Expats Living In Philippines Having Second Thoughts......

[scott h]

people who have no consideration for others.

 

To True Jack! Noise is just one of the areas IMHO.

 

Things vary widely here, between Metro, Cities, Towns and Provence. But one thing that seems to be universal is us expats commenting on the noise levels, no matter where we live.

 

What I would be interested in hearing is feedback by members like Mr. Mogo. Is this phenomena limited to the Philippines? Is Thailand quiet? Other places in SE Asia? I lived in Japan for awhile and I know if there was a noisy neighbor............, well it just doesn't happen. 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Interesting, but very concerning thread...  so do you think you will have the same noise problem if you lived in a high rise condo? or a gated community?

 

The biggest problem I see with a gated community is that my loudest neighbor is in the next barangay... a wall won't stop that.  A high rise condo would be more likely to get you up out of the noise. As long as the other condo owners are quiet... Kind of like being up high in a hotel. I have been in some loud party districts, but a properly built hotel, and a high enough room, can be quiet. 

 

Funny thing is some of my Filipino neighbors also say they hate the noise, but then shrug with "that is the way it is" look.  They just know that complaining won't help.

[scott h]

They just know that complaining won't help.

 

Tim, you are so right, one of the most frustrating things here is the sense of fatalism. "that's the way it is, so why try and change it?"

[jpbago]

but then shrug with "that is the way it is" look.  They just know that complaining won't help.

 

  And that is why the Philippines will never change.

[Larry45]

 

Interesting, but very concerning thread...  so do you think you will have the same noise problem if you lived in a high rise condo? or a gated community?

 

The biggest problem I see with a gated community is that my loudest neighbor is in the next barangay... a wall won't stop that.  A high rise condo would be more likely to get you up out of the noise. As long as the other condo owners are quiet... Kind of like being up high in a hotel. I have been in some loud party districts, but a properly built hotel, and a high enough room, can be quiet. 

 

Funny thing is some of my Filipino neighbors also say they hate the noise, but then shrug with "that is the way it is" look.  They just know that complaining won't help.

 

Yeah, Filipinos are usually too worried about making waves with the neighbors, so they just bend over and take it, and the jerks of the world get more emboldened.  We had a problem with dogs barking and crying constantly here, but wife and I have managed to train two of the neighbors in the proper way to handle them so they only bark when there's a threat.  I'm apparently an a-hole for even talking to them nicely about it, but our one good neighbor (who hates them and their dogs, but wouldn't dare complain to them) has since thanked me for taking care of it.   Yes, it's noisy here and that's one of the many reasons we won't live here much longer.  And I'm sure there will be no second thoughts about leaving (wherever we end up!)  Great country for some, not for all   :)

 

edit: I will add that we always left our options open and this was basically a trial to see if we liked living here, hence no second thoughts involved.  I would like the Philippines much more as a single guy or as a retiree, but trying to raise a family in a 3rd world country isn't the best idea, as I have learned.  Probably be back in 15 years!  :D

Edited February 23, 2016 by Larry45

[jpbago]

because of people who have no consideration for others.

 

  It seems that Filipinos do not hear or realize the noises that they are responsible for. In Canada, on Canada Day, there was about 5,000 people in the park with much going on. Lots of dogs about but the only dogs that are barking are with groups of Filipinos. It is the same at the farmer's Markets. The Filipinos all have their heads down playing with their cell phones oblivious to their dogs barking.

  With our girls, if I am going to talk to them, I have to go close and say their name to get their attention otherwise they do not hear me when they are focused on the cells. They do not hear the landline ring, they do not hear someone at the gate, they do not hear the garbage truck announcing it's arrival, nothing else. They are totally focused on one thing at a time. Same when they are watching TV, only one thing at a time. No peripheral audio. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

It seems that Filipinos do not hear or realize the noises that they are responsible for

 

Try raising your voice to your wife.  I had a disagreement with her one evening and I spoke in my "outside voice", not yelling at her but loud.  She told me to keep my voice down because the neighbors will hear us.  They know, they just choose to ignore and pretend they do not know.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Dave Hounddriver

[Jack Peterson]

 

It seems that Filipinos do not hear or realize the noises that they are responsible for

 

Try raising your voice to your wife.  I had a disagreement with her one evening and I spoke in my "outside voice", not yelling at her but loud.  She told me to keep my voice down because the neighbors will hear us.  They know, they just choose to ignore and pretend they do not know.

 

 Ah! You Shame me thing, YUP :thumbsup:  I can get this all the time when the Strops are in progress.

[Nephi]

Interesting, but very concerning thread...  so do you think you will have the same noise problem if you lived in a high rise condo? or a gated community?

Most of the noise issues would be less and perhaps not be a problem at all under those living conditions. But to live like that to me, would defeat the purpose of living in a foreign country for the most part. Gated communities would be akin to living in Beverly Hills or the like.

 

We live in a Mt. Pinatubo resettlement where each house on each street shares a common wall on both sides and less that 4 feet from the neighbor behind. Now this is the way living in this country is meant to be - at least in my book. Naturally there are issues from time to time when living this close to some of the most poor uneducated people; but for the most part it is good and most enjoyable for me. We live in this little town by choice and it would take an act of God to get me to move.

 

Neighbors on all sides know us and we get along well. If my wife and I are going to be out past the time one of our kids is due home we leave a house key with any neighbor to let our kid or kids in. If we are going to be gone past meal time, a neighbor will gladly come over and cook for them to avoid any danger with using the stove.

 

This is what makes living here good and just a few of the reason I would not want to leave. Also, my wife's family is within 90 minutes of our home and at their age it makes sense as travel from the States when needed is not only expensive but would cause us to miss most activities whe them as well as others.

 

 

Nephi

 

Edited February 23, 2016 by Nephi

[AlwaysRt]

But one thing that seems to be universal is us expats commenting on the noise levels, no matter where we live.

 

OK, to make it universal I will chime in. I am in a 2br/2ba apartment/townhouse behind Lord Byron's in Dumaguete. Man they built this place right! I hear absolutely nothing through the walls except for the occasional (2-3 times a day maybe) wind catching a door and slamming it shut. I can hear children playing out front an hour or so after school. Road noise from the highway is very low except for the occasional idiot on a straight pipe off road bike or truckers/busses honking their horns.

 

Noise-wise I am completely content here.