I'm at the point of planing my trip to the Phillapines

[thekfc]

One more question vets does your lady have the ability to follow a schedule?

As in timing wise? yes & no!

Please elaborate a little.

[thekfc]

I finally made it to a Filipano bakery store today - Philippine Brea House.

I brought pandesal, Pan De Coco, Pan De lemon, Ensaymada, Taisan, Manay, Mongo Bread, cheese roll, espasol and a roll pastries sprinkles with sugar. 

[thekfc]

a roll pastries sprinkles with sugar.

My wife said that it is donuts. 

[robert angel]

Ok, fellas its been a couple days sense my last SOS. My lady has calmed down and was apologetic. I did give her the site info. and it seemed to help. In the beginning I was talking to several ladies and was honest to all the ladies. My lady was very patient and understanding then and made her way to the top. I have to say when there were two it was very hard to let that two get away. So when she found out about "Planet Love" it put here back dramatically. I think the love part was the main problem! When I did explain to her that it was, so- that I could better myself for her it calmed her down. I have started on the language that's very challenging. She promptly corrected me to the correct language. I should have listened to Robert a little more closely. Buts that's why I am here to learn. One more question vets does your lady have the ability to follow a schedule? I am dieing here on the schedule thing.....,,,,,Tnx again

Dewey,


I'm glad that things are coming around a bit, but here's a little more advice that'll hopefully save you some grief down the line. I've known my wife for about ten years, and the things I say below still apply to an extent to us, so get used to it and instead of grinding your teeth, try to laugh sometimes. But laugh inside and invisibly roll your eyes, because most Filipina's feelings are typically hurt very easily in this regard....

It's very, very easy for us to talk, using words and slang that they don't even understand. To make matters worse, we don't realize that they don't understand or we don't know exactly WHAT they don't understand.

This because for one, they understand 'just enough' to carry on a conversation with us. Through 'context clues'--they 'get the gist' of it--just enough--most of the time. On top of that, they don't want to let off that they don't understand--they don't want to look TOO simple, or God forbid, stupid. Sure there are some Filipinas to whom what I'm saying doesn't apply to as much as it does to others, but it applies to most of them.

In a situation like this, where things are lost in translation, but it's not as clear, as in say Chinese or German, where you know you don't understand words, she's going to come away confused, frustrated and even get the wrong idea and become unfairly suspicious sometimes. She'll walk away and later think 'Is that really what I think he said?" and even make inaccurate assumptions sometimes.

So try and think about what you say and write, a second or two before you express yourself. Don't use too many 'twenty dollar' words and slang, and when you do, nicely try to explain the meaning and definitions of words and expressions that we all too often take for granted as being understood. Don't assume too much.

A lot of Filipinos aren't too big on schedules--I don't think a parade in the Philippines has ever started on time, unless it was by accident. But if she's missing scheduled chat times by much more than half an hour a lot of times, I'd call her out on it and ask for a reasonable explanation.

There's a time to be sweet--which they typically see a lot more in Westerners than they do from guys back home and they love, and then there's a time to 'man up" and show her you have expectations, which she'll come to respect and expect. The time difference between us and them is a pain, but if we're THAT important to each other, I think we show up pretty much on time, within reason.

[YaekoCubr1501]

Last month I had visited to Phillapines and it is really a very nice country. But, it is required to plan properly before visiting to Phillapines. There are many good and spectacular places to visit.

[jm21-2]

I don't know why people are so scared about eating abroad: that's half the fun of traveling for me. The only time I ever worried about getting sick was on a hot day in southern Taiwan...I refilled my glass about a dozen times from a tank of water sitting out on a counter at a small restaurant. After those dozen cups or so a guy who worked there came up to my fiance and told her that water was for washing dishes and wasn't boiled or filtered in any way. Never got sick though.

Really, you can't totally avoid the water. They wash the dishes with raw water and unless they dry them off at a high heat there is still some bacteria on the plate. I just don't see it being a big deal.

I remember I was out hiking and drank some fresh water from a mountain stream. I mentioned to a fellow hiker how amazing the water tasted and they were shocked I didn't boil it before drinking it and surprised I didn't get sick. What a paranoid nation we live in.

[thekfc]

You are correct ~ it isn't any fun if you do not enjoy the food of the place you visit.

On my trips to The Philippines, I sample just about everything that was presented to me ~ Balut & 1 day old chick I did not touch.
I remembered (and also my wife) what I liked & didn't like so I wouldn't sample the dislikes again.

I also ate & enjoyed the food in HK - It was a big change from the "Chinese" food here in NYC.

Really, you can't totally avoid the water. They wash the dishes with raw water and unless they dry them off at a high heat there is still some bacteria on the plate. I just don't see it being a big deal.

Also when you bath some of the water may get into your system.

Personally, no matter where I am, I drink a lot of bottle & filter water. The only water that I drink straight from the tap is NY water ~ nothing beats NYC water.

My take is when you visit a place, sample the food. If you are afraid of drinking the water, then drink bottle water or carry some Iodine to treat the water or Halazone (if you are allergic to Iodine).

