Job Discussion Forums

[Zackback]

1. A severe lack of knowing how to stand in line properly. People cutting in front of each other seems so pervasive here. Have you ever seen what it is like going to the pharmacies? In fact, there is no line. People just walk up to the counter and whoever is the most vocal and/or waves their arms the most gets served first.
2. After unloading all their groceries at the check out instead of pushing their shopping cart through if they can carry their bags they just leave the shopping cart behind for the next customer to deal with.
3. Despite the law forbidding it and without much care if babies and/or people with breathing problems have to inhale their smoke they just smoke on the jeepneys anyway.
4. Pissing in eveyplace imaginable. I have never seen so many signs in my life that read "Bawal Umihi Dito" (Don't piss here).
5. Singing karaoke until the wee hours of the morning within many subdivisions without a care that it bothers others. Are they aware that there are singing rooms for this?
6. Saying nothing when other Filipinos walk around shirtless in places where it is not illegal but when I (an American) do I sometimes encounter hostility.
7. Letting their dogs wander anywhere. Why packs of dogs that have owners are allowed to roam freely is beyond me. One time walking by a house a few dogs came at me. When I complained about it the response was "Well the dogs were in front of their house" despite the fact they were in the (PUBLIC) street in front of the house.

[roym]

Count yourself lucky...these are trivial things. Wait for the thieving and scamming to befall you...

[zipper]

Wow! Nothing has changed there, I see. I served two years with US Peace Corps/Philippines back in the early 90's. Do Filipinos still yell out "Hey Joe! Hey man!"? Yeah the pharmacy stores were a great irritation for me, too. You can't touch or pick anything up to read it, and when you ask for something, they will all crowd around and check out what you are buying. It can get pretty annoying, but you'll have to get used to things if you want to remain sane. Yeah, pick pocking is prevalent there as well. I was robbed three times during my stint there. They are quite clever. It's best to wear a pouch bag around your waist with the pouch in the front covered by your shirt. Filipinos live pretty much a communal life, and so don't ever expect privacy there. Have fun.

[escapism]

Well you could be in the UK, where they have people employed full time to go around checking if your dustbin lid is ajar more than 3 inches - and then fine you, and we don't even have stray dogs!

Or you could enjoy lovely summers where it rains all day every day and you have to turn the lights on in the daytime as it is too dark to see.

And on top of this almost every penny of (many peoples) wages goes into bills so you can JUST about afford to survive (exist) in this wonderful land!

(Can you tell I am going stir-bloody-crazy in this place? )

I used to get pissed off with all these little nuances when I lived in Thailand long term, but trust me I can't bloody wait until my only stress is the locals doing there thing in a pharmacy or whatever!

Good night!