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What is it like to be white/Westerner in the Philippines?
johnnyjones
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What is it like to be white/Westerner in the Philippines?
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I am a white Australian living for 7 years in rural Philippines and have far more genuine friends here than I ever had in Australia. Cost of living is 20% of Aust , everybody speaks English, most signage is in English, weather always warm. It is a really good quality life. Just treat Philippine people with great respect always, remember we are just a guest and it is their country with their customs and traditions.
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It's great as long as you can step out of your Western mind. You can’t apply Western thinking there. Filipino time is a perfect example. To be fair, this is the same in most former Spanish colonies. But this usually drives Westerners crazy. I had a Swiss friend there that even me showing up on time for a meeting made him irritated. He believed 5 minutes early was on time. So imagine how he felt when his Filipino partners would show up an hour late and not call or text him. It took me a very long time to adjust to that. But that is on me, not the Philippines. You can’t go to a country and demand the country change to you. Customer service is pretty bad. Well except in Mcdonalds or Jollibee. The customer service in banks is bad. You are charged for everything. The internet and mobile service are bad. But if you can stop expecting Western levels of service, you can REALLY have a good time. It takes about a year to adjust if you’re willing. The Philippines is a great place to live. Just leave your Western mind back home.