Recently, people have been writing me and asking advice on whether they should move to Australia or not. To be honest, that is such a hard question to answer even if generally, my blog entries about OZ since we moved have been quite positive. The fact is, what may work for me may not work for anyone else. That’s just how it is.
Besides, I don’t want to be blamed later on if things do not work out for anyone. If somehow, I may have given the impression that it is nothing but heaven here, read on. To all long-time Filos reading this, if I write anything not to your liking, don’t feel personally attacked. I know your take on life here may be vastly different from mine, and I say good for you. This is my take on this place after close to four months of living here. And a take based on such a short time might as well be as accurate or inaccurate as a snapshot of, say, a plane above (as I wrote on my article in Newsbreak). You don’t know if it is landing or taking off.
Life here is generally quite pleasant and there are a lot of things to be thankful for. OK, I may sound so parochial and petty after you read this list, but I AM grateful that there are:
-no tricyles. That means I do not wake up to the sound of motorcycle roaring which is getting more and more commonplace in Manila.
-no jeepneys.
-no out and out idiocy in the political scene (at least hindi lantaran dito pero I’m sure meron din)
-not too many grizzly murders, rapes, acts of cruelty and violence in the news (so far wala pa akong nakikita. But then, I only got a TV a month ago and hardly watch).
-No OA delivery of the news ala Mike Enriquez or TV Patrol complete with sirens and highly dramatic musical scoring. Sometimes I wonder though that maybe the reason why crime reporting seems so much more disturbing back home is because it is in the vernacular. Iba pa rin kapag sa sariling wika natin nadinig. If you don’t believe me, try saying the words describing your private parts in both english and Tagalog. O, ano ang mas ‘shocking’?.
-no TV station wars
-no debilitating traffic (OK, this is arguable if you’re coming from the city at rush hour)
-walang nagsisiga sa garden
-no pollution
-no long queues at government offices. Kung meron man, mabilis ang movement.
-no bumps or potholes on the road
-free health benefits (great!!)
-free tuition (fabulous! PET, CAP you can all go to hell!!). OK, it’s free unless you opt for private school. And yes, I know that college has to be repaid later on, but coming from the Philippines, the perks they offer to get educated are BIG DEALS.
-quiet neighborhood.
-nice to drive around.
-garbage is collected religiously
-I get to hang laundry and do the dishes (I love it. Believe it or not, these can be spiritual practices).
-prices though expensive, are stable
-friendly people
-strong showers
-a huge country to explore.
-a very family centered society.
-soccer fever!! I never thought I’d get into it.
Some of the things I miss
-our maids. Over here, if you don’t cook, you don’t eat. Much as I don’t like it, I actually (though grudgingly) respect it. It’s quite an admirable set-up. di ba?
If you don’t clean up, you live like a pig. But having said that, I still miss our kusinera and maids who keep our house clean.
-no great intellectual stimulation so far. I have not seen a really big bookstore like the Barnes and Noble outlets in the US. If there are, they aren’t that many. But luckily, I have discovered the Ken Wilber readers group here and I have attended meetings last June and this July. I still have to find the schedules and venues of authors, intellectuals, and teachers giving talks and workshops around here.
-too few bargains on things. Except for veggies and fruits at Park Lea at 4PM on Sundays, you don’t encounter really great buys the way you do in the Philippines. Maybe I just have to discover them.
-friends in Manila. Man, if I could just bring them all here.
-the party town atmosphere of Manila. People here are just not as fun as we are back home.
Some of the things that baffle me.
-When I applied for a business license, I scrolled on the possible descriptions that come closest to what I was applying for and saw “brothel’. (No, I wasn’t applying for a brothel permit, it was one of the businesses listed). Yes, prostitution is legal and there are cat houses everywhere. Television late at night can be quite racy including ads for meeting dates, and escort services and all that.
By itself, this does not baffle me since I have been to other countries that have this. What makes me scratch my head is that I find Aussies quite innocent and even quite conservative compared to many nationalities, and yet, they allow this. Hey, I’m not complaining!! It’s just a curious thing for me.
Some of the things I am not too crazy about
-Too many rules on everything (well, I appreciate it for some things, to be honest, but many of them are too rigid for my taste).
-Too many certifications for everything. You have to be certified to be, say, a tourist guide, pet trainer, a librarian, car painter, etc..I know people who had to repeat the training they got back home even if it was superior only because they were not certified locally. What a total waste of time and resources.
-Really long distances between places.
-Winter. Am a T-shirt and shorts guy. It’s getting harder and harder to dress like this lately.
-Cleaning the car. Cutting the grass.
-Getting out of a warm shower during winter.
-The dreariness of suburbia.
The houses look the same in many towns. Depending on one’s mood, this can elicit different reactions. The uniform ‘coiffured lawn and model home look’ everywhere can be disarmingly charming, or it can drive you nuts. Too much conformity everywhere for this artist. It’s hard to live in a right hand world if you are left-handed, ika nga.
-The so-called ‘local experience’ that employers look for before they hire you.
It’s the chicken and egg thing. They won’t hire you unless you have local experience but how do you get local experience unless you are hired? I know many qualified people having to undersell themselves so that they can get work. Sometimes you just have to shake your head in disbelief. Oh, if the local people only knew that many of the foreigners they are hesitant to hire are actually better than them–Clark Kents waiting to show their talents like Superman.
I’ve always felt that rich countries like the US, parts of Europe and even Aus should do more in encouraging their citizens to be more well-traveled, learn other languages and expose themselves to foreign cultures and customs. This way, they can be better judges or at least understand the background, character and capacity of immigrants within their ranks. Also, they can have a better, more enlightened take on the rest of the world. America is hardly waking up to the fact that with the way they are raising their kids without discipline and addicted to instant gratification, they will lose their superpower status in less than a generation. (Read Time Magazine). Their self-absorption and vanity is making them less likely to want to understand the rest of the world. Too many kids are dropping out of school. They have much to learn from Asians who go out of their way to understand the world..
-the super strict driving test.
I know there are virtues as to why this is so and one of them is that it saves lives. Having said that, it seems rather hypocritical though to demand such rigid compliance while doing the test (including matching OA head turning when you turn, and left turn signals when you leave the roundabout) when right outside the RTA and everywhere, licensed people on the road are not doing it.
-the super strict ID system.
If you have a ‘Maria’ before your name in one ID (say a passport)and none in another ID (say a license), you are inviting BIG TROUBLE. Sometimes, a little common sense could help in making things easier for everyone without sacrificing security. The spirit of the law should prevail over the letter of the law. But it’s not so in this country.
What I wish they could have here
-More commercial areas that are compact but exciting enough for young people to hang around in especially in the suburbs. Parks are nice but an Eastwood or Greenbelt type of setup, say, in areas like Norwest would be fabulous.
-More accessibly priced software and DVDs. OK, I know royalties have to be paid but can’t they find a way to bring down prices without resorting to piracy?
What I wish will not happen here
-that Australia becomes too much like the US in its economic policies, and its political world view. I was talking with some people and they expressed fear that in fact it is becoming so not just with its support of the US in Iraq and with the new laws on employment. In a similar article I read on the legacy of the Howard years, the Aussie writer pointed out that Australians have stopped thinking of themselves as ‘classless’, and have actually changed their view about how compassionate they are. They now look at themselves as ‘meaner’. If that is true, then it is sad.
-that multi-culturalism, a proud legacy of the pre-Howard years becomes a dirty word.I love SBS! There is much to learn from other cultures, and I salute SBS for continuing to promote this.
-that Australia abandons environmental protection for ‘progress’. Right now, Australia is the biggest exporter of coal in the world, which happens to be quite a dirty technology. And Australia still has to sign the Kyoto Protocol that will put a cap on its emissions. While this country has clean air and a well-cared for ecological system, the environment inevitably respects no national borders. Look at Chernobyll. If we dirty any part of the world, it will eventually get back to us. As they say, what goes around comes around!
Hi Jim, SBS is my favourite channel. Although about the encouraging well travelled people, I think one of the traits Australians, especially young Aussies have is that sense of adventure, of going out and exploring new things. Australia, being so far from many other countries, breeds many young Aussies eager to leave this end of the world and explore other countries.
Anyway, this sounds like the start of a great meme. I think I’ll make my own list about Oz just like this. Thanks!
I love this post! 🙂
i know!! mike enriquez just stresses me out! and i was amazed to hear him speak perfect straight english one time.
Politics is comedy here. And everything is a telenovela.
That the Phils. is an extremely pedestrian unfriendly country.
TV screams “bobofication of the nation” Even the local FHM and Maxim are so tacky and wit-less!
People on TV say “pramis” and “alavet!”
That we have to pay for extra mayo at Mc Donalds.
The Phils. is too damn small: you always end up dating someone who is someone’s ex.. or a friend’s cousin’s brother, or the classmate of your teamate’s boyfriend.. Isn’t there anyone we can date here without some sort of link? hahaha..
So true about the news delivery back home. I thought it was just me, because I love watching shows like 48 hour mystery, Dateline, or 60 minutes. But I’m now scared to watch t.v. patrol or any other investagative Philippine news shows. I think it’s not just the language though. I think they tend to show more violence with all the blood and gore. When I watched, I just get shock when suddenly they show everything with dead bodies and all. And most of the time, with no warning too like CNN or most western news shows.
for books, try the local libraries. you can also borrow dvds, cds, etc. they also hosts various activities. try your local community centre as well.
all the best!
It’s anonymous me again from above. So true also about government offices not having long lines and movement is faster. I guess it’s like that in most 1st world countries. I live in Japan and government offices are also like that. No long lines and when you go in, you go out in 30 minutes tops with whatever you went in there for done. I guess they are so efficient in doing the paperworks. And also for them work is work, so that there are no backlogs. Unlike in the Phils, if you go in for example to get a certified marriage certificate. It’ll take you the whole day or worst till the next week. Sometimes confronted by an employee saying, “can you come back, the person in charge of that is still having his merienda.” I love the Philippines too. I think that we have really talented and intelligent people. Sayang lang, I guess we just have to change our bad habits as a people. Here in Japan, when they work it’s really worktime for them. So that when it’s time for them to party they really party too.
