It would be safe to assume that most of our BLOG readers and Down Under Visa clients have been to the Philippines at least once. And if you haven’t, no doubt you’ll be heading here in the near future.

I remember my first trip here back in the 90’s. Despite having traveled to some challenging destinations in my youth, for some reason I was not mentally-prepared for how different it was to back home. I should have realised, but for some reason I just pictured swaying palms, cool ocean breezes and pretty girls. Yeah, I think that was the key to my lack of mental preparedness. My mind was on other matters!

Culture Shock – Philippines-style

So I arrived at Manila airport. The heat hit me. The crowds freaked me. The taxi drivers (this is back before there was any regulation of taxi drivers at the airport) fell on me like vultures and charged me US$10.00 to go to the domestic airport. I spent that taxi ride in a bit of a stupor. I won’t go into details of the girl I met in Tacloban, but I will just say that it was a few days before I started to get my bearings and I started to feel normal again.

As I was in my early 30’s back then (plus fairly “distracted”) I didn’t mind the cheap hotels, the jeepneys and the food at all. However now at the ripe ol’ age of 50, I’m a bit more particular about what I want. I’ve been here full time for over 5 years too, and the holiday-mode is no longer in full swing as it was back then. Like most ex-pats, I seek out the things that I like.

Obviously the degree that one does this depends on the individual. An older man coming here for the first time would be less tolerant of bathing in cold water or washing his bum after using the toilet as a broad-minded young man would be. I can well remember how I could wash and rinse myself with a single bucket of cold water and thought nothing of it. Now? No, I’m fairly fussy these days I admit.

Homesickness and cravings

And after we actually moved here, I found myself starting to crave certain food items too. Bread that didn’t have sugar in it. Bacon that wasn’t American-style sweet stuff. Actual sausages rather than longanisa or hotdogs. Aussie-style meat pies. And different cuisines like Indian food, or a proper kebab like you could easily find in Australia.

And whilst you may not feel strongly about this especially if you’ve only had a few visits here, even the most flexible amongst you will start craving a few home comforts. And you will like being able to catch up with a fellow countryman or two if you can find an Aussie-style pub somewhere.

We started an Aussie-friendly directory a few years ago, which you can find at www.australia.com.ph. A bit of a hobby, I suppose. Plus I find it helps me too, so it’s not entirely altruistic in intent. It’s just had a major revamp which has made it much easier to use.

And I’d like to ask two things:

1. Please visit the site, and please benefit from the listings. Sites are not all businesses owned or run by Aussies, but are those that we think Aussie will like and will feel especially comfortable with especially if they are feeling a bit homesick.
2. Also, could you please think of any places you’ve been, whether it’s a restaurant, grocery store, deli, butcher, hotel, pub, club, dentist, resort or whatever where you felt particularly comfortable, and could you please use the “add a free listing”?

Much appreciated. Hope you enjoy!