my girlfriends family all seem rich !!!!!

[ptaylor698]

I was just wondering bout this.

Ive been with my filipino fiancee for 5 yrs. Shes a junior doctor at the qe hospital in birmingham. This is my 4th visit to the philippines. I take interest in my fiancees family. She has six brothers and sisters. Looking at there lifestyles they all seem absolutely loaded !!!!. They seem to have multiple houses, business, lots of condominium, the latest cars, pick ups etc etc. The ones that work in saudi arabia seem incredibly well off !!!!. They seem to have a constant stream of people graduating - training to be architects, lawyers, doctors etc etc.

Im sitting at maes sisters house typing this and to be honest im really jealous of the lifestyle they have here. I just lead a simple life in uk.

Are all filipino families like this or am i only seeing one side of the story

[Doc Alan]

This is my 4th visit to the philippines... to be honest im really jealous of the lifestyle they have here.

Are all filipino families like this or am i only seeing one side of the story

I'm sure other members who know far more than I do about the Philippines will enlighten you, but I think you ARE only seeing one side of the story. The country has a higher proportion of extreme poor (those living on $1 a day or less) than does China or Vietnam. But the famed Filipino cheerfulness is impressive Some 9m ( 1 in 10 of the population) work abroad and send home over a tenth of the GDP which is helping consumption and housing .

[triple5]

Are all filipino families like this

You gotta be kidding. You've been 4 times Does she have any single sisters?

[KeithD]

5 Years.... Shouldn't you be married by now

You are viewing a small minority of life in the Philippines.....surely you've driven around and seen the 'norm'. Most of those that work are lucky to get £25 a week.

[raynaputi]

lucky u, u wont have problems with her and her family asking u for money..i think that she belongs to the few upper class/society of Filipinos..the only possible issue that might occur is when the family wud be worried if ud be able to provide ur gf as much or even more of what she can have now..but as what u said, uv been together for 5yrs so i think everything is fine then..in reality if ul go travel the Philippines, u'll see the bigger picture that a very big portion of people here are the opposite of ur gf's family's lifestyle. So good for u

[South-east boy]

Have you never travelled about when you've been over there the 4 times? Surely you will have seen or heard that for most people out there life is a struggle and not easy. If you think that you live simply, you should see how some of the poorer people live there. Yes, there are some well off people there (and my ex's family are quite well off there), but that is only a very small proportion. I guess if you have quite a large family and are quite well off, you'll have quite a few contacts for family members that are looking for new jobs as well.

[fred]

Here in Tagbilaran you see more brand new cars then old wrecks..These Mitsubishi Monteros and Strada and brand new Ford pickups are nothing out of the ordinary..In the 80`s anything new was a head turner but
no one even seems to look twice at the new Beemer people carrier here these days.
I admit..It doesn't add up but thats just how it is here these days.

[somebody]

Here in Tagbilaran you see more brand new cars then old wrecks..These Mitsubishi Monteros and Strada and brand new Ford pickups are nothing out of the ordinary..In the 80`s anything new was a head turner but
no one even seems to look twice at the new Beemer people carrier here these days.
I admit..It doesn't add up but thats just how it is here these days.

I dont know about that area but plenty of people In the wifes area doing ok it seems (they were fairly well off when she left) although some familys struglling with the exchange rates if provided for solely by ofws.

Plenty of the Wifes peers have jobs in Manila or the surrounding areas working for the uusal companies and quite a lot reading between the lines are copying the west and going credit crazy Which with the mentality of many phills i have met live today not save for tomorrow is a little worrying!!

[pennybarry]

What village she live? Forbes Park? White Plains?

There are some filipinas who are richer than their husband.
Nida Blanca and Lea Salonga.
I'm not sure with my husband and me.

[Arthur Little]

I was just wondering bout this.

Ive been with my filipino fiancee for 5 yrs. Shes a junior doctor at the qe hospital in birmingham. This is my 4th visit to the philippines. I take interest in my fiancees family. She has six brothers and sisters. Looking at there lifestyles they all seem absolutely loaded !!!!. They seem to have multiple houses, business, lots of condominium, the latest cars, pick ups etc etc. The ones that work in saudi arabia seem incredibly well off !!!!. They seem to have a constant stream of people graduating - training to be architects, lawyers, doctors etc etc.