The pros on your list are really great deals, while some of those on your cons, such as maids, fun atmosphere, I would personally say I could go without.
Great lists. What I wish for is for Americans to stop thinking the world ends around the borders fo the U.S. except when going for spring break in Mexico. Sigh. Sometimes I’d like to move too, away from this country. But every country it seems, has their cons.
“-I get to hang laundry and do the dishes (I love it. Believe it or not, these can be spiritual practices).”
I thought I was the only one experiencing this. Actually any manual and repetitive labour does the trick. Lately it’s been cooking.
If you hate the winter in aussie you’d hate NZ more! hahaha…
apojim,for books try Boarders an american own company and Dymocks located at Pitt Mall in the city and at Parramatta.
Tito Jim,
On the subject of the local experience requirement:
Noong bagong salta ako rito, nasa gitna ng recession. Hindi ako matanggap sa trabajo dahil wala nga akong local experience. Ang payo sa akin ng Job Club noong araw ay mag-VOLUNTEER WORK.
May isang magandang loob na training manager sa isang tanggapan na pumayag akong mag-VOLUNTEER WORK. Nakatatlong buwan din ako roon at marami akong natutunan bagama’t walang kita.
Noong nag-apply ako sa pinapasukan ko ngayon, tinanong ako noong hiring manager kung bakit ako pumapayag na magtrabajo nang walang sahod. Sabi ko, kasi hindi ako matanggap sa trabajo dahil nga wala akong local experience. Tanging paraan lamang iyong volunteer work upang makamit ang local experience. Ang isa pa, wika ko, mas mabuti na iyong may ginagawa at natututunan kaysa sa natutulog maghapon. Ayon, tinanggap akong FULL-TIME PERMANENT kaagad! Ngayon mag-14 years na ako rito! Ang masasabi ko lang: walang tatalo sa tiyaga!
On the subject of strict driving tests, sabi ninyo kinakabahan kayo kay Ala. E ba’t pumasa siya ng ONE TRY? Siya pala ang pinakamahusay!! 😀
Bakit sila mahigpit sa driving test? Siempre, kasi magbabayad ka tuwing kukuha ka ng test. Mas marami silang kikitain kung uulitin mo ang driving test!
Bakit sila maluwag sa mga barumbadong driver sa kalsada? Kasi hinihintay nilang mahuli ng speed o redlight camera ang mga iyon para KUMITA na naman sila!
T: Anong hanapbuhay ang pinakamalaki ang kita?
S: Stripper: KITA LAHAT!
Iyon lamang po.
-JT of Dural
you’re so right jim about the news even here in the states when you turn on the tv nothing else going on except for the violence going on.it seems they nothing better to say,they all so pre-occupied by ratings
“-walang nagsisiga sa garden”
hahaha panalo! natawa po ako dun ha.
what an entry. i hope people back in Manila will read what you’ve just written.
hope you’ll be happier there in Oz!
Tito Jim,
Padagdag:
Kung nais ninyong makatipid sa software, samantalahin ninyo ang student edition. Si Mio ay mag-aaral kaya maaari siyang bumili ng student edition.
Sa DVD naman, online ako umoorder ng DVD: http://www.ezydvd.com.au. Laging may discounts ang site na ito.
-JT of Dural
Mr Jim, I agree for the most part on all your observations and your take on pros and cons. Even more impressive is the insight you provide on where Australia may be headed and the challenges it faces in terms of its continued economic competitiveness (i.e. how our environment, work relations, and overall character and disposition of Australians may be compromised in the process). To acquire that perspective in just four months of living here is an achievement in itself!
One thing I found interesting was your take on the dreariness of suburbia and the lack of commercial areas to hang out in. You may want to check out older residential areas (nearer the coast) — notably the Eastern suburbs, North Shore and Sutherland Shire. That dreariness you observed I believe is a result of “modern” development approaches where zoning is a bit more harsh compared to older suburbs where streets are laid out a bit differently resulting in commercial areas consisting of small shops that are more tightly knit to peoples’ dwellings. The mallification of retail in the newer Western suburbs is probably what has killed many of the small mom-and-pop shops that give older suburbs that quainter Old-World feel and atmosphere.
Intellectual stimulation? There are definitely a lot of book readers here (maybe because good public transport provides people the opportunity). But then there are the blights on intellectual progress such as Big Brother (which occupies several hours of prime time on Channel Ten every week) which promote instant gratification and decadent — often boorish — behaviour.
Good stuff!
honestly, i don’t watch the news programs here. documentaries can still pass, but the news? i would rather read the papers, which i don’t do often.
as always, there are pros and cons in our every move. we just have to adapt to whatever situation we are in.
God bless you.
lots of information…nice!
Hi Jim,
Re-local experience, another thing to do aside from doing volunteer work is to enrol in short-term or long term courses at TAFE para madaling makakuha ng trabaho. May guidance counsellor sila to advise on what courses will suit the person at meron din silang contact with employers who usually advertise job vacancies.
Some uni graduates here enroll at TAFE for hands-on-application dahil most of the subjects offered in uni are theoretical.Iyong ibang employers ay pinagaaral ang employees nila sa TAFE at least once a week instead of providing on-the -job training.
Minsan ay may employers din na nagha hire kahit walang local experience.As long as you have the “I can do” attitude at qualified ka talaga to do the job…YOU are hired!
Best of luck.
The average Australian is predisposed to being outside and being active, and consequently is not particularly interested is trudging around a mall at every available moment. Malls are, by default, popular in the Philippines (and especially in Manila) because they provide the only clean (although this is questional given the vehicular emmissions in these areas), safe, public areas. Australians are more inclined to be at the park, the beach or the neighbour’s pool rather buying handbags and sipping soya-cinos at the mall.
I find the comment regarding Australian’s ‘worldliness’ is way off the mark. The very fact that Australia is an immigrant nation would suggest otherwise? We are a nation of peoples whose ancestral roots are elsewhere. How inherently more worldly can we be as a nation?
If you are worried what is install for Australia’s future then you need not fear. For the last 20-30 years (atleast), the rite of passage for ever increasing number’s of young Australian’s is to set of for their ‘overseas experience’ (OE) after finishing high school or university.
Apo Jim, I love reading your site. I had exactly the same sentiments when I first moved here 11 years ago. It was a rather difficult transition, in fact I wanted so much to go back home. After a while I got used to the Australian way of life and am much happier now.
That Australia is a family centered society is indeed true – our kids were born here (aged 8 & 2) and yes we longed to have some sort of help like a ‘yaya ‘ but left without a choice, we did everything on our own – hands on ika nga – from changing nappies to washing, and getting up in the middle of the night for feeding , and the list goes on… a lot of hard work, but we found the experience so spiritual and fulfilling. By not having a maid who would do things for us, we (hubby and I) learned to share the load of childcare and housework, and somehow this whole situation , that of sharing and caring has enriched our lives especially our relationship even more.
In regards to encouraging Aussies to discover the world, I think that is one of their greatest traits. They could go without non essential things like buying brand name stuff just so they could save up for that much desired overseas trip.
More power!
Chaz-I’m glad to know that Aussies are great travelers. I sense an openness about them that I like.
doranne-Mike Enriques is a friend actually. He does not really talk like that. Yes, ang liit ng Pinas. Ang lawak ng mundo. Travel whenever you can. That’s my motto.
anonymous–thanks for the advice and the sharing.
tintin–indeed. Every country has its cons.
senorito–I can imagine ang lamig diyan sa kiwiland.
lupalop–tnx for advice
jt of dural–great sharing. That’s a good idea and attitude to have.Will use Mio’s student status to do that.
wys–ha ha. glad na-aliw ka.
benign0–Ya, I know what you mean. The burbs con’t have the old world charm that places near the city do. Personally, I would move closer to the city but I can’t afford it. I’m still not earning enough dollars yet and still counting in Pesos. ha ha.
jey, jazzy–thanks.
Anonymous–glad you find resonance with my experience. I actually like it both ways–having a maid and not having one. Many times I do enjoy the chores. Kung minsan lang, nakakapagod!! I can relate to the spiritual aspect of manual labor though.
Good observation Jim. In my view, Australia is only for those who are willing to take risks.
And I also believe that racial prejudice is still very much practiced around here although in a subtle way. I have been to other countries as well, but dito ko lang talaga na feel na, they get jealous of you once you get the success that you know and they know you deserve and that they try to put you down and discourage you anyway they can.
For me, there are only 2 great things in this country: Good Health System and HECS for those who want to study at a university.
There still is no place like home Jim. You’ve lived a privileged life back home that is probaby why hate those tricycles and jeepneys over there and miss those kusineras and maids but for us those are exactly the reasons why we live here. To help our families over there so that they won’t be tricycle and jeepney drivers or maids and kusineras for people like you. The biggest problem in the Philippines kasi is the big gap between the rich and the poor. The rich people getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
The thing I love about Australia is the mix of different cultures. I also like how they take care of their people and look after their welfare. HECS is fantastic for me since I work full time and doing my post grad part time. Although the tax system here is much more rigid and we get taxed in a higher bracket only second to Scandanavia, we at least can see the improvements in infrastructure — therefore no potholes of any kind!
I am looking forward to raising my own family in this wonderful country. I am getting married next year to a wonderful Aussie/Pinoy and I believe the mix of two cultures will benefit our kids.
Love your blog, by the way. I am very happy that you’re enjoying yourself in “the land of plenty”
Hi Sir Jim,
Good morning from Manila!
I guess paradise, heaven, or nirvana are really places of our choosing.
Living in Quezon City or Manila, especially during the rainy season, is next to nearly impossible. Nothing says third world more shockingly than having to trudge through the flooded expanse of Espana from Vicente Cruz all the way to Maceda or Quezon Avenue from Santo Domingo to Banawe. Street kids seem to like this though and they frolic like heck in those disgusting waters.
