Anyone to ask about living in the Philippines?

[mephisto]

JayPez. I really like what you said about the Filipino people and I am happy that you are really enjoying yourself there. But I must disagree with some of your statements regarding their view on material wealth.

"To filipons freedom is more precious than material wealth and if they laugh at something that curtails or threatens this priority, its simply a way of coming to thems with the situation until they find a way to overcome it."

"The average Filipino has very modest dreams; to have just enough to feed the family and be able to enjoy the simple please of life. Filipinos may be poor in material things, but as long as theres love and laughter they will find plenty to be happy about."

Although I don't disagree with what you said for the most part, I do disagree with you on their "very modest" dreams for a better life. Filipinos go abroad in huge numbers hoping to find a better life outside of the Philippines in order to provide for their family. They sacrifice so much and sometimes husbands and wives don't see each other for years on end. I can't speak for the people that you have met directly but my experience with filipinos inside and outside my family is that they care a lot about material wealth, and are ambitious about seeking better lives for themselves.

That's why you see so many filipinos abroad working as maids, working on cruise ships, caring for you as their nurse, working in Tim Horton's and the list goes on and on.

That's why so many of them treat you and I like a rock star, they generally want to find a better life, marry well, and for the most part get out of the country.

I don't want to take away from what you said because I think you accurately described Filipinos very well except for their ambition for a better life and their collective struggles' to escape poverty.