I orginally---actually about 10 minutes ago, put this post inas a counterpoint to V_Man's fine post on the Latin Forum side. But for the possible sake of anyone shoveling through the Asian archives in the future, I thought I'd put it here--where I should've put it orginally anyways!!
Great post, V_Man--if I may compare similarities from the Asian side here---there's definitely their own version of the 'Gringo effect' going on in the Philippines. I think that except for better hotels and expensive restuarants, you'd best assume there will be no toilets seats or toilet paper. I think wherever you travel, having at least a little pack of kleenex and some immodium is a good idea.
The food? Well, well there's a such a huge variety, including American chains and a zillion local dishes I like but can't name (unlike Kfc--I just point and and say 'please' and thanks --'salamat'), I think there's something for everyone. The burger joints offer fries OR rice. I tried o saty away from them, but they are a novelty rarely enjoyed by especially the younger members of my wife's family, so....
From what I've seen and heard, regardless of the restaurants that 90%+ Filipinos eat at, if they serve you an awful meal--it could be rancid or burned (although things like that are rare) they WILL still expect you to pay for it, regardless if you leave it untouched or not.
On the otherhand, I have sent food back, even food that Filipinos in my party ordered that I felt wasn't right. The employees weren't happy, but they obliged.
You buy something that uses batteries, they will put some in and make sure it works--then it's yours. I don't think you can return stuff too eaily overall.
In most places, especially in metro areas, armed security is high, although you might not always be aware that it's there, although it's hard to ignore guys at the malls and banks in uniforms and flak vests, weilding Filipino versions of Mossberg 500, 12 gauge 'Streetsweeper' shotguns.
For malls and many public centers with their own entry points, Filipinos will be patted down and all packages and purses searched. Kanos will get a smile, maybe a light pat and a touch with their package inspection sticks, to 'keep appearances up', but typically they smile, wave and get you in ASAP. Private parking?Filipino drive vehicles will often be stopped, at least looked at inside and long poles with mirrors on the ends moved under the cars, looking for explosives. Me?--They smile, wave and I can park about anywhere I want.
Pretty much everyone--guards, mall employees, taxi cab drivers, even most folks on the streets, seemed genuinely nice and willing to help or even introduce you to a sister or neice in some instances. At theaters, tourist attractions and in general, being obviously not a Filipino, they gave me and in turn whoever I was with, better treatment--seating, service, etc. I felt sort of bad--like it was reverse prejiduce, but what was I gonna do--ask them to treat me/us 'not so good'?
I've spent a fair amount of time in the country's three largest cities and I don't recall ever seeing a foreign 'homeless' person, but I have seen some guys who looked 'down on their luck'---as if they were living on meager pensions, disabilty payments or sponging off their wife or GF's family.
I hate to say this, but most Americans--heck most tourists, seemed a bit weird--a bit swarmy. I guess there are a few foreigners in the development where our house is, but I'm not about to go around introducing myself. I have plenty of family on my wife's side, 10 or 15 minutes away, if we have a problem or need anything--that is if someone's not already hanging out, eating or maybe working to improve the property. We might have paid for our house, but like it or not--it's 'in the family' as their homes and land and all that grows on it, are in my wife and my 'family'.
Regarding everyone else, a wise man once said: "Good fences make good neighbors"--and I (we ) buy into that. I will smile back and wave back, (maybe just a nod, or the 'queen's wave'), but I mind my own business. You start being real friendly and doing all kinds of little favors and there will be no end to it--you become a 'mark'. My first trips, the beggars knew my whole schedule/routine. Sometimes, families would rotate their kids they assigned to beggar duties, so I would think I was helping out different families. Adds a whole new meaning to 'Family Business"!
Drugs and addicts? Most foreigners know better. The marijuana is supposedly piss poor in quality and their methamphetimes--their speed or 'crank--'shabu' it's called, you will go to jail for sure if they catch you with that, just like you will if you're caught with an underage prostitute.
Sex is big business and they even do free, govt. run health checks on sex workers, but you do NOT want to go to a Filipino jail for drugs, sex offenses, having a gun or anything else for that matter. I'm sure it happens, but underage sex is very, very risky and there are lots of fake age ID papers and set ups with the cops involved. You'll probably get out, but it will probably cost you a whole lot of money and you'll remember every minute you spent in the hellhole they call 'jail'.
As said, most kanos I met seemed weird--some down on their luck, living off of meager pensions, maybe mental or physical disability payments or sponging off their wife or GF's family. They say you can move, but you basically bring your problems with you, whereever you go and I see a lot of that over there.
It just takes a bit longer for the Filipinos to realize that the Kano their daughter married is actually a liability and not an asset after all. Pervs, malcontents--plain old weirdos, people running from their own demons--there's plenty of foreigners like that. Sex and women to flirt (or more) with are so available that a kano better decide how able he'll be to keep his pants on before he moves there.
Even a good Filipina can take only so much before she takes the digrace of separating, rather than being married to and living with a whoremonger unable to provide much of anything. Eventually she'll quite possibly decide to 'show you the door', leaving you on your own again. She gets the house, at the bare minimum.
It's certainly not just kanos who can seem odd or standoffish--the Koreans I dealt with were often surly, the Germans cold--some wouldn't give you the time of day. Out of the lot, Aussies and Brits seemed to be the most 'normal' (whatever 'normal' is) and the Scandinavians generally seemed pretty nice too--trying to reach accross language barriers more than some others. Southern and so called Western Europeans seemed better adapted and more friendly than eastern Europeans to me.
I have traveled in Europe and it seems pretty much the same in terms of how other nationalities act towards Kanos--heck--it's like that in Orlando, Florida!
I went a few weeks once w/o seeing anyone other than Asians, and then in the middle of nowhere in particular, chanced upon a Brit and his local wife, riding bikes and we became fast friends. It was sort of my own "Stanley Livingston, I presume?" moment, LOL.
I was pleasantly surprised to find Muslim merchants about the nicest, if a bit reserved. On several occasions, they were very nice when I returned defective things--unusual as I explained--you usually buy and there's 'no return,' but the Muslim merchants wanted me to come back and even gave me samall gifts for my trouble. Just don't interfere during prayer time! Indian and Korean and to a lesser extent, Chinese owned businesses seemed colder and quite short at times with my family and I.
But it is a great country and like in many nations, being nice to the locals will get returned tenfold typically. If you speak some of their language, can talk about their customs a bit, sing some of their songs, etc--they will really like you even more. Like soccer/football in some nations, If you play basketball with them or at least 'talk the lingo' (for some reason, these very short people are the world's biggest BB fans) you'll have friends for life! To spend a buck for a basketball or volleyball and toss it to the kids as you're leaving, will go far in terms of them remembering 'the kano' fondly!
