I’ve been an expat in Philippines for a lot of years now, and I try my hardest not to get into the expat habit of running down the locals and Filipino culture, habits and practices. This is my home, my business Down Under Visa is here, and I have an intense aversion to looking backwards especially with rose-coloured glasses on.

I think actually it’s the rose-coloured glasses bit that causes most of the problems. All very easy to find the faults to pick on, especially when they appear to be faults that didn’t occur so frequently “back home”. I can remember years ago having a complain about the long list of needed corrections that I gave to our house-builder. Mentioned that to a friend in Australia, who said “Yes, sounds like getting a house built here.” Of course he was right, but I’d managed to forget about that.

Strange aspect of human nature, I tend to think. I remember moving to regional QLD in 1991 from Sydney, and noticing similar groups of ex-Sydney people comparing what Yeppoon and Rockhampton apparently lacked compared to Sydney! Weird when you think of it. The obvious question is “Why did you move, and/or why do you stay?” I wonder the same thing about the moaners and groaners here who go on about the slow service and the crowing roosters. Why NOT move back to Australia (or England, or America, etc) when it sounds like you left the land of milk and honey for somewhere nightmarish? Invariably it’s those who’ve been here the longest who complain the hardest. Why don’t they go back? Good question indeed!

I can’t speak for others, but I’ll tell you some of the reasons why I stay here myself. And I’ll also try to gently shatter some of the illusions that the rose-coloured glasses create about Australia.

Why does Jeff Harvie live in the Philippines?

I have practical reasons for living here. And I also lack family ties that would prevent me from living here too. Practical reasons revolve around it being easier to operate our Registered Migration Agent practice here. Proximity to clients in a fairly central place makes life a lot easier, as does the proximity to the Australian Embassy in Manila. And we can afford to employ the support staff we need to ensure a high level of accuracy in what we do. The Philippines suits us really well for that.

Other reasons?

Kindness of people: Nicest, most caring and easy-going people you would find anywhere. Young household staff member would go out of her way to get a chair for my mum because she’s elderly. Hotel staff happy to play substitute-babysitter if you need them to. Our office staff tend to do that too. Taxi drivers who are happy to carry bags. Relatives who will take a quick shower and then drive nine hours during the night because you need something, and never even once mention their “sacrifice”.

The smiles: People here smile for no apparent reason. They laugh easily. A stranger becomes a friend very quickly. And there generally needs to be a very good reason to be troubled by something. Attitudes of “When you said this, you must have meant this….” are rare. Head-games, guilt-trips and power-struggles are also rare. Everyone has moody and grumpy moments, including here, but it just seems to be that little bit rarer, and you’re far more likely to be greeted with a smiling face than to get a sour look or to be immersed in a heavy atmosphere.

More other reasons? Yes, life is cheaper here. You can get more done for your Aussie Dollar here than you can in Australia. Cost of living is lower, as is cost of land and most things. Getting someone to cut your grass, do your gardening, paint the house, etc, far cheaper here. You don’t need to book 12 months ahead to get to see the dentist, nor do you have a bill of $300.00+ for a single filling. There are huge malls everywhere which are open even on public holidays. You can take 30 people to a restaurant, and not need to take out a second mortgage to pay for it. Kids are respectful to adults. English is spoken and written everywhere. And the gentlemen out there will admit that the sweetest and prettiest girls in the world seem to come from the Philippines too. Plenty of positive things.

Are expats justified in complaining about the Philippines?

If they came from a perfect part of the world, I would say absolutely. If Australians (or Englishmen or Americans) got everything right at all times, I would agree with them. But it so happens I do not think this is the case.

The above reasons are just part of the reasons I like living here. And I think I like it more because I don’t have such an unrealistic view of life back in Australia either, therefore I’m OK if everything isn’t perfect at all times. I lived in Australia for most of my life, and there are many things (apart from Bowen Mangoes) I miss very much. I think we could say that it ranks pretty high amongst the “western” countries as a great place to live, and you don’t get too many Filipinas complaining after they settle there with their Aussie partner visas.

But I think some of us (myself included) can remember simpler times of old when most people considered a handshake as being more valuable than a contract, and where neighbours helped each other out with pouring the slab for the new shedn and where men were too proud to take charity and valued their own independence more than what they could get from others. These values are becoming rarer these days. Neighbours can live side by side for years without knowing each other, and young adults are less reluctant to take handouts from parents. And don’t get me started on morality and man-hating! Can be a wonderful country, but it’s not perfect. Nor is the Philippines.

My point is that if you choose to live here in the Philippines, or to visit here, or to marry a Filipina lady (or Filipino man) and are an Aussie-Filipina couple then you AND your wife or husband will be a whole lot happier if you can consider your glass to be half-full rather than half-empty. There are silly people here who can do some silly things, but there are also an abundance of the kindest people with the most sincere smiles and most infectious laughter you would find anywhere. Life’s too short to be miserable!