Im sitting at maes sisters house typing this and to be honest *im really jealous of the lifestyle they have here. I just lead a simple life in uk.

Congratulations and So you've been courting your fiancee for five years? Wow ... that's a long time! Are you contemplating marrying her soon ... or ... have you decided to wait until Mae finishes her residency? Anyway, good luck either way; she certainly comes from an affluent and intelligent family ... and I'm sure there's many would envy *YOU!

[Arthur Little]

Are all filipino families like this or am i only seeing one side of the story

... Far from it! ... I mean ... surely it can't have escaped your notice ... considering the number of times you've visited the Philippines!

[nigel]

[Arthur Little]

Nigel ... there's more to life than making money, y'know!

[KeithD]

Nigel ... there's more to life than making money, y'know!

... yes.... like .....erm ...... I need help here ....

[raynaputi]

... yes.... like .....erm ...... I need help here ....

[KeithD]

FOUR people humping!!! Joe hiding behind the sofa, and Nigel doing what Nigel does

[IainBusby]

FOUR people humping!!! Joe hiding behind the sofa, and Nigel doing what Nigel does

[nigel]

Nigel ... there's more to life than making money, y'know!

Yes your right of course, and I know that, I just feel fantastic! Hey that icon almost looks like me!

[ptaylor698]

thanks for responding to me everyone - yes im getting married in 2011. I was just wondering if my situation is similar to other peoples. It seems the key to having a good life in philippines is education. Of all the cousins, neices, nephews there is only one thats not a graduate. To be honest i find it quite annoying being with them. We always spend time in makati etc when we are in manila. Id like to experience more real life here.There is one relative who thinks the rest of the family are walking cashpoint machines. But i guess having spent such a long time here i observe that whilst maintaining face with that person - to say shes not very popular is a bit of an understatement . Seems shes a bit of an outsider as everyone else is working so hard !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Anyway my observation here is that a good famil;y here like my future wifes have a very fair attitude towards supporting the family. I cant ever imgaine the professional ones giving all there money to people who want to just sit around drinking beer and smoking fags like that relative im referring too


Isn't this the way it should be !!!!!!!



I have a very nice relationship with them. I treat them well cos my investments here go a very long way. Likewise they treat me very well.

There does seem to be some very very rich people in the philippibes i think

[South-east boy]

Yes, Filipinos put a high importance on education, but having a good education there doesn't mean that you'll have a well paid job and comfortable lifestyle. So many girls that I've seen on dating sites have good qualifications, but still have no job and a lot that even have a job, even though they have good educations find that it isn't well paid (partly because of high unemployment & so many people chasing each job). I think it partly depends on where they live, contacts and luck in finding a good well-paid job.

[Arthur Little]

Anyway my observation here is that a good famil;y here like my future wifes have a very fair attitude towards supporting the family. I cant ever imgaine the professional ones giving all there money to people who want to just sit around drinking beer and smoking fags like that relative im referring too


*Isn't this the way it should be !!!!!!!

*I think MY wife ... a schoolteacher in the Phils for 22 years ... would be inclined to concur with your views, here!

[sars_notd_virus]

It seems the key to having a good life in philippines is education.

Yes education can be one of the factors than can give people good life in the future..
I can still hear my mum's saying 'finish school its the only legacy i can give you '..
i didn't finish any bachelor degree though i've worked with diff company and diff people which enriched and honed me skills.

The best factor for me in having a good life is,..sharing what u have,giving what u can give to your family..

best of luck for 2011 wedding!!!

[Arthur Little]

Yes, Filipinos put a high importance on education, but having a good education there doesn't mean that you'll have a well paid job and comfortable lifestyle. So many girls that I've seen on dating sites have good qualifications, but still have no job and a lot that even have a job, even though they have good educations find that it isn't well paid (partly because of high unemployment & so many people chasing each job). I think it partly depends on where they live, contacts and luck in finding a good well-paid job.

, Tim ... they DO indeed place a high value on educational attainment! And you're right, there are, unfortunately, many well-qualified Filipinos who find themselves either without work or - equally frustratingly - stuck in dead-end jobs for reasons that often happen to be beyond their control.

