Well let me start by saying I was not too thrilled when I first got here. I missed the conveniences I had in the U.S. There are so many things that I can't get here that I could easily get in the U.S. Some of the things I really missed was hot water, my car, and the freedom to go when ever I wanted to. Its been 4 years now since I set foot on U.S. soil and for the most part I really don't miss it. I miss my family, yeah, but that's about it. I am sure if I sit here and think, I can think of some more but that's the main one.
So what made me think of writing this? Well, for the 2nd time my wife's laptop broke and I had to take it in because she had work and I did not have to be at work till 5. So I left there at about 2 and was there and done by 2:20. I had not had lunch yet so I was hungry, got a cab and went to the building I work in.
They have a McDonald's so I had lunch there. I could not figure out where I wanted to sit and I was restless so I took a booth. Then I saw that there were tables outside, so I went out there to wait for my food and smoke. I don't know why I thought of this; maybe it was because as I sat there I did not hear anything, and I realized they were playing the new T-pain CD unedited in McDonalds. Can you imagine the fuss that would be made in the U.S. if some upper class folks took their kids to eat at Mcdo and T-pain was playing??? I can hear the "Well, I never!" already.
They have a McDonald's so I had lunch there. I could not figure out where I wanted to sit and I was restless so I took a booth. Then I saw that there were tables outside, so I went out there to wait for my food and smoke. I don't know why I thought of this; maybe it was because as I sat there I did not hear anything, and I realized they were playing the new T-pain CD unedited in McDonalds. Can you imagine the fuss that would be made in the U.S. if some upper class folks took their kids to eat at Mcdo and T-pain was playing??? I can hear the "Well, I never!" already.
Anyway, everytime I talk to someone they ask the same questions. How long have you been here? You have a Filipino wife? The the key question is "You have been here for 4 years? What made you stay or what do you like most about The Philippines?"
Now 9 times out of 10 I will say because it cheap or my favorite saying "It's the only country I have been to in the world that you can walk in to a store and buy a beer for cheaper than a Coke." Just so you know, that is true. At 711 a beer is 20 pesos and a Coke is 25 to 28 pesos.
But as I sat there eating my quarterpounder with cheese plain, it came to me that it's not true; that's not the reason I like it here so much.
To answer that I have to go back a few days as I was eating lunch and decided to watch a Michel Moore film for the first time ever. I have never wanted to watch anything this man has ever made but boredom overcame me and it was the only dvd I had that I had never seen. The movie was called Bowling for Columbine. I know what the movie was about. I heard people talking about it and still I did not want to see it.
So anyway, I watched it and I really did not like it. It was what I thought it was - people bitching about things that they don't like. Yeah, there was some valid points in there and I feel for the parents of the kids who died in shootings and I really do see there point. I am not saying this movie helped me in any way am just saying it reminded me of what I did not like about the U.S.A.
So what is it that I don't like about the U.S.? Americans are selfish. Yeah I said that. Now don't get me wrong - I love my country and always will. It is the best country in the world for many reasons, but in the U.S. if someone don't like something, they want to tell the world about it and think everyone should think they way they do.
If someone don't like guns they think everyone should not like guns. If someone wants to not eat meat - you guessed it - everyone should not eat meat! If you think diffrent, then you are a bad person. Now I am not saying there are no vegatarians here or that there are not people who don't like guns or want to save the envirment.
There are alwasy rallys where people say what they want and stand up for what they believe in - they just don't take it to extremes. They want to save the envirament, they hold a peaceful rally. In the U.S. some people go and burn down Hummer dealerships or vandalize people's cars.
Someone wants an abortion, people picket the clinics and call the women killers and sinners and whores. They don't know why that person is doing what they are doing. They just want something to bitch about.
The one thing that really pisses me off is when people commit a crime and blame it on video games, music, or a movie. That really chaps my ass. Michael Moore - and as much as I hate to say it - did bring up a valid point. In other countries, they have the same video games and movies and music. So why don't people there go on a killing spree and say GTA 4 made me do it or burn down a building and say the devil told me to do it when I played a Marilyn Manson cd in fast forward?
Does the devil only speak English? I don't know, I have never head him talk. I have played video games and watched movies and I still have Marilyn manson on my playlist to this day. The funny thing is I forgot how much people blame the things they have done on others or on something that can't define.
Like I said before there are people here who don't believe in eating meat or having guns or driving big SUVs, but they don't think everyone should think the same or try to make everyone believe what they think.
I have been about people here who ask me why I eat what I eat or what is it about guns you like they are violent or why would you want such a big car. My only answer is because I can and its what I like and to my amazement they say ok its your choice but I won't do it. To this day when I talk to anyone about things that like and they say that I am speechless.
I want to be like, what you not going to sit here and argue with me for 6 hours or until I get pissed and leave to try and make me think the way you do? WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They express their feelings and the way they think they just do it in different ways. They try to change the world one person at a time and to me I really believe that's what it takes. Don't try to change everyone at one time. Take your time if you really believe in what you are talking about, you won't give up no matter how long it takes and if you get 3 people in your life to change then that 3 will turn into millions over time not over night. There is one person who won't give up on me about my religious beliefs...those who know me know who I am talking about so no need for names.
So in closing I will, for the first time answer the question "What do I like most about The Philippines?" That the beer is cheaper than a coke - just kidding.
The reason I like The Philippines is that PEOPLE ARE FREE TO BE WHO THEY ARE AND NOT JUDGED ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. (Now like everywhere you have your extremists, but they don't go on TV everytime something don't go there way and say seeeeeeeee I told you if you would do it my way this would not have happened.)