Like Jm said ~ it is no fun if you travel to a country & are "afraid" of eating abroad.

[Ray]

Last month I had visited to Phillapines and it is really a very nice country. But, it is required to plan properly before visiting to Phillapines. There are many good and spectacular places to visit.

Hi frank, welcome to the forum!

What places did you visit in the Philippines?

Ray

[Bob_S]

I don't know why people are so scared about eating abroad: that's half the fun of traveling for me.

It's not just the explosive diarrhea that makes it miserable, it's the explosive diarrhea while you are in transit and have no comfortable place to sit for a day or two while you recover.  Let me tell you, those bullet trains may seem smooth as glass compared to the local commuter trains, but they aren't smooth enough when your body is trying to squirt liquids out of four different orifices, and you have to hurry to finish and clean up because you're not sure when your next stop is coming up, and you hope the cramps don't hit you again till you disembark and make it to the station's restrooms where you hope there is a "Western" style toilet and not too long of a line and hope there is still TP in the dispenser (as a seasoned traveler I pack an emergency roll just in case) where you have to finish and clean before your next scheduled train.  And you can feel that you're not empty so you'll have to repeat the whole cycle again soon.

Yeah, there are reasons to be worried about what you eat.    

[dewey4350]

Ok guys thank you for all the comments they are priceless. KFC to answer your question she sometimes misses days sometimes. There are brown outs,rolling brown outs and blackouts. Just think we complain when the electricity is out for more than a hour. We have sense worked out a phone system that is appeasing. My lady comes from a very poor/middle class family. We have also worked out the Planet Love title thing. As far as the food thing goes she has her own restaurant and I can tell you this what she cooks I will eat. Because if I can not eat it there I dam sure will not be able to eat if she comes here. The one day old chicken in a egg won't happen. And if it smells like a crime scene I may not get past it either.

[Ray]

(as a seasoned traveler I pack an emergency roll just in case)

As a seasoned traveler, you should also remember to pack some Imodium... 

[Dave H]

I still needed to make a 12 hour drive and to give me a big bang--a 16 ounce expresso, along with a couple Cuban sandwiches (minus pickles, as usual). The last thing he said before 'Adios amigo, come back soon and we'll fish--God bless'--was 'If you fall asleep before you reach St. Augustine, (10 hours) call me--I'll give you your money back'. I didn't get sleepy even until I was well into Georgia, but I sure as hell did have to pee...

Hey Rob,

A "16 ounce" colada! That is one BIG cafecito! How many days were you awake? 

Dave

One of my old hangouts in Pequeno Habana on Calle Ocho.

[thekfc]

Ok guys thank you for all the comments they are priceless. KFC to answer your question she sometimes misses days sometimes. There are brown outs,rolling brown outs and blackouts. Just think we complain when the electricity is out for more than a hour.

I remember the first "brownout" that happened during my first visit. Everyone was saying "brownout" & I told one of the kids "oh blackout", he said no "brownout". 

As far as the food thing goes she has her own restaurant and I can tell you this what she cooks I will eat. Because if I can not eat it there I dam sure will not be able to eat if she comes here.  And if it smells like a crime scene I may not get past it either.

You are taking the fun out of eating.

The one day old chicken in a egg won't happen.

They are two different delicacies ; "One day old chick" is a young chick that have actually been hatched & and the one in an egg (nearly-developed embryo) is called "balut" .....so enjoy

[robert angel]

Haha Dave,
Great picture--looks like the Cuban joint I used to hit--just a couple blocks from the house, down off of Truman Ave. on White St. I bet there are thousands that look just like it and like Jose's, have little parking, but everyone parks illegally, including the cops, who 'fuel up' there as well. A couple coffee machines, some sandwich pressing machines, wax sandwich wrapping paper, the cheapest napkins on earth and a lot fast paced conversation!

Haven't seen you posting lately--figured you've got the 'traveling jones' again--hope all is well.

[Bob_S]

As a seasoned traveler, you should also remember to pack some Imodium... 

I actually had some, but in the moment, completely forgot I packed some in the bottom of my suitcase along with some other American-strength OTC meds.   

Duh.  Stupid me. 

[Ray]

Bob, you crack me up…   

Yes, remembering to pack it is only half the battle. You also have to remember that you packed it and where it is…  LOL!

Next time try bringing along some Pepto Bismol chewable tabs. Two tabs taken before eating will help protect your intestinal tract. Just don’t be alarmed if your turds are black.   

Ray

[dewey4350]

OK fellas, whats up with the superstition of fillapino's getting there back wet? My lady has asthma and she is always mentioning her back getting wet. I think sometimes she thinks that her back getting wet sometimes causes her asthma. Are at least adds to it. Her biggest problem is carbonminoxide, she cooks sometimes for 6to 8 hours daily ( thats with LP gas) all the smoke from the fried foods. cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes also make her sick. She goes and gets a breathing treatment and everything turns back to normal. I live in Texas and you all know I would like to bring her back someday. I guess what I am saying if her back getting wet is a problem Texas is the wrong state to come to. If someone can throw me a bone on this I would appreciate it.