Sadly, ... it's been much the same situation HERE too for a long time, now ...

[Arthur Little]

, Tim ... they DO indeed place a high value on educational attainment! And you're right, there are, unfortunately, many well-qualified Filipinos who find themselves either without work or - equally frustratingly - stuck in dead-end jobs for reasons that often happen to be beyond their control.

Sadly, ... it's been much the same situation HERE too for a long time, now ...

... for instance, I stayed on at school - then left to take up employment at the Head Office of a worldwide Insurance Corporation that had been founded in Perth in 1885. With hindsight, I shoud've perhaps remained with that firm; however, after six years' service, I - like a lot of other young people at the time - decided "the grass would be greener on the other side" and moved on.

As it subsequently turned out, this proved to be a retrograde step [for ME, at least!]. There followed, various other clerically-orientated appointments in which I worked for the NHS, the local branch office of a leading building society and the former National Coal Board, prior to landing an administrative post in Social Services - where I spent the remaining 18 years of my working life.

In the interim, I attended evening classes at the then Perth Technical College. However, the qualifications I achieved THERE were, by the late 1970s, of infinitely less value than they HAD been when I was a school leaver and, consequently, proved to be of little use in terms of career development.

Somewhat sickened by my apparent lack of progress, I opted (or more accurately, pleaded) for early retirement in the 1990s - a decision (I have to say) I've never once regretted!

But that said, it's galling to think that a classmate of mine - who left school with NO academic qualifications - is a typical example of the "rags to riches" stories we hear about. Apprenticed to a local garage, he became a motor mechanic. Years later, he went into partnership with his elder brother - who'd trained in accountancy - and together they formed what has since mushroomed into one of Scotland's premier Motor Dealerships.

[Arthur Little]

So, for those interested ... ... the story of my life! Which is one of the reasons I've become so attached to THIS forum. When I first entered the "Caring Profession" in 1975, I'd had aspirations towards eventually training to be a Social Worker (my MAIN reasons for taking the preliminary qualifications mentioned earlier). However, my ambitions were thwarted by my bosses - who [rightly or wrongly] concluded that I would most likely over-involve myself in trying to help the less-fortunate element of Society ... to the detriment of my own family - whom HE believed would hardly ever see me as a result.

HERE though, on the forum, I have the opportunity to put those hitherto unfulfilled opportunities into practice - by being of service to others - based on my own personal experiences!! And THAT, my friends, has, in turn, led me to derive far greater "job satisfaction" than at any time in my entire working life! Simply to conjure up the elation ... the happy, smiling faces of fellow members who've obtained visas against seemingly impossible odds - and knowing I've played a part (however small) in their success - is more than "reward" enough!

[sars_notd_virus]

.

HERE though, on the forum, I have the opportunity to put those hitherto unfulfilled opportunities into practice - by being of service to others - based on my own personal experiences!! And THAT, my friends, has, in turn, led me to derive far greater "job satisfaction" than at any time in my entire working life! Simply to conjure up the elation ... the happy, smiling faces of fellow members who've obtained visas against seemingly impossible odds - and knowing I've played a part (however small) in their success - is more than "reward" enough!

Your doing a good job sir!!thanks

[nigel]

Wealth is not an privelage or a luxury, it's a basic birthright.

[Florge]

even if we ave qualifications, landing a good job in a good company also means that you come from a good, expensive school.. most companies in Pinas prefers graduates from such schools.. so even if lots of Pinays got degrees, they can still find themselves in low paying jobs...

[Arthur Little]

Your doing a good job sir!!thanks

... and thank YOU, Ma'am ... for saying so ... it's MY pleasure!

[somebody]

To add in Phill like everywhere is not what u know always. The Wifes little sister who is at a top uni (forgotten the name but near GMA's gaff) where nearly all the pupils go on trips abroad and most have a private flat in manila it seems which is the latest craze (luckily the Wifes little bro needs to live up town so not to bad a cost..)

While applying for internship it was nothing to do with CV's oh no it was who you had in your contact book. Luckily the Wife had a friend whos aunt had contacts very very high up in the company she wanted to work in to ensure she got placement. Which saved paying the "fee n expenses" some others appear to have had to pay..