It seems to me, that many of you have different opinions about this subject, also it shows me the depth of feelings about your situation and how you view your status here in UK.
What I often value very much is the opinion of my wife, like so many of you out there, a natural born Filipino, who has been born and lived most of her life in the Philippines.
I was having a discussion with a very good friend of mine, willieboy, who many of you may have seen on the forum from time to time, he has been going back and forth to Philippines for way over 20 years, and so it could be said, he knows something about the country.
We were lamenting on the cycle that some women go through, for example, they spend most of their life growing up in the conditions we have described, later, when they meet a nice guy, they get married and move to another country such as the UK.
Although some of the ladies have been well travelled in any event, many have not, and the first few months, may open their eyes up to the differences in many area's such that they can easily make a comparison between the 3rd world and the 1st.
They see many differences such as the economy, the flow of money, employment, infrastructure, health and social care, transport, and government agencies.
After about a year to 18 months, they become more bolder in their condemnation of the things that they are glad they don't have to put up with any more.
There is much evidence to support my claims, as far as qualitative evidence goes, many Filipino's have been noted as being rather short tempered in the Philippines when they make their nostalgic trips home, with tales of lands where the milk and honey fows, they send large cardboard boxes full of gifts, toys, clothes, and other items, again a demonstration of their new found lifestyle in a far away foreign land.
They enhance this, by obtaining employment in the casual jobs market, they then re-inforce and share their good fortune with inward bound remittances to send badly needed pounds to help those who are less fortunate in their family.
On arrival back in the land they left behind, they see so much more clearly, the cracks in the system, the poor infrastructure, lapsidaisical attitude of government agencies, the inadequate banking facilities, ATM's that are always "offline", and as some often remark, the crab mentality of the Philippines.
They see the resentment of those who criticise them for getting ahead in life, whilst others get left behind, in truth, they have become de-sensitized to the plight of their kababayan's who they left behind in many cases only 18 months to 2 years previously.
When things don't happen the way they expect, they become short tempered with those in authority, they remark at how things are so backward, and that "this would never happen in my country" they have in effect gone full circle.
No longer identifying with the snafu that prevails in the town or region where they spent most of their childhood and early adult life, they simply shrug their shoulders and lament on the fact that after all, this is only a holiday for them, and that in due course, they will return to the country that has now become thier home.
Many are often heard to remark "I could not live here, it s so hot, and how do people manage on little money"
They say this with all conviction, and there they go it can be said by the grace of GOD, they accept that life is a trade off, if they were rich of course they would be happy to go back to the land from whence they came, but in the meantime, until they win the lotto, the UK will simply have to do.
And at least its not hot in the summer, yes the sun comes out, but at a temperature they can stand, and anyway, at least they have their job and their money coming in.
The UK has many faults, too numerous to mention here, I had occasion to have a hospital appointment for a minor surgery on my toe some weeks ago, an IGTN can be a very painful experience for the peson who has to endure the constant biting pain, especially if like me you are driving as part of your job.
The appointment at my local outpatient clinic was set for a certain date, on 2 occasions the hospital receptionist called me and cancelled my appointment, I was furious, what was going on I though to myself, this is becoming like the 3rd world !
On a later date, I enventually was admitted to have my minor surgery, when I was on the operating table, I had occasion to get involved in a conversation with the junior surgeon who operated on my toe.
Suprise Suprise he was from Bangladesh, its funny, but they always seem to be from either Burma, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan or any other 3rd world country, such is the high desire of the educated in those countries to come here and study medicine.
I remarked to my surgeon on how long it had taken to get the operation underway, I again made a flippant remark at "This is becoming worse than the 3rd world"
My surgeon just simply smiled at me, and said "REALLY ? beleive me when I tell you, this is nothing like the 3rd world, your having treatment are you not ? come to my country, I will show you the 3rd world, I am lucky, I managed to get myself into a scholarship, and then into medical school, thankfully this country has programs which helped me become a Doctor, yes the UK has given me everything, when my parents came here in the 1970's we came with nothing, my father was a lay worker who had the equivalent of only 50p in his pocket at the time.
Your country took us in, gave us a house, education, welfare, and training, don't overly criticise your country too much, you have the key to the door here in the UK, be happy at what you have, you look well fed, and you seem to have a good job.
I was I felt slightly ashamed in having made a criticising statement about life in the UK, here was in my view a foreigner, telling me just how fortunate I really was, he had used all the opportunities in the UK that were offered to him, whereas many of my countryment do not embrace any opportunities, they complain and whine about the state of the country, while people like our Doctor friend, work quietly like the hedgehog, and secretly reach their destination while others are asleep.
I said it before, there may be many criticisms to level at our country, but we are most definately lucky to live here, so before we start pointing the finger, lets look at what we actually have, and then we will work out that life here aint so bad after all.
. But that was then.
)
Originally Posted by ginapeterb
