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Good rage!

July 9, 2010 By MindanaoBob 48 Comments
Beer is OK, but not a yard full of bottles!

I just did something, which ordinarily I would not consider a good thing, but this time, well, I think that what I did, and the way I did it was just right. What did I do?  I got mad at our maid.  I did it in a sort of different way, though. Lately, we have had our carpenter from GenSan staying with us, actually he's been here for several weeks now.  He has been taking care of a few jobs that needed to be done around here.  I really like Jun-Jun, he is a very nice guy, and a very industrious person too.  He can literally build anything.  Jun-Jun enjoys having a bit of drink every night.  He either drinks beer or he drinks Tanduay … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Communication, Daily Life, Filipino Culture, Language, Living in The Philippines

Help! I can say more things than I understand!

June 28, 2010 By MindanaoBob 92 Comments
Steve's blue car, or is it a vehicle?

In a country like the Philippines where many languages are spoken, there are often interesting issues in relation to language.  Often times, when we are talking with a Filipino, we will learn that they have some experience in spending time in a different region.  For example, you are talking with Carlo and he mentions that he spent a few years living in Ilocos Norte.  When I hear some thing like that, I always ask, "So, Carlo, can you speak Ilocano then?"  It is just something that is of interest to me.  The most usual response that would come from Carlo is "I can understand Ilocan pretty well, but I can't speak it." Well, doesn't it seem … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Communication, Daily Life, Language, Living in The Philippines

Bahala Na!

June 3, 2010 By PaulK 17 Comments
History_and_Culture,_Language_and_Literature_Selected_Essays_of_Teodoro_A__Agoncillo

After quite a few L-O-N-G articles, dear readers, you deserve a short one.  I’ll try to keep it short and sweet, but . . . . Ah, bahala na! Often heard, difficult to explain, seldom understood by foreigners.  Definition or meaning dependent on the situation that caused its utterance.  Bahala na. Considered the “national pastime” of emotions, the Tagalog term Bahala na is an enigma. To those hearing it for the first time, as well as those who encounter it more than they care to, it’s yet another piece of the jigsaw puzzle called The Philippines.  That puzzle, by the way, consists of identically shaped pieces (save the border … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Adjustment, Communication, Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Language, Living in The Philippines, Paul Keating

Talking with DJ

May 28, 2010 By MindanaoBob 34 Comments
dj2

As I told you in an article earlier this week, Feyma, the kids and I were down in General Santos last week for the wedding of a niece.  Before going to the wedding, we had a chance to visit with some family members for a while.  I got a chance to talk with one of my nephews, DJ.  I did not know DJ well, we have not spent much time together.  DJ is eight years old.  I think that in the past I have only met him once or twice, and never really had an opportunity to talk with him. DJ lives in the bukid.  What is the bukid?  Well, it is the mountain.  It is the Bisaya term for a very rural area, usually in the mountains.  Anyway, DJ lives … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Business, Communication, Daily Life, Davao, Expats, Family, Filipino Culture, Language, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao, Relationships

Baffled by my English

May 11, 2010 By John 24 Comments
flag

Its important to realize that when you leave your own home country, that you understand that your new home, has many differences, and living in the Philippines is a major cultural shock, as the food, the way of life, the customs and beliefs are so big, that sometimes at the beginning I struggled, and after all it was the reas0n I left the UK to experience something new, and challenging, and fun. The very first day I landed in Manila I was shocked, as in my total ignorance I expected a form of Spanish to meet my ears, as I had done no research before my first vacation here. Instead I was met with many English speaking people at the airport, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: John G Tagged With: Expats, John Grant, Language, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao, Relationships

Ten!

May 3, 2010 By MindanaoBob 80 Comments
Philippine Airlines

Yes, it's true... I am celebrating my 10th Anniversary today. Marriage? No. Birthday? No. Hmm... what could it be? Well, as of today, I have been living in the Philippines for 10 years! In many ways, they have been 10 long years.  In other ways, they have flown by quickly.  Some things about living in the Philippines have been very tough, while other things have been pure and simple joy.  Overall, it's an experience that I would not trade or give up.  In a lot of ways, these have been the 10 best years of my life so far.  I hope in that respect, it is only the beginning! As I think back, I realize that I have changed a lot since I first … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Business, Communication, Daily Life, Davao, Expats, Filipino Culture, Financial, Health, Language, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao, Relationships

Bon Voyage, Part 2

April 28, 2010 By MindanaoBob 101 Comments
Toby Gorden

Remember, last week I wrote an article entitled "Bon Voyage" and I told you about the fact that a lot of expats are leaving the Philippines right now, most of them are headed back home?  Well, at the end of last week, I found out about another expat friend of mine who recently left the Philippines too.  Unfortunately, though, he left the Philippines in a completely different way than you might expect. I was not close with this fellow, but his name was Toby Gorden.  Toby was from Australia, and I met him a few years ago for the first time.  I was introduced to Toby by another Australian friend that I have known for a long, long time, Leon.  … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Health, Language, Living in The Philippines, Moving

Green Side Up

April 27, 2010 By Paul Thompson 25 Comments
Gresses delivered

During “My New Car” articles I mentioned that I was in dire need of landscaping. As over the years all my grass died. The first estimate was around P 22,000.00 which I politely declined. I wanted to buy grass but at those prices Maui Wowie would have been cheaper. I put out feelers to find a reasonable landscaper and on 15 April, as I was reading about tax deadlines my phone rang, and low and behold it was a landscaper. Next day they dropped by and with their own tape measure told me how much grasses I need and the price P8, 000.00 less than the other guy. Then I found out that the other guy buys all his materials from my new guy. Shocked … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul T Tagged With: Communication, Daily Life, Expats, Language, Living in The Philippines, Paul Thompson

Feeling like you are in outer space!

March 19, 2010 By MindanaoBob 98 Comments
Victoria Plaza, Davao City

Sometimes, we all have bad days.  Monday just was not my day.  Actually, being honest, I am not sure I would say it was a bad day, but it was interesting, and in some ways, I felt like I was on a different planet. As I mentioned in my article on Monday, My brownout strategy, I made a commitment to myself to get back into swimming regularly.  I used to do it five days per week, but got out of the habit.  Because of the frequent brownouts we are having in Mindanao, I decided to start going swimming whenever we had a brownout.  I have actually gone swimming four times already this week, and we didn't even have any brownouts yet, so I'm doing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Business, Communication, Daily Life, Davao, Expats, Food, Health, Language, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao

Baybayin (Alibata): The Ancient Filipino Alphabet

March 9, 2010 By JohnM 25 Comments
baybayin

I am a believer that expats have a moral obligation to learn as much about the country in which they live as they possibly can. The Philippines, like any other nation, has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. Long before the Spanish conquest of these islands, people lived here, thrived, and developed their own civilization, different and distinct from that of their Spanish conquerors. They say that “History is written by the victors”, and most modern Filipino history is what the Spanish, the Americans, and later the early Philippine governments, wished it to be. The modern history is what is commonly taught in schools, and it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: John Miele Tagged With: Communication, Expats, John Miele, Language, Living in The Philippines
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