Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

Do we all think alike?

Expats / by / 17 Comments

Sometimes I wonder, do expats think alike?  Do we all think of similar topics at the same time, or relatively close tot he same time?  Sometimes I think it is true.

Here on LiP we have a variety of writers.  One of the key things we have in common is that we are all expats.  Other expats have blogs too, some of which I read regularly.

Did you ever notice that topics on these expat blogs seem to run on similar topics?  I have.

For example, the last couple of days…  On Monday, Paul Thompson wrote about his trip to the Bureau of Immigration in Manila.  Yesterday, John Miele wrote about One hour in Intramuros, which is where the Immigration office is, and it was all about his trip to the Immigration office too.

What about last week.  Nearly every article on this site was about food.  On Monday, Paul wrote about his trip with a friend to have a meal at Texas Joe’s.  The very next day, John Miele wrote about Chicago Pizza.   On Wednesday, I wrote about a Philippine food, Kalamay Hati.  Thursday?  Feyma wrote about Egg Noodles.  Funny how topics run along similar themes.

It’s not only here on LiP either.  My friend, Dave Starr, over at PhilFAQs often writes on similar, or the exact same topic that is here on LiP.  I’m not saying he is copying what is on LiP, I am saying that we both come up with similar topics independently.  Sometimes I find it quite amazing.

Funny thing is, none of the writers here have any clue what the other articles for the week will be.  I am really the only one with that information.  It all just happens by chance.  But, the article topic similarity happens so often! It seems strange that it could be random, and have that happen regularly.  But, it certainly does happen, I’ve seen it too often to not accept that as a fact.

Why?

I think that when it comes to life as an expat, especially given that we all live in the same country, we have similar experiences that are out of the ordinary for us.  We miss similar things.  We have to do certain things at the same time.  For example, because the first two months of the year are when we expats are required to go check in at the Bureau of Immigration, that would mean that we are all doing that during the same time period, and thus it is the time when it is on our minds, and it sparks an article from several of us.  Makes sense to me.

Did you guys ever notice this before?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. a mate u are very right there bob

    if it is not here it is on some one page thay always talk about the same things that is happening to them be it the filipina girl to the food mate too the best place to stay and to end it who is riping them off lol and i find this web page the best i have too up to date mate that is why i always come back here i am here every day to read the posting mate and most off the tiem i like what i read i if dont i will let u know mate so keep up the good work here bob as the net would not be the same with out u here old mate so god blesss to u……..peter martin tassie…..

  2. Hello Bob

    First thing that came to mind, “WOW RUSTY”! How is he doing? (that was my side question ) I believe we all go through the same things, but in difference circumstances. Hence, it is why the same topics come up in different perspectives.

    • Hi Jason – I am still in touch with Rusty on a fairly regular basis. I think he is doing well. Yep, I have to agree with your comment about similar topics. The thing I really like about LiP is that it comes from multiple perspectives, and that makes the information more valuable, imho.

  4. I mainly have SMB on my mind ’cause it’s been a long time since I’ve had one. And thanks to you and your writer’s recent consolidation of thoughts about foods, it makes me more anxious about our upcoming trip. It couldn’t have come at a better time. The next 26 days are going to drag……along.

  5. How strange; and all this time I thought you planned it that way. Stray brain waves? Maybe you guys communicate telepathically and you don’t even know it?

  6. Bob;
    I get all my inside information on the Bamboo Telegraph, John’s article helped me on my second trip to BOI. I was inspired by it and you’ll see the results when I submit this week! Great minds…………?

  7. You know, I was just telling John M the other day how much I enjoyed my day with you. Then you post that nice picture.

    I think are different in many ways but yet in many things we have both noticed and wrote about the same thing. Often with the same viewpoint, unless its that subject you don’t allow anyone talk about. LOL But then we are not all that different there either. I remember when you discovered, I’m really not liberal at all. But I said the L word and that’s getting dangerous. haha

    Sometimes I don’t think it is coincidence. But often it is. It may be that reading others blogs gets us to thinking about stuff but sometimes its down right intentional. I don’t see anything wrong with that.

    After all, I stole your video the other day. I really did that because I didn’t have time to watch it and i really wanted too, so I put it where I could find.

    In many ways we’re different. When it comes to the PI though, we often do think alike. I’ve written things and then found an article much like it on your site. I thought, Bob is gonna think I’m stealing it. haha, I really didn’t.

    Now why did you go mention food, I’m hunger now and the female is sleeping. I’m too spoiled to do anything for myself now. haha I’m only kidding about “the female” laides. Jessie and I joke like that. We understand each other when it comes to that.

    Well, you’re is the only blog I read any more. I just do not have the time. Today has been another day of problems, everything is broken. Glad to see that pic, hope we get a chance to take another. Maybe in your neck of the woods this year.

    • Hi Rusty – Yeah, I think that going through similar experiences leads expats to talk about or write about similar things. Sometimes we have different viewpoints, other times we think alike. It’s all just part of living here.

      I also enjoyed our day together in Bogo. When you coming to Davao? 😉

  8. Bob,
    I agree most foreigners who live in the Philip[pines have alot in common.
    And one thing for sure they help each other out and that is what I miss about not being their.
    It’s kinda funny that this article and John’s article where posted. Because I just sent Paul T an e-mail about the fort at Intramural just before they were posted.
    I truley believe LIP is a pretty tight knit group of fantastic people who have alot in common. I’m not there in body but am in heart and soul. here is the article if you care to read it.
    http://www.stripes.com/military-life/travel/philippines-the-walled-city-where-manila-started-1.22674

  9. Dear Bob;
    I assume you are doing much better health wise & that is a relief to me & I’ll bet a lot of other people including family & friends. I so enjoy reading your news letter & hear about other peoples lives in the Philippines. I am Stateside at the moment but return to Palawan on the 1st. I will stay as long as I can talk my wife into. I have so many projects that my Dutch friend & I want to do. We are building a couple electric cars & some electric boats. That should be fun. The tourist people want the electric boats for resorts which are thicker than fleas on this island. Everyone has one & as they go broke another foreigner builds another. Oh well, it keeps the local workers in jobs. Again, glad to hear you are out of the hospital & sound good: keep it up.

Leave a Reply