Coming home in the wee hours of morning from supervising some video editing work in Congressional Avenue Quezon City, I had ridden a cab and went through Quezon Avenue in one of the heaviest downpours I had ever seen — I could see no more than a few hundred meters ahead. As usual, some stretches of Quezon Avenue were under water and some of it leaked into the cab I was riding, causing the cab driver to curse a bit under his breath.
As my cab turned left on D Tuazon — this street was also flooded — just before Welcome Rotonda, I noticed a small goto lugaw (porridge with stewed beef guts) stall serving a huddle of tricylce drivers. I bade the cab driver to stop by the stall so I could buy some goto. I waded in ankle deep waters towards the goto stall as the cab driver scratched his head.
When I got home, my wife was awake and we shared the lugaw. Eating quietly. In that moment, and I don’t know why, it seemed like heaven on earth.
I hoped the cab driver got home safe too and said a little prayer for him.
Good musings Jim…
In addition:
Three great advice I received
when I moved abroad:
1. Buy real estate as soon as you can afford a downpayment (I ignored it, to my regrets).
2. End your shower with a shot of cold water. (I followed–I rarely get sick–in more than 23 years)
3. When a local chick says to you “Gerrari here!”–she doesn’t really mean it (ignored it too–I didn’t score-ha-ha).
What a thoughtful and honest entry, as usual. I also like the contrast shared by Paul Farol above.
Immigrating to any country do turn our lives (to some degree) upside down. But, that teaches us flexibility, humility, and most esp — the dignity of labor. The systems in the U.S. (to a large degree) are great equalizer. It’s so unlike back home. A country synonymous to a Feudal soceity. It’s who-you-know, and what’s your last name.
Here, it takes years to get over the loneliness of the suburban blah and get accustomed to the different lifestyle. It took me 10 years before I could completely admit I love the U.S. Despite all the perks –yes, there’s no place like home. I am just your run-of-the-mill nationalist by heart. Oh yeah, “perfection” do make us feel inadequate.
But, when we are totally acclimated, we can’t admit we could relive the lifestyle we used to live back home, long-term either.
But, I cannot forget how the simplicity of being together and sharing lugaw or fish balls and Tru Orange at the Kanto brought so much happiness to us back home.
It’s not the change of environment that provides us with what we truly yearn for. No place or things could fill that. There’s definitely pros and cons, everywhere.
Henry Ford (a wise capitalist) stated so succinctly:
“The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had means, time, influence, and educational advantages, but what he will do with the things he has.”
Namaste,
Gabriela
I admire you and your family for taking on this big challenge of migrating to another country where everything is new. My father has also been telling my siblings and I to eventually make plans to migrate to another country in the near future. My cousins and friends have also been making plans already to migrate to other countries. It’s all been very scary for me. And personally I cannot imagine living anywhere else permanently except here in the Philippines. I’ve recently moved cities (from QC to Cavite) and it’s been hard. What more if I had to move countries?
But yes, as with every decision waiting to be made, there are pros and cons to it. Everyday, I’m just praying that I’m always making the right decision. I haven’t failed so far. And I pray that when the time comes that I have to decide whether to leave or stay in the country, I will be making the right decision.
Thank you for being honest about the issue of migration. There have been comments where the migrants have always been biased towards their new countries and are, therefore, not very informative and helpful.
What a great list. I agree, not many places for young people to hang out at night. There’s Fox studios and I know that in Macarthur the new Westfield extension has a strip of restaurants right next to Borders but nowhere near the night life of, say, Glebe, Newtown or Leichhardt.
For big bookstores, a few years ago there was a big bruhaha about Borders opening at the risk of taking business away from smaller, specialist bookstores. So I think in general, Aussies prefer non-generic, non-American stores and that’s why you won’t see any huge Barnes & Nobles in the near future. For book bargains, Newtown and Glebe have lots of second-hand bookstores. There’s one in Newtown on King St (towards Sydney Uni) that basically has books from floor to ceiling. It’s awesome.
The strict driving tests are, I believe, partly to do with trying to minimise fatal car accidents involving young drivers, and also ensuring that overseas drivers can apply the driving rules. Put it this way, the phrase ‘Asian driver’ is not exactly a compliment. Not saying it’s right, but I think the RTA is erring on the side of caution. And I think they’ve done very well in terms of reducing car accidents involving P-platers.
Finally, we do have OA Filo news – Teledyaryo on SBS. 🙂
The accrediation process has it merits; it gives you the assurance that you are dealing with a person who is trained and competent in that particular field. our experience has shown us that a lot of people in the philippines do things by ‘oido’.
Hurray on this statement:
“that Australia abandons environmental protection for ‘progress’. Right now, Australia is the biggest exporter of coal in the world, which happens to be quite a dirty technology. And Australia still has to sign the Kyoto Protocol that will put a cap on its emissions. While this country has clean air and a well-cared for ecological system, the environment inevitably respects no national borders. Look at Chernobyll. If we dirty any part of the world, it will eventually get back to us. As they say, what goes around comes around!”
Jim,
Let me add something to your observations:
Whan I was back in the Philippines,
being that my family were not that well-off to travel to far off places, I found really nothing wrong with the Philippines. I actually loved everything about the place. The reason is, at that time, I couldn’t compare it with any other place. I could live in Somalia for all you know and I would still call it my home with no complaints. But when one gets a taste of other places–(like USA)
specially the weather, it’s kind of hard to go back–the heat, the crowd, the rain. I still have a lot of good memories of the Philippines–the 10 centavo jeepney fare, the baha, my trip to Boracay when it was still a mere island (we ate locally raised chicken–as hard as rubber), simbang gabi, Pasko at Bagong Taon, Ginebra San Miguel, basketball, ice cold San Miguel Beer sa Tibs, Pandesal, Fiestas, Sakla, Beto-beto, Pusoy, Jingle magazine, at marami pang iba. 🙂
No “first world” country can replace that.
anonymous-You are probably right. There is discrimination in aus although I have not experienced it. But I venture to say that there is discrimination everywhere. Sa Philippines, it’s economic, class discrimination. A mere carpenter will not dream of entering say, a hotel. Why not? Because he does not feel comfortable.
But many people everywhere have thrived despite the odds. Which also brings up a valid question as well. How much of discrimination is self-imposed?
I don’t like trycicles and jeeps because there are just way too many of them now. They are noisy, polluting, and their drivers generally have no sense of being neighborly by taking over entire streets, making them talyers and driving recklessly. And when they are disciplined, they cry discrimination!
jennie–HECS is really something. I also love the public libraries. They really promote education and literacy.
Paul-Despite the discomfort of the rainy season, it is also my favorite time of the year. I remember growing up in Santa Mesa where I used to walk through the floods. There’s something so ‘soulful’ about rain that makes one so intimate with ones’ feelings.
Gabriela–Either a man is happy being himself or he is not. A place or a situation will probably tweak the level by plus or minus 15 degrees generally. Ika nga, the same ‘zen’ I am enjoying in Aus is probably the same zen I brought with me.
anonymous-I’m looking at real estate this early!
ray– you are right. Things by themselves are quite ‘perfect’ until you see the other side. I think the key to happiness is the ability to remain happy regardless of comparisons. Nothing can compare to the good times we had back home because they are about who we have become. No amount of money or first world amenities can take out that happiness.
hazapafis–wherever life takes you, may you discover the greatness that you possess. good luck
kat_o+–thanks for the tip. will check them out.
anonymous–of course the accreditation process has its merits. And there are many. It just does not have the mechanism to recognize experience and expertise gained outside Australia. And what’s wrong with oido? If anyone can learn anything competently outside of the formal system, there should be a way to integrate his talents and utilise them. The Beatles, many great painters, artists,in many parts of the world are ‘naturals’. Some need formal education to do things. Others just grasp things intuitively. The bane of too much formalism is it does not recognise these.
check mio please.
my curiousity here; does OZ also have a law that hold that chids’ parent or guardian responsible if a minor child is not enrolled or going to school?
Int he US parents are taken to court for this.
Hi Jim,
Nice to see you share your insights regarding OZ.
Just arrived here in NZ over a month ago. Still adjusting to the very cold winter as we are in the South Island and this winter has been described as one of the coldest in years. I find the people here generally very warm, friendly and helpful. As I am not in Auckland or Wellington, I do not have the access to the Filipino community support groups, Filipino stores, etc.
We must all keep in mind, there is no perfect place, there are always pros and cons for any place. The final decision will always come from us.
Hoping to exchange experiences with you in the future.
Cerridwen said…
my curiousity here; does OZ also have a law that hold that chids’ parent or guardian responsible if a minor child is not enrolled or going to school?
– Yes there is. People 16 and under are required by law to go to school.
cerridwen–yes. When we we first came here five years ago, Mio was so surprsied wwhen a truancy officer approached him in the mall and asked why he was not in school.
anonymous-will be glad to exchange notes on life in OZ and kiwiland. Must be a lot lonelier but also more beautiful there.
I’ve heard that Great Britain colonized and started Australia as a penal colony. All the killers, robbers, rapists and other criminals in Britain were shipped to Australia.
That Australia was able to transform itself into a great nation that it is today is nothing but phenomenal.
Unfortunately the opposite is happening in the Philippines.
It is becoming a nation of killers, robbers, rapists and beggars.
Hey Apo Jim, if you are looking for a place with that old world charm,sans the hustle and bustle of the city, the Blue Mountains is the place to be. Leura offers a treasury of fine restaurants, coffee shops and trendy little shops — also a nice place just to hang around in. Blackheath has that quainter feel, your family will love the atmosphere. It’s like going back to the old world. The houses are pretty ,(no two are the same unlike the suburbia), and the gardens offer a relaxed atmosphere – great for meditation ! , not to mention the spectacular and breath taking views of the mountains and the Megalong Valley. I must also mention that it’s a place where you could brush elbows with some Aussie celebrities who have chosen the tranquility of the mountains to be their abode. As for real estate prices, they are definitely more realistic than the places close to the city.
Anonymous said…
“I’ve heard that Great Britain colonized and started Australia as a penal colony. All the killers, robbers, rapists and other criminals in Britain were shipped to Australia.”
