other countries.

Because of the freedom Gina gives me, mostly for my cycling, I was able to have a few female friends also in my age group. A café owner, where I got in the habit of stopping if only for coffee.

Edited December 5, 2015 by chris49

[GPJ]

I retired in San Pablo Laguna a city of 235,000 people in June of 2014.  I joined a Lions Club little over a year ago and fell into a group of about 35 people made up of doctors, attorneys, businessmen, and professional people.  This club has been together for 30 years and most of the members have been in the club for 6 years or longer.  I am the token foreigner and feel comfortable that all of the members are very familiar with each other and all in all they are a good group of people.  We meet 2 times a month and usually do at least one community project each month.  So the Lions keep me pretty busy. 

 

Other than than we see some of my mahals relatives maybe once every two months or so. 

[Spectre13]

The VFW is up in Angeles, so I won't go there. Been looking for other expats around here just to hang out and BS every few weeks

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I only like a few of the expats I have met in person - somehow mostly the Brits?  Most are just too old for me to have anything in common with. I used to go to an expat meetup twice a month but the old & cranky guys ended up chasing off the fun guys with their bad vibes...

 

I was the token foreigner in a Rotary club for a while and they were all friendly enough but my wife was not comfortable around them (mostly businessmen, judges, politicians).  They were alright but spoke very little English.  They can speak it... they just don't.  So I was pretty bored around them.

 

I enjoy tagay with neighbors and cousins.  Most are under 40 so I get along with them better.  I find that the college aged kids speak better English and I have more in common with them anyway (musically, philosophically, and politically).

[Jack Peterson]

my wife was not comfortable around them (mostly businessmen, judges, politicians).  They were alright but spoke very little English.  They can speak it... they just don't.  So I was pretty bored around them.

 

 Music to my ears Tim, I thought I maybe the Only one to suffer this and to degree it was a shame as I could have learned a lot. My Wife Found they were in the main, just Touting for Ideas they could use and pass off as their own. We also find the Professionals Argumentative even among themselves, which can sometimes seem Hostile.( Good they smile a lot or is that in the Plan of things)   :lol:

As to the Ex-pats I will agree to an extent,As you  may know, 2 or 3 maybe 4 now from here meet every 2 months or so and have a really good Chat. having said that, yes I will agree that some can give us  bad (For the want of a better word) vibes but then if we wanted that we have the Foreigners Embassy at McDo's Daily.

Smiling here I can say that Some days I get more Laughs out of the Younger Kids at the Sori Sori and the Teenagers Crack me up with their Thirst for World Knowledge. All Good Fun but you have to be on top of things EH?

 

Jack :thumbsup:

[Thomas]

I was the token foreigner in a Rotary club for a while and they were all friendly enough but my wife was not comfortable around them (mostly businessmen, judges, politicians).

I have been invited to Rotary, but I found most of them being some snobs. It's no problem for me to dress and act so they find me suiting there if I want to - but I don't want to   :lol:    so I will not join such of social reasons.  But I will join such in Phils, if I find I better be some in such "tortoure" of business reasons.