[thekfc]

This one I cannot help with ~ some of the more knowledgeable guys can help you with that. My wife is sleeping so I will ask her about that tomorrow. She also hate cigarette smoke & it do get her sick.

While you are on the subject of superstition, here is a thread for you to read:
http://www.planet-love.com/index.php?topic=4707.0

[robert angel]

It's just something you'll have to deal with. With time, it'll not be a big deal. I live in South Georgia and in the summer, temperatures in the 90's and humidity between 70% and 100% (we get 100% humidity w/o rain sometimes) are normal. So sweating is inevitable for me, especially when I get into a car w/o ventilated seats or am working in my yard or garden.
My wife almost never sweats and when she does, I can't tell--she'll say something like "OMG--my armpits are a little wet"--it happens maybe once a year or so,she acts like it's a freakish thing for a Filipina--meanwhile, I am drenched with sweat and she's as cool as a dang cucumber!.
 
They think a wet back is unhealthy and leads to all sorts of other ills. I dunno--maybe they think it's bad luck and when you're over there, they will go to great lengths to keep you dry with handkerchiefs, get you to change shirts, etc. My wife spends about 4/5ths of the time we ride on jeepneys making me lean forward so my back stays dry as she 'mops me up'.
 
But after a while in the USA, they 'acclimate' themselves to the reality of the situation and maybe if you enter the house soaked, they'll want you to clean up and will give you a freshly ironed, dry shirt, but it won't be nearly as big a deal after a while here, at least compared to 'back home'.
 
Part of the 'back home' thing is that they'd look pretty bad to let their guy run around with a wet back and they don't want to look bad. Some other curious (to us) customs will diminish after a while here, but chance are if you visit back home, she'll buy into them all over again while you're there, so that her relatives don't think she's a bad asawa.
 
In the meantime, just 'roll with it'--things could be a whole lot worse!

[Jeff S]

I actually had some, but in the moment, completely forgot I packed some in the bottom of my suitcase along with some other American-strength OTC meds.   

Duh.  Stupid me. 

Major brown-out there, I guess.

[Ray]

 

OK fellas, whats up with the superstition of fillapino's getting there back wet? My lady has asthma and she is always mentioning her back getting wet. I think sometimes she thinks that her back getting wet sometimes causes her asthma. Are at least adds to it. Her biggest problem is carbonminoxide, she cooks sometimes for 6to 8 hours daily ( thats with LP gas) all the smoke from the fried foods. cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes also make her sick. She goes and gets a breathing treatment and everything turns back to normal. I live in Texas and you all know I would like to bring her back someday. I guess what I am saying if her back getting wet is a problem Texas is the wrong state to come to. If someone can throw me a bone on this I would appreciate it.

 
I have never heard of any superstition directly related to a wet back. When I get hot and start sweating, it starts at my head while my Filipina wife starts sweating on her upper back (?)
 
There are a whole bunch of silly superstitions in the Philippines and many are regional. Some Filipinos believe this nonsense and some don’t. Mostly, I find believing in superstitions harmless so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
 
My advice is to just blow it off and don’t mock her for her silly beliefs in this stuff. Most of this comes from "stories" told to little children by parents or grandparents, sometimes meant to scare them into following family rules.
 
Air quality over there is a big problem as Dave H can attest to. They burn trash and the exhaust from some of those tricycles could choke an elephant. Hey Dave, I think they burn leaves under the fruit trees to smoke out the bugs and chase them off or kill them. My elderly Filipina neighbor here in San Diego was busted by the fire department for burning leaves in her backyard. She told them she was only controlling the aphids on her vegetable plants…   
 
Ray
 
　

[robert angel]

Re:
>>There are a whole bunch of silly superstitions in the Philippines and many are regional<<
 
I think this is true. The Philippines, with over 7000 islands widely spread out, vary in many ways.
 
I read some of the superstitions mentioned here and my wife had not heard of hardly any of them. There are some other superstitions from where she comes from specifically, but she really doesn't make mention of them here in the USA--she doesn't see any need or purpose, I guess.
 
Back in her  village, I do pick up on some, like wearing a small diamond to ward off evil, in case a 'black magic practitioner' tries to give me 'the evil eye' or if he or she touches me, I touch them back to reverse any evil spirit--energy they may have tried to put on me. I'm sure there's tons more I don't know about, but then again, my wife doesn't really know what a witch my boss really is, either!
 
I kind of secretly dismiss it in my head, but still go along with it out of respect. Anyways, why try and argue using logic against something you don't view as logical?

[Dave H]

Haven't seen you posting lately--figured you've got the 'traveling jones' again--hope all is well.

Hy Rob,
 
Not much travel...Internet kept going down...I was waiting for my new ISP to get me connected.
 
Dave

[thekfc]

Hy Rob,
 
Not much travel...Internet kept going down...I was waiting for my new ISP to get me connected.
 
Dave

Oh, you were having internet brown-out. 

[Bob_S]

Oh, you were having internet brown-out. 

Pack the Imodium for those accidental brown-outs.