Au contraire… most of the so-called “criminals” or “convicts” were actually people who mostly committed theft/robbery. Hardened criminals such as rapists and killers were usually sentenced to death and never made it to Australia. For some people leaving one’s beloved country for some unknown land to start over one’s life is a punishment to be reckoned with.
your children seem to be having a hard time adjusting tho… they sound miserable in some of their blog entries…
…legacy of the Howard years…
I noticed that no one has commented on this. Personally, I was saddened when Howard won the election from Paul Keating. Keating has said – if you change the government, you change the society – and that has come to fruition. What saddens me even more is that many Filipino-Australians and other migrants actually fall for Howard’s line of superior economic management. I think most of these are the ones who have been here longer at medyo “naka-angat” na. I can not believe that they would support a man like Johnny. From the Hawke-Keating years when the concept of the social safety net (“walang iwanan!”) was a strong guiding principle, now we have government that caters to the interests of the privileged few. I hope it’s not too late to turn the tide. Jim, I hope you stick it out and (eventually) become a force for a better Oz.
anonymous–will check out the area. Sounds nice. I just don’t know if I can afford it.
anonymous and jennie–a few days back, I heard a radio commentator say that a lot of aussies have come to terms with their convict past and are actually proud of it and how much they have moved forward.
De la Costa, the Filipino historian says that no people in the world possess characteristics that are permanent. We as a race are going through some bad times. I do not believe we are hopelessly corrupt. Just as Aus had a past, we also have a future if we work at it.
anonymous–yes. my kids have their bad days,. It seems that winter isn’t good for tropical people like us. We just have to go though it. Like everything, this too shall pass.
anonymous–personally, I do not support Howard and his party. They are sounding more and more like George Bush and the Republicans who I do not have any respect for. I prefer the egalitarian philosophy that other politicians espouse. The Hawke-Keating years alas may be gone forever although I hope it isn’t so.
Hi Jim,
I am amazed with your “balance sheet” of your personal experience living in a foreign land. I am now contemplating on creating a balance sheet of my own since arriving in Canada in June 30,1993. I haven’t been home to the Philippines since leaving home and I will always feel a sense of guilt and betrayal of not being home to be a part of the rebuilding process.
The Philippines is a nation in transition. It is still a young nation still looking for a one and unified identity. I completely agree with our fellow Filipinos living away from home…we Filipinos are original and unique from the world. Mayroon tayong “pakikiramdam”, hospitable in any and every way…hindi na kailangan ng appointment at imbitasyon para magkita sa isang pamamahay, masipag, mapakawanggawa at kalinga sa isa’t isa at mahilig mapagpatawa kahit mahirap ang buhay.
Wow, the list goes on and on. I am proud to be an agent of spreading our Filpino values, principles and virtues here in Canada. I hope one day we can all go home and be part of rebuilding the Filipino nation.
Hanggang sa muli.
…The Hawke-Keating years alas may be gone forever…
It is sad to contemplate this possibility, and I think there is still hope. I believe that the majority of Australians (including migrants) are better people than what Howard represents. It’s just unfortunate that we now have a bunch of politicians who have become expert in the art of the “wedge” and divide the community to further their interests.
Hi Jim and to all my fellow bloggers,
Please check out the weblink:
http://www.thecorporation.com
The documentary is very powerful, enlightening and disturbing. I believed to instill change in our societies is to have the power to know and disseminate progressive ideals and sustainable development philosophies. To value each living creature as “one” and interdependent is a must for the surivival of the planet.
Thanks!
apo jim, have u read ur sons recent entry on his blog
he is bored out of his mind.
if he can swim back , he would.
how are the other kids adjusting?
an intelligent comments made by bass poet and I have the same opinion with his observation in most topic he discussed. Keep on bloging kabayan.
bass poet–I also believe that we are a great people and we will wake up one day and live it. We really have what it takes. We just have to be more serious about where we want to go.
The corporation seems l.ike an interesting movie. Will watch out for it.
anonymous–oo, nagbublues yung bunso ko, The three of them go through their episodes. Ala has been great since she passed her RTA license test. It was great psychological jump for her. I ex[ect more of these ups and downs from EACH ONE OF US.
Apo Jim –
It’s so wonderful to have discovered your blog. I was a big fan of Apo Hiking Society when I was a kid back in the mother land.
Just a question about life in Australia, how are the aboriginal folks treated there today? And in terms of race relations, how are, as we call it here in the US, “people of color”, that is, non-whites, treated there? Have you encountered any racism? I’ve been living in the US (San Francisco) for over 20 years, and though SF is known for its multi-cultural flavor, I know racism still exists. I’m just curious how it is there.
Many thanks! I enjoy the spirit of your dailies.
Peace,
LaraGitara
wow. at long last i have read something about real life experience in Australia, from an immigrants POV. As i read this particular entry, i can say that Australia is pretty much the same as Canada.
And the things you miss here in Manila are the very same things that Fil-Canadians miss out there. Now I’m thinking hard on where to settle someday after (and if) my immigration thing to Canada is approved and processed. For my future family, i’m leaving Manila. If i’ll stay single all my life, i will prefer staying here. in the end, i still wish to retire here in my native land. it’s my home, and nothing can replace a home. 🙂
Physicians need rapid access to the best current evidence on a wide range of clinical topics. But where to find it? Textbooks are frequently out-of-date, and we don’t have the time to perform literature reviews while the patient is waiting.
BETs were developed in the Emergency Department of Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK, to provide rapid evidence-based answers to real-life clinical questions, using a systematic approach to reviewing the literature. BETs take into account the shortcomings of much current evidence, allowing physicians to make the best of what there is. Although BETs initially had an emergency medicine focus, there are a significant number of BETs covering cardiothoracics, nursing, primary care and paediatrics.
You’ve introduced the subject so well I am at a loss on exactly where to begin.
My balance sheet as an immigrant reflects 27 years away from the Philippines, and I am over 40. Nevertheless its been a constant source of reflection for me, and hardly a day goes by that I don’t make an entry in the ‘books of account’….
Also the analogy of a balance sheet could be more appropriate than one would think. The balance sheet is a picture at a point in time of an entity’s financial affairs. At different points of the lifecycle, it will naturally look different. Not a bad way of looking at this journey we take is it?
Like you I love strong running drinkable water. One of life’s essentials.
Housework – it is one of life’s ‘pause’ moments. It’s folding the clothes that does it for me. My mind drifts over the day, about life, about people around me. A spiritual moment as you describe it. With dishwashing, I am too busy with the minutiae my mind can’t roam. I am not sure if that says more about the difference in how we wash the dishes or our relative intelligence.
Intellectual stimulation. I am actually a great advocate of the Sydney Morning Herald. Try the Saturday edition in particular. I think it must be one of the world’s great broadsheets. Compared to the LA Times, the Daily Telegraph is an intellectual tome, and the SMH must be virtually unfathomable. If you want more, you can always look at the inside section of the Friday Australian Financial Review. That can be very academic at times. Loses me most weeks I must confess. It’s hard to generalise on this one. It may well be that you are suffering from withdrawal as much as anything. Also you haven’t tapped into the networks here so give it a bit of time. If you are really desperate we can always meet for a beer.
If you want crime, there’s plenty that goes unreported. Spend a day at the Dowling Street courts in the city. You will see crime, misery, and people trapped in that cycle.
There are times here when substantive issues are discussed in a constructive way at the political level. Sure there is no idiocy, but I am still grievously disappointed with the Australian love affair with John Howard. The fact that the electorate continues to vote for that duplicitous rat tells me I will always have irreconcilable differences with the mainstream.
Bargains? – Why do you think we go the US for holidays?
I make the point that prostitution is legal in Australia, but society as a whole is respectful of women. Contrast that with the Philippines, where prostitution is illegal, next to Thailand I would think that the country would be Asia’s largest fleshpot – what’s going on?
I have to agree with you that much of the houses in Australia are bland, having a homogenous character. But try buying the North Shore Times and look at the real estate ads and the places inside. Deceptively bland façade, boxlike structures, but very tasteful interiors. However in all the ads I have seen, I have never ever seen a decent stereo. Something wrong there. Plenty of money but there can’t be too much soul without music.
What Australia offers is a decent shot at a decent life. It’s possible that the US offers more of this opportunity. That’s another subject in itself.
I like how Australia can have such clear blue winter skies. I love the beaches. I love the South Coast. I love the irreverence. I love Sydney Harbour, even if I live 25 km away from it. I love Guinness. I love Australia’s egalitarianism, even as it comes under attack. I love the ABC, 702 and 92.9.
I could do without the high cost of living, especially in Sydney. I could do without traffic. Until Pauline Hanson and John Howard’s Tampa, I thought Australia had outgrown racism. The politics of fear has transformed Australia, I feel. The problem is the lack of credible alternative – but maybe that will change. We can but hope.
I miss a certain level of intellect. Australia loves its sport more so than its intellectuals. That’s why my daughter plays soccer instead of piano. No matter I will ensure she gets her artistic stimulation from my music collection, including the APO Hiking Society CDs siempre. She actually likes it I am glad to report.
If I were offered enough money to live well in the Philippines I would still avoid it like the plague. Why? Maybe I’ll get on to that some other time. For starters I would refer you to my hero J. Anastacio – aka “Nasty” – remember him?
But all that said we are all travellers in this world and it is up to us to find our peace wherever we are. You’ve given me an opportunity to talk about this and in all my years away from the Philippines I have not been so inspired. So thanks for that and I do hope we get to solve all these problems – maybe over a beer sometime.
laragitara–aborigines here are generally n ot in a good place. The history of their colonization is a black spoit in the the birthj of this nation. It is a credit though that Aussies have taken the step to redress the issues. Some will say too little too late, some will argue that it is enough. I don’t know. Racism is probably everywhere, australia includefd though I have not experienced it. As I always say, discrimination can come in many forms. In our country it is largely social and economic.
jaym–I thoroughly enjoyed your long post and I will take your advice on many things. And yes, I wish to take some time later on to have that beer even if I don’t really drink.
