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dan
06-07-2007, 04:36 PM
The Philippines through the eyes of a foreigner

23 April, 2007
by Barth Suretsky
Manila

My decision to move to Manila was not a precipitous one. I used to work in New York as an outside agent for PAL, and have been coming to the Philippines since August, 1982. I was so impressed with the country, and with the interesting people I met, some of whom have become very close friends to this day, that I asked for and was granted a year's sabbatical from my teaching job in order to live in the Philippines.

I arrived here on August 21, 1983, several hours after Ninoy Aquino was shot, and remained here until June of 1984. During that year I visited many parts of the country, from as far north as Laoag to as far south as Zamboanga, and including Palawan. I became deeply immersed in the history and culture of the archipelago, and an avid collector of tribal antiquities from both northern Luzon and Mindanao.

In subsequent years I visited the Philippines in 1985, 1987, and 1991, before deciding to move here permanently in 1998. I love this country, but not uncritically, and that is the purpose of this article. First, however, I will say that I would not consider living anywhere else in Asia, no matter how attractive certain aspects of other neighboring countries may be.

Read more.... (http://www.atinitonews.com/phpnews1/news.php?action=full news&id=17381)

Hensoldt
06-08-2007, 08:40 AM
Barth hit the nail on the head.

There are Filipinos who lack pride or even self-respect, that they'd rather be anything else than being Filipino. And what makes them be that way? Ignorance, selfishness, lack of interest about our history and the complete disregard for the well-being of our country.

Inferiority complex is such a debilitating illness of the soul.

Good find, Dan. Thanks for sharing.

mbstorun
06-08-2007, 09:53 AM
Foreigners can go anywhere without question. In my own personal experience, I remember attending recently an affair at a major museum here. I had forgotten to bring my invitation.

But while Filipinos entering the museum were checked for invitations, I was simply waived through. This sort of thing happens so often here that it's just accepted routine.


...this is exactly true! foreigners in the Phils. are being treated like a KING! even in the restaurants, you can see how they treat them compare to their fellow Filipino citizens..:(