I too love the egalitarian character but feel that Howard and his ilk want to reshape this country into another US, and a Republican run one at that. Sad.Though I am not yet alllowed to engage in politics, I will be a keen observer of the next election.
election here passes like as if wala lang. you will not even know that day na may nagyayari na botohan. no smear campaign or even left and right posters! iba talaga sa atin, ang gulo!
I beg to differ slightly with Jaym as I believe there is some idiocy gaining some ground here. Reality shows now dominate television and the show Big Brother now takes up several hours of prime time slots every week.
However, this is still nothing compared to the idiocy in the Philippines which has already been institutionalised to such a profound degree as to boggle the mind.
I do agree though that there is too much emphasis on sport. And there is this bizarre paradox of prevailing unemployment whilst apprenticeship and recruitment agencies are actually sourcing skilled workers overseas. Don’t know if focus on sport and skills shortage are related but I do subscribe to the notion that if you focus your kids on academic excellence early on, they are more likely, as adults, be able to earn enough money to have a broader range of sporting options.
Turn them into jocks at 7 y.o. and they earn less later on and have less time for sport (and probably more time lounging in the couch watching the footy with a beer in hand). Turn them into academics at 7 y.o. and they will likely earn more later on and be able to afford more sports and have jobs that afford them more quality time to indulge in them.
For reference, by the way, here is a copy of Nasty’s view on the immigrant life. I think it’s a good thing to refer to whenever one gets the winter blues in a foreign land. 😉
hi mr. jim!
this has nothing to do with your entry, but i do have to say i love reading your blog with all its insightful entries. i hope you don’t mind that i quoted you on my latest blog entry.
anyway… you really do inspire me. 🙂 all the best!
i can easily relate to your experiences… i too do the household chores now. walang kasama sa bahay… wala ang mga siblings or ang mum ko to help me out do the chores.
here in NZ di ko p din nakitang naka traffic. i haven’t heard vehicles blowing out their horns. pero like in the philippines, mahilig magbigay ng ticket ang mga police patrols dito (minus the “lagay” thing though)
Sir Jim,
This post has stirred quite a lot of reactions.
Just wanted to state the obvious and be the 60th comment posted here. hehehe! Ang babaw ko.
Paul Farol
JIM PAREDES OF THE APO HIKING SOCIETY ! eeeeeeeeee ‘GIDDAY from brisbane…from baguio originally and i just went home to baguio in february and guess what i bought- APO HS CD which i’ve been listening to endlessly….well my crazy fan days are gone and I now have a 16 year old son who is crazy about music…might even get him to learn your lovely songs. I hope that you will settle here in australia for a long time. i came from NZ too and you’ve just described the pros n cons of living overseas without the ‘maids’- but like your loving wife, one has to learn to cook in order to eat properly…cleaning cooking chores are good for our fitness and well-being. when will you come up here in brissie for a concert? best regards.
I re-read Nasty’s Email. I hate to admit it, but he is right!
That’s why we have 12 million Filipino immigrants scattered around the globe and 3 thousand more leave our country, everyday. A very sad state of affairs, indeed.
Have you read Plato’s Republic?
Hi Jim! I’m sure there’s a lot to love in Aussie. Same here in Cali. Been here for 5 yrs and I appreciate everything it has to offer me. Pero there’s still nothing like Pinas. Who wouldn’t miss the fishball, chicharon, balot and other street foods. Who wouldn’t miss the traffic, heavy-causing-flood rains, jeepney rides, tricycles.. Only in the phils.
Hi Jim! I’m sure there’s a lot of things to love in Aussie. Same here in Cali. But still there’s nothing like Pinas. Who wouldnt miss the fishball, dirty ice cream balot and other street foods? Who wouldnt miss the jeepney rides, flood-causing-rain? Only in the phils. haha.
anonymous–yes., that’s what I heard about elections here. Sa atin, parang world soccer. Gising lahat and very passionately rooting for candidates.
benign0–i read a bit of the Nasty article and did not proceed. One is, I could not find any compassion coming from him considering he was quoting his Zen teacher all the time. I felt the venom he was spewing said more about him than about the subject.
jey–yup. Agree!
cynchie–salamat. I am honored
mygaseous–NZ must be an experience in itself too, huh? I visited there before and I loved the place.
paul–congrats!!
vicky–I have a house in baguio which I always visit. It is pone of my favorite places in the world. Brisbane show is sometime next year. Check apohikingsociety ffrom time to time or my blog.
anonymous–no I have not read it.
Jinggay–tama ka. kahit ano pang binatbat ng first world, some things from home are irreplaceable.
hi jim,
of course i’m a fan, that’s why i’m here 🙂
and then i would imagine that it took some great consideration on your part before you took the move, and my family is in the same situation right now, weighing the pros and cons of leaving with the probability of leaving being more than less.
the good thing, i think, is finding yourself embracing a new life in midlife, even remotely like the feeling of wanting to conquer the world, and then you find yourself to be like in your twenties all over again, whyich suits me just fine.
cheers.
Re Nasty…Jim, I’m glad you pointed this out. I was getting worried that people were saying he was their idol (I hope with tongue in cheek).
Re Nasty: Do agree that this guy doesn’t mince words and therefore can be construed as “lacking in compassion”. But then one thing I have always noted with Pinoys is that we are ruled by emotion and sentimiyento rather than regard things with a critical and logical mind.
If we sift through the “venom” that Nasty “spews” we will find much truth and well-thought-out insight on the character of our society.
Maybe from this we can acquire a bit of perspective on why we as a people have collectively failed to prosper considering that our country abounds in individual talent.
If we routinely ignore a message simply because it comes across as “lacking in compassion”, then we risk missing out on some cold truths that could provide us the proper insight on what path our society may need to take.
It wasn’t so much lacking in compassion as it was idiotic because it had such a narrow Anmerican First world condescending view of things.I merely mentioned it was lacking in compassion because I was trying to be kind. He also made sure he distanced himself from where he came from which I thought was pathetic. Biglang ‘your country’ na siya..
The last thing the Philippines needs is another armchair know-it-all who looks down arrogantly and claims he has diagnosed correctly all the ills of our complex country from a high-chair acquired through citizenship. Now, if he has ever served in any capacity in any NGO or any humble public service position, or has thoroughlu studies Philippine history or has read papers and scholarly work on the situation, I may spend time reading what he has to say. As for me, his are the rantings of someone who has no deep insight that reflect the shalowness of acquired affectations from his colonial master.
Let’s light a candle than just continuing to curse the darkness. Or do you think more bashing and self-immolation is what we need? It’s not that we can’t take the truth, it’s time to stop hitting ouselves on the head over something we know already. In the end, nakakatulong ba siya? I don’t think so.
Here’s a quote I thought is fitting to ponder on based on this great, ‘blogeditorial’ you wrote:
“Fortunately, there is a sane equilibrium in the character of nations, as there is in that of men.”
Jose Marti(1853-1895)
Jim, my point exactly. We are quick to perceive this “condescending” tone yet we fail to note objectively the nature of the content of Nasty’s letter.
But let’s say for argument’s sake that Nasty actually meant to be conscending. The sad but cold fact of the matter is that condescension is a natural human response towards something that consistently fails. And, for that matter, entities that consistently fail (and become defensive of said failure) develop a predisposition towards finding condescenion in the tone of otherwise logically sound arguments.
And failing to find an equally objective counter-argument, we tend to shrink back to the comfy world of credentialism; i.e. using the messengers’ credentials (or in this case, perceived lack of credentials) as the basis for a validation or, in this case, invalidation of his/her expressed views. Let’s not forget that some of the most be-credentialled public officials in the land (graduates of the best schools, in fact) were responsible for running our beloved country to the ground.
Note that Nasty has lived most of his life in the Philippines, which in fact makes him amply qualified to articulate a view of the issues that plague Pinoy society (just as an NGO dude or a “humble public servant” is qualified in your book to make take a stab at a similar analysis).
benign0
My point exactly. It is condescending that is why it is counterproductive. If he REALLY wanted to change things by writing thst, he fails because he has no understanding of human nature.,. People respond more postively to inspiration than expletives. Kaya sa palagay ko, it’s not gonna change a thing except perhaps make him feel good that he decided to change citizenship. As I said before, it is sad that people get their feel high and mighty fix by being trashing others. It wasn’t about the article. There was nothing new there to digrest. it was about him.
Speaking of inpiration, Gawad Kalinga has not uttered any condemnation of anybody but has done more for the Philippines than all of the condescending attitudes and actions put together.. Tama ng salita. Talk is cheap. Walk the talk. Has he? nuf said!
Gawad Kalinga is a band aid solution. If the Pinoys don’t change their views based on the stuff written in Nasty’s letter then they would always be in need of the “Kalinga” of that Gawad Kalinga thing or foreign powers working for their own interests.
Pinoys need to tell themselves the nasty truth in order for them to change for the better. Masyado kasing balat sibuyas at emosyonal ang Pinoy. I read Nasty’s letter and was not offended. Totoo kasi eh. A lot can learn from it and change.
Jim,
People do respond positively to “inspiration” which has quite a New Age ring to it if you ask me. However it is one thing to “respond” and it is another to achieve. Achievement has very uncompromising standards. You either get it right or you get it wrong. When you get it wrong, you can “inspired” to try again to get it right. But at the moment, by the stringent standards of what it means to achieve, you have it wrong until you get it right. We enroll our kids in the Ateneo, for example because the Ateneo kicks out students who fail to meet the Ateneo’s standards. I don’t think any parent would want their kids to be part of a learning institution that coddles losers.
If a surgeon get’s it wrong, a patient dies. He can go to an “inspirational” talk or therapy regime to deal with his error and be “inspired” to do great things again despite this loss, but the fact of the matter is, a patient died because of his previous ineptitude. Likewise, a lot of damage has been done to Pinoy society because we collectively did things the wrong way. We have to hold ourselves to certain standards of achievement and that means coming to terms with really fundamental realities about the nature of our society.
Gawad Kalinga is doing a lot of great things. It is working on the current situation and building from there. In fact, all of us are working towards the future based on the current situation we are in. we don’t need to make a distinction between a “humble public servant” and a well-paid white collar worker. Nobody can be presume to judge who is contributing more or less to Pinoy society. But one thing is certain. For an action to yield sustainable outcomes there must be a clear understanding of the problems. We cannot solve the problems of our society unless we face and understand the true nature of our issues.
No-one is saying that Nasty had the best intentions. In fact, I do not disagree that he wrote that letter to serve his personal interests. But his intentions have nothing to do with the trueness or falseness of his message which is something that needs to be critically evaluated on its logical merit in a way that is divorced from the writer’s intentions.
East is east and west is west, benign0. If you are moved by what he says, then good for you. I am simply not. I am not moved to action by condescension and pontification. Venom doesn’t imnspire me. Maybe you are. Good for you. You’ve done your share in trying to convinvce me of nasty’s ‘great truth’ and qualifications and why I should take it seriously.I think it is vapid, shallow, and stating the obvious in a ranting manner. Ang daming commentators na ganyan sa radio sa manila. Sinco sang docena. He’s just another one na magaling mag-ingles. Ho hum. He is not the prophet that will save the Philippines.
Don’t take it upon yourself to try harder to convince me otherwise. Is it important for you that I see it the way you see it? Sorry, I can’t. Or is it just important to you to have the last say?
I don’t think I have anymore to say. I don’t really want my blog to be as political as it can seem to get at times. Besides, this whole nasty thing was rather off topic to start with. Good day mate.
To commenters on this blog.
If you wish to make an impassioned comment you are free to do so so long as
a) you put your name
b) you do not resort to insults or name calling.
I find impassioned comments with insults signed anonymously as coeardly and despicable. All comments of the like will be immediately deleted.
Also, as you can see, I do try to answer all comments. Just a suggestion. Let’s try to stick to the topic at hand. From hereon, I may or may not answer comments that are off topic.
“Or is it just important to you to have the last say?“
Jim, this is not about “having the last say”. It is about resolving contrasting ideas through candid discussion. To be fair of course, this Western concept of resolving thesis and anti-thesis through critical discussion may be alien to the Pinoy mind.
Firstly, in the Philippines, people who beg to differ are easily silenced by seniority and authority. In Australia or most Western societies, you will find that if giving out unsatisfactory answers/responses will only invite more challenging questions (maybe when you actually do start working closely with the locals, you will actually experience this thing). Certainly even store clerks and public servants will not be beyond talking down to someone if they feel they are being given lip service or patronising responses by someone in authority. People here (or at least those who think) will not let you off easy if they are not satisfied by a view you express in response to them.
Second, this is not about politics. I don’t recall bringing up anything “political” in my comments here. This is more about an observation and a discussion on said observation.
Anyways, I’m sorry to see you fly off the handle that way. I’ll be sure to try to post in a more respectful way (the Pinoy-style way you are comfortable with) in the future (if you will still have me).
Cheery-o!
Just want to share the comment of Malena anout Nasty last 2003, I think her observation is right.
Malena312
Joined: Oct 2003 2003-10-17 00:48
let me dissect the two articles– pedero’s and anastacio’s.
Both articles are obviously written by one and the same writer– pedero. The latter used Anastacio as a literary device.
Don’t misjudge and dismiss Filipino-Americans and Filipino residents here in the US as cultural sellout’s. We are not that ignorant and misinformed.
Anastacio’s response sounds he was very familiar of the present economic realities in the Philippines. His facts, obviously, could not be a result of his short vacation. You would need to live for awhile in the country to be that up-to-date. He must be following the Phillipine current events, if indeed he is an american citizen living in LA.
If he was that detached from his native country and so acculturated with anything american, he would not have subscribed to filipina magazine, community newspapers, 24-hour international abs-cbn, and sometimes GMA’s saksi. These are the only sources here for latest news and cultural and political events current in the Philippines.
No filipino living in nostalgia, suffering the effects of diaspora, and finding ‘home’ in Philippine Centers, Pinoy organizations and filipino communities would write such a cruel, insulting, and irresponsible assessment of the country he/she misses.
If Filipinos in america have cultural amnesia, there will be no Filipino stores around, no restaurants, no organizations in schools and universities, and no Filipino community celebrations in big cities.
Los angeles alone has five Filipino restaurants. Chicago, Las vegas, SF, New york have three or four each. Other cities have one or more. Lots of filipino stores are sprouting across the US. Almost all state universities in California, from UC Berkeley to California state University, have Filipino student organizations. Even Harvard has Filipino Forum, an orgaization for Filipino students,who were mostly natural born citizens. Also, Chicago, Texas, SF, LA, NYC and other smaller cities celebrate special Philippine holidays.
Filipinos in America know what a “third world country” is. Expecting first class public utilities and amenities, like the ones found in the good areas here in the US, is both unreasonable and uncalled for. We also know that it is safer to live in manila than to live in LA. South central LA is worse than Tondo.
If Anastacio is not fictional, he knows Hollywood is not all Beverly hills, diamonds and Oscar’s, but druggies, prostitutes, homeless youth and war veterans and failed white american dreams as well.
School shooting, where high school and even elementary students target and kill their teachers and other classmates, then blame rap music and satan, is almost a daily news on TV. I haven’t heard any columbine school-like incident in the Philippines. Street gang shooting is a problem in LA, NYC, Chicago, Detroit, Florida, etc. At least abu Sayaf problem is only concentrated in Palawan and Mindanao. And it is easy to penetrate and stop them. Gang problems in America, which involve drugs, prostitution, and other major crimes all over the country, are not that easy to solve and eradicate. I can go on and on. I can mention a lot of other problems in america that will make living in the Philippines sound very safe heavenly.
Filipinos who live here know the realities in the US and in the Philippines. Even natural born Filipino-Americans at Harvard, with boston accent, american style and western values, cannot hurl such insults or write such a malicious observation about the philippines. Kalabasa and pumpkin are two different things.
Though the facts presented by anastacio are real, the way he presented them sounds like Philippines is a gutter of crooks and criminals. He should try to go to India, Cambodia, Laos, China and Vietnam. He would be thankful he is a Filipino.
Has he seen Iraq on CNN? baghdad looks like Lanao, yet Iraq has a rich oil reserve. Has he heard about the traffic in thailand? cars there move one foot every five minutes during busy hours. Has he seen documentaries about the abandoned AIDS victims in china, who got the disease through selling their blood/plasma, out of poverty, to the government blood banks. Has he read on newspapers how villagers in rural india committed suicide in mass because they could not pay their loans? Has someone told anastacio how corrupt and archaic Indian politics is?
I guess anastacio has no time to watch CNN, MSNBC or BBC or read wall street journal or times and newsweek mags, but he has time to watch fellini and read the bathroom thoughts of his white zen guru. I wonder if la dolce vita and venice beach hashish have made anastacio an incoherent and delusional little brown man. Oh! I forgot nasty is a work of fiction.
I have been to India, Vietnam and Laos. Their biggest and comercial city centers like new delhi, bombay, ho chi minh, laos etc. are not comparable to Makati. But I would not insult people from those areas because I know home is in the mind of the people not in the nasty public restrooms, not in the dirty, polluted streets and not in the government offices of those corrupt leaders.
I feel at home in the company of my relatives in Davao, among my classmates and friend at Diliman, and among the Filipinos, who are not ashamed for having the Philippines as their country. I am not at home with american pie. Give me puto; I will ask for a bowl of dinuguan. I will eat with my bare hands for I will be at home.
Yes, I live in a high rise building condo here in chicago, but the air I breathe is through the air conditioner unit and humidifier. I have everything I need to have a comfortable living, yet it’s a lonely existence. Hopefully one day, I can go back to our province where the air is fresh and the beach is a walking distance; stay with my relatives in their humble, sturdy nipa huts, where fresh foods are cooked and served; and hang out with my friends, whose friendship is real and lasting.
If Anastacio is a real Filipino-American resident in LA, he knows what i am talking about. America can be a place for residence, but it can never be a place you can call home and feel at home. American brown-skinned filipinos could have mansions in Beverly Hills or penthouses in fifth avenue in new york but not a “home” like in Tondo or Samar, where they will not be discriminated, lampooned, or gawked at. America is still racist.
Most of us Filipinos here in America know the better facts. Thus, we don’t insult and despise the country we miss. No filipino, in his right mind, can abandon his heritage and forget his culture. We, Filipinos, will always crave for adobo on top of rice.
My friends, those articles were written by a bitter filipino writer, who is tired of his neighborhood. His facts were gathered from his own backyard of frustrations, angst, wishes, and hopes. His use of anastacio as a literary device, though effective, is unfair to filipino-american.
Pedero should have used Peter Paul or John Michael instead of anastacio/nasty. Anastacio is a shadow of the old generation whose only concern now is to send balikbayan boxes to his kumpare’s, friends and relatives back home. They are too old and frail to engage in nasty’s MTV politics.
No person in his right mind would settle for nasty as a nickname. “Nasty’ is a Jerry Springer show adjective. I guess He is a jerryspringer’s star-struck fan. Indeed he is an american culture junkie.
The Anastacio’s, Pedro’s and Mariano’s here in America are the manong’s too old to be bothered with things they already know, realities they faced before, and problems they hurdled. They picked grapes in the 70’s, wiped white bottoms in the 80’s and retired in the 90’s.
The manongs have a sense of self and identity unlike nasty. The real manong Anastacio’s would not write that kind of bombastic, distressing response. He would be longing for his beloved home, the Philippines, while waiting for his memories of his beautiful Islands to fade in a nursing home of the abandoned senile and invalid.
I am tempted to analyze pedero’s articles and his mind in the frameworks used in cognitive psychology and in urban anthropology. maybe i will do that next time.
bye for now
[This message was edited by Malena312 on 2003-10-18 17:23]
Gees, these conversations have taken such a “nasty” turn…
Why don’t you guys take a deep breath and calm down before you all show your true colours. 😉
Here’s a suggestion, why don’t we all agree to disagree?
Seriously speaking, it is in my opinion that a person (like me) who was willing to go to another country as a migrant would have been really frustrated with the Philippines. Anyone who had to bite the bullet and leave friends and relatives behind must have had enough of a society that did not work and seems to be getting them nowhere.
Cheer up everyone!
malena312–Very well said. Your comment was very well-thought out. You display a mindset that understands different cultures, and best of all, you were analytical, not pedantic and rang more true than Nasty and his defenders.
You are right. Nasty had that Jerry Springer take on Philippine life which I could not agree with, much less take seriously as ‘analysis’. It is even laughable that some people compare him to Rizal. Oh my gawd!!!
We do have problems, sure. Of course he does point out examples like abu sayyaf and all, and draws a conclusion that there is nothing but misery back home. Too many generalisations and projected trite characterisations of who the Filipino is and what the country is all about.
I have been to so many countries myself. America and so much of the First World have their problems as well. People like Nasty, the simplistic ones incapable of anything beyond black and white thinking who praise and adore anything First World do not have a grasp of the situation in the Philippines beyond a perspective of as you say, an American Culture junkie–a shallow junkie at that. He does not display any understanding of complexity and so just rants and curses everything. All sound and fury signifying nothing.
I know Dero personally. I am not sure if he wrote it. But whoever did exposed more negative things about himself than the Philippines. A small mind trying to sum up the complex country that is the Philippines and its equally complex people.
And all the references to zen.. what can I say. I kept on thinking how ‘unzenly’ bizarre it all was. It just leaves me speechless.
Ilda-That’s spot on. Let this Nasty thread die a nasty death. Tama na. Actually, I felt I wasted my time being sucked in by this thread. To anyone else who wants to make another comment on the topic, PLEASE make your own blog instead.
Case closed with finality.
Dear Jim,
No one compared Nasty to my predecessor.
I compared Nasty to SIMOUN, who was the Mr. Hyde “alter-ego” of my predecessor José Rizal in El Filibusterismo.
Nasty is to Simoun…
Dero Pedero is to José Rizal (my predecessor)
Remember that Malena also mentioned something which I had said twice (though you deleted my comments). I said twice before that DERO PEDERO is the author of the Nasty piece, and Malena said the same thing.
You claim to know Dero Pedero personally. I’m pretty sure you do. But it is clear that you refuse to acknowledge the fact that Mr. Pedero – a writer – can make use of LITERARY DEVICES.
Why should Rizal be the only one who can make fictional characters and stories to make a valid point about what’s going on in Philippine Society? Why don’t you think that your friend Dero Pedero can be equally capable of making such a Parable?
Nasty is not a real person. He’s “TOO BAD TO BE TRUE.”
I don’t see why you are unable to see this.
Even Malena saw it.
Now, you seem to agree with Malena. Why can’t you agree with me?
Why do you have to get so angry at a NON-EXISTENT cartoon character which your friend concocted out of his own imagination in order to SEND FILIPINOS A MESSAGE about the sorry state of affairs in the Philippines and the root cause of why things are so fouled up?
This, once again, is why I was so disappointed with how you dealt with the Nasty issue.
You took the PARABLE LITERALLY and failed to realize that there was a HIDDEN TRUTH being conveyed right between the lines!
Don’t tell me that if you were present during the time of Jesus, listening to His lectures and parables, and he talked about the parable of the prodigal son, then you blurt out “That PRODIGAL SON IS AN IDIOT!!! WE SHOULD CRUCIFY HIM!”
Take it easy. The Prodigal Son was just a fictional character in a parable. The real story Jesus was trying to tell was that “God forgives!”
Now this is where you failed the test.
NEVERTHELESS, I am still your fan. I may have been disappointed with how you read Nasty’s letter (which again is OBVIOUSLY WRITTEN IN DERO PEDERO’S STYLE) and I am still a bit disappointed with how you reacted to my first two posts (you just deleted them), but I still respect you as a pop idol in the Philippines.
Your work with APO is still worth a lot.
Your fan,
José Rizal II
jose rizal2–Let me be clear. I deleted you because you started name-calling which I thought was bad form. I did answer you and withdrew the comment a few minutes later because I thought I was mean-spirited and in bad form too. As owner and moderator of this blog, I believe I have that right.
It does not matter if dero pedero wrote it or not. Or if nasty is a fictional character or whatever. Even if I do know dero and if indeed he did write it, using a literary device or not, I’ll still call it idiotic because it is. It is bad writing. Period.
So he used a literary device like Rizal. Big deal The similarity ends there. Rizal was brilliant. Nasty is just plain nasty.
If I disappointed you because I do not share your passion for this kind of writing, or the views he expressed, too bad. I can live with that. I hope you can too.
“To observe people in conflict is a necessary part of a child’s education. It helps him to understand and accept his own occasional hostilities and to realize that differing opinions need not imply an absence of love.”
Milton R. Sapirstein
;-D
dear jim,
having read all the foregoing…
i still think the song you wrote, “di ka nag-iisa” is worth a million comments, nasty or not.
i hope you can compose a song like this again.
i’m unhappy that you have to do menial, manual work instead of just composing songs that will become immortal.
that said, your decision to migrate to australia was yours, and has to be respected.
best regards.
anonymous–I love house work to my great surprise.(that’s probably what you mean by manual work). I could not understand George Harrison’s remark years ago when he said that his work with the Beatles was just as important as what a plumber does. Now I do. What I learned is whatever it is you do, you must give importance and attention. It is what makes it worthwhile.
And yes, I am writing a lot–songs included.
Gabriela–good to hear from you. Nice message.
jim,
i was really surprised–and flattered, sort of–at your prompt reply. i never thought in my wildest dreams that i’d someday be interacting with you. =)
you’re right about housework, that surprisingly, it’s fun in its way, esp. when it’s new. but for those who have been doing it for years, it’s onerous and its very repetitiveness is deadening–my take.
as for george harrison, he can say that because he IS george harrison. and while it is true that a plumber’s work is important–in fact, to the homeowner with a clogged sink, leaking faucets, leaking garbage disposer and the like, she’d choose a plumber over george harrison anytime–i don’t think george harrison would’ve traded places with an obscure plumber.
anyway, i’ve read some comments on how quickly, considering you just migrated to australia recently, you’ve become a spokesman of sorts for the filipino immigrants there. i certainly hope that you use this exalted position for the greater good not just of filipinos but of your home country.
regards again.
anonymous–oh please (shudder). I do not wish to be a spokeman of the Filipino community, or our country. I merely, humbly speak for little old me. Really. If people resonate with what I write, that’s a bonus. If not, it’s still a joy to be writing.
About housework, here’s something from Thich Nhat Hanh. A bit long but nice:
“To my mind, the idea that doing the dishes is unpleasant can occur only when you are not doing them. Once you are standing in front of the sink with your sleeves rolled up and your hands in warm water, it really is not so bad. I enjoy taking my time with each dish, being fully aware of the dish, the water, and each movement of my hands. I know that if I hurry in order to go and have a cup of tea, the time will be unpleasant and not worth living. That would be a pity, for each minute, each second of life is a miracle. The dishes themselves and the fact that I am here washing them are miracles! Each bowl I wash, each poem I compose, each time I invite a bell to sound is a miracle, each has exactly the same value. One day, while washing a bowl, I felt that my movements were as sacred and respectful as bathing a newborn Buddha. If he were to read this, that newborn Buddha would certainly be happy for me, and not at all insulted at being compared with a bowl.
Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred. In this light, no boundary exists between the sacred and the profane. I must confess it takes me a bit longer to do the dishes, but I live fully in every moment, and I am happy. Washing the dishes is at the same time a means and an end that is, not only do we do the dishes in order to have clean dishes, we also do the dishes just to do the dishes, to live fully in each moment while washing them.
If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have a cup of tea, I will be equally incapable of drinking the tea joyfully. With the cup in my hands I will be thinking about what to do next, and the fragrance and the flavor of the tea, together with the pleasure of drinking it, will be lost. I will always be dragged into the future, never able to live in the present moment.”
I know it can be dreary and boring. I always read this to remind myself.It’s working so far.
salamat for this entry. kakatawa that all the things you said pretty much sums up my views, pati na yung chicken and egg local exp shit. ugh.
obviously you haven’t seen sandra sully ng channel ten news. pinas tv can be OA but the stuff here is also quite below my standards, minsan nakakainis. they do have station fights too, just in comedy shows, quite hilarious
Hi Jim,
This thread’s got strong legs, I gotta say. Funny that when I started reading the thread I was thinking of posting about George Harrison and the Beatles and now you actually mention him.
Would GH have traded places with a humble plumber? We don’t know of course, but he was the first one to become disillusioned with the fame that the Beatles have achieved, so if he was not happy as a Beatle, there must have been times when he wished he was a plumber. And if we go by the lyrics of one of their songs, then you can tell that he was seriously considering these questions (at a very young age I must add).
These are the words to the song which I think is aligned with the comments on being a plumber and on dishwashing. To the Beatle fans out there, can you guess which song this is without going to Google 🙂
“Without going out of my door
I can know all things of earth
With out looking out of my window
I could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows
Without going out of your door
You can know all things of earth
With out looking out of your window
You could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows
Arrive without travelling
See all without looking
Do all without doing”
Dear Jim,
I think it is unfair for you to say that I was name calling.
To those reading this blog, at no instance did I do any name-calling, and I would most certainly not insult my idol – Mr. Jim Paredes.
Jim, I was however simply being very honest about my disappointment with how you handled the “Nasty” issue. I was also being honest when I said that I felt that your act of “burying your head in the sand” (ala Ostrich) and not wanting to hear the Truth that Nasty had to say was tantamount to being the “epitome of the Loser-Pinoy.”
Because that is why many of us Pinoys continue to be Losers… Our kababayans who continue to be in a rut refuse to acknowledge that they are in a rut and they refuse to acknowledge that there are major character flaws in them that cause them to be in that rut.
That’s what makes a huge number of our Pinoy Kababayans continue to be Losers.
And that’s what I cannot accept coming from you, Jim.
I respect you and you were (and still continue to be) one of my IDOLS.
But as you are someone who – BY DEFAULT – wields enormous influence over Filipinos by virtue of your higher intellect and your celebrity status, I truly expect that you would act in accordance with the RESPONSIBILITY that being a default LEADER of the Filipino community holds.
It is for you NOT to sugarcoat things, but it is for you to help other Filipinos realize that we must all work together in acknowledging exactly where our faults lie so that we can easily FIX THOSE FAULTS and everything leading towards success follows from there.
Do you think that an ordinary person can improve his/her life if he/she does not know what it is about him/her that is holding him/her back?
There are so many negative traits that plague the Filipino Psyche, and while they may be disheartening and painful to listen to, it is the role of the community’s leaders to DISPASSIONATELY ANALYZE ourselves to pinpoint exactly what those negative traits are and find solutions that will rid us of such negative traits.
Otherwise, all we’ll have are band-aid solutions.
I never meant to insult you or resort to name-calling, Jim.
All I know that has happened is that the Truth I mentioned hit a raw nerve in you and you were unable to accept the hard, cold facts and so you deleted my first two posts.
Until now you continue to cling on to this mistaken idea that “Nasty” is a real person.
Please, Jim, realize that “Nasty” is purely the figment of a concerned writer’s imagination.
Your friend Dero Pedero – back in the Erap days – wrote his series of articles talking about this fictional Fil-Am with the intention of waking Pinoys up to the sad and painful reality: That Pinoys have been Starstruck Ignoramuses.
If you properly followed the series, Dero Pedero in fact closed the series with the comment “I can’t help but agree with him…”
Please look through your archives or personally ask Dero for a transcript of the so-called EXCHANGE between him and “NASTY.”
You will find that Dero talked about Nasty in a very negative way in his first article. Then in the next series, Nasty had an immediate reply – the “Starstruck Ignoramuses” article that has been passed around on email… But in the same column, Dero Pedero made a final comment… “I can’t help but agree with him.”
If anything, Jim, you have somehow treated the character in a PARABLE as if he were a real person.
Nasty is like Simoun in El Filibusterismo… He’s FICTIONAL. And he represents the pent-up emotions of the original writer.
Nasty is the “nastified” alter-ego of Dero Pedero in the same way that Simoun is the “nastified” alter-ego of my predecessor José Rizal.
I can go on and on about this, but it is really up to you to do something solid about this whole idea of helping the country.
We cannot continue on with surface-based solutions, Jim. We have to get at the ROOT of the problem.
And the root of the problem is the Filipino Psyche and the heavy burden that such Psyche’s negative traits has brought about on individual Filipinos as well as on Filipino Society in general.
Feel Good solutions won’t cut it. We have to acknowledge the real reasons why Pinoys stereotypically continue to be Failures and butt-washers of infants and geriatrics alike instead of Nobel Laureates in Physics and Chemistry.
I hope you understand, Jim. I mean well. And I mean well to both you and the entire Filipino Community all around the world.
Meaning well doesn’t always mean saying Feel Good nice-to-hear platitudes. It can also mean talking about what our problems really are and pinpointing them SO THAT WE CAN SOLVE THEM.
Remember Jim, you have a gift. You have influence among Pinoys. In you rests the Responsibility to ensure that when Filipinos listen to what you have to say, you tell them things that will turn them into TRULY BETTER PEOPLE. And that means refraining from deluding them to think that “everything is fine when obviously things aren´t.”
I hope you take this positively, Jim. As I said, I continue to be your fan. And I continue to respect you.
I simply wish that you come to realize that the influence you wield must be used for the long term positive benefit of Pinoys.
Feel good stuff and flattery can only last for a fleeting moment. But real problem-solving can mean true salvation for Filipinos for centuries to come.
Your fan,
José Rizal II
Dear Jim,
I do recall that in your article, you mentioned that you somehow miss some “intellectual stimulation.” Try to look out for Dymocks booksellers outlets. They sell the same things that Barnes and Noble and Borders sell in the USA. They also have Kinokuniya (a Japanese bookstore company) in Oz.
More importantly, if you check out little mom-and-pop booksellers, you’ll find that if you strike a conversation with the owners (who also operate the stores themselves), they will often have a lot to say about the books they sell – meaning that they really read a lot of the stuff they have in their shelves.
Aussies – like many Anglos such as in the USA or Britain – tend to read so much more than ordinary Pinoys do. (Pinoys are too absorbed with showbiz gossip and rumors about their own circles). And that just means that the whole living-in-Australia experience is very likely to be an extremely intellectually stimulating one if you really decide to make that big leap (or small step) outside of the Pinoy ghetto.
Even in the ordinary Dymocks or Kinokuniya or other bookselling outlets, there are very likely to be occassional talks and book-launches done by international authors. These talks are FREE and provide an opportunity for intellectual discourse where you speak directly with the author of the book (pref. a book you’ve read), and you’d find that if you ask a really good question or share a really intelligent insight, you’ll find that Aussies in the audience will approach you to continue the intellectual discussion. You will – as a result – even end up making friends with locals who will be more than willing to regularly meet up with you for intellectual discussions where they will most probably even introduce you to their equally intellectual friends.
There are also free talks that regularly happen in the nearby universities. These, once again, heavily feature open forum sessions where you can pose questions or share your own insights on certain topics.
In short, there really are so many opportunities for intellectual stimulation in Australia. So much more than is available in the Philippines, in fact.
This is part of what makes many of our Pinoy kababayans the “perennial losers” in so many things. Ordinary Pinoys tend to get stuck in trivial and useless stuff such as gossip and rumors, while greater numbers of people from First World cultures tend to have a keen interest in real intellectual stimulation.
This is not to say that they don’t have their share of idiots. But by and large, Australia has a bigger ratio of intellectuals per capita than the Philippines has. (please distinguish “intelligent person” versus “intellectual.”)
In fact, you’ll find that in the Philippines, even supposedly intelligent people shy away from intellectually-stimulating pursuits and prefer to “fit in” with the rest of the “Starstruck Ignoramuses” who form the majority of the Philippine Population.
That is the sad and sorry state of affairs in the Philippines and within the numerous Filipino Communities scattered abroad.
My apologies if I seemed to be flame-baiting. I’m not. I just wanted to share my objective and honest opinion about the fact that Intellectual Stimulation is very easy to come by in Australia.
It just really requires stepping OUTSIDE of the Filipino ghetto.
Your fan,
José Rizal II
Jose Rizal ii,
Manahimik ka na, irespeto mo ang blog na eto, wag mo ipagpilitan na tama ka, wag mo rin ipagpilitan na mali si Jim. Respetuhan lang. Nagsalita na sya na tama na ang issue, bat di mo irespeto, Pinoy ka ba talaga or what.? Respeto Haller?
Dear Anonymous,
I totally respect and admire Mr. Jim Paredes, and as it is obvious, I happen to be a fan of his. As you can see, I have not insulted anyone (and I think he himself – upon deep reflection, will admit that I did not in anyway insult him in any of the posts I made in his blog), and merely seek to truly make something clear: That Nasty is not a real person, and that Nasty was only a literary device used by a well-known columnist in order to make a point about something most Filipinos would rather ignore.
This is not about telling Jim that I’m right and he’s wrong. In the end, it is the reality that there is no such person named Nasty who is of “Waray” origins, lives in the USA, practices Zen Buddhism, visited the Philippines and met up with Dero Pedero, and said all sorts of bad stuff about the Philippines and Filipinos. Nasty is a figment of Mr. Pedero’s imagination. That’s an obvious fact that anyone can tell after reading through the series of articles from whence Nasty’s letter was just a little excerpt.
Nothing personal, Anonymous. Just doing my job to point reality out.
Vaya con Diós,
José Rizal II
Ay paulit ulit ka na rizal ii, maghanap ka ng ibang blog na ipoipoint out yung thoughts mo, puro ka nasty nasty nasty,magaling ka nga magingles sa pagsulat pero matigas naman ulo mo. Upbringing mo siguro di maganda at pinoy stlyle. Certified Pasaway ka.
hi, jose rizal II,
i grasp quite well your point that “nasty” is merely a figment of mr. pedero’s nasty imagination.
that point made, nothing you say or do can prevent other people from thinking, wrongly as we know, that a purely fictitious character, who may actually be a composite of characteristics observed by the writer, is NOT fictitious.
i have in mind, as examples at hand, those readers who actually wrote sherlock holmes at baker street. there are a multitude of other examples.
does it really matter to others if “nasty” is a fictive creation? he seems to have taken on a life of his own. =)
i reiterate, jose rizal II, that i quite understand your point. it just seems a waste of time and effort persuading others, esp. when those others do not wish to be persuaded.
Sigh. I do agree with the above “anonymous”. This whole “nasty” business is a microcosm of the history of dogma versus verifiable facts — something that even the most eminent thinkers like Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Einstein, etc. had to monumentally struggle with.
Humans have a huge track record of delegating their thinking faculties to dogma and progressively lose the intellectual framework to critically evaluate new information.
That’s probably the reason why Pinoy society remains mired in medieval belief systems which continue to hobble progress.
Dear Anonymous,
You are right that it would normally be a waste of time to persuade people who do not wish to be persuaded.
However, you must remember that my idol, Mr. Jim Paredes, is an eminent and extremely influential Filipino among so many Pinoys. More importantly, Jim Paredes’ influence is extremely strong among Middle Class, Upper Middle Class, and normally Thinking Pinoys who have what it takes to direct society towards improvement or perdition.
This influence (and POWER) actually corresponds to a major responsibility.
And the responsibility here is that my Idol, Mr. Jim Paredes, must not be easily swayed by the wrong emotions and by the wrong ideas and – as Pinoys call it – the “MALING AKALA.”
Embedded within Nasty’s nasty message is a diagnosis of what is wrong with majority of Pinoys. And that accurate diagnosis means that we can more accurately remedy our flaws – if we so decide to listen to the diagnosis and do something about it.
If my idol Mr. Jim Paredes is sucked into the “maling akala” and thinks that Nasty is a real person, then villifies Nasty without actually looking at all the sad but TRUE points Nasty raised, then Apo Jim ends up influencing other Filipinos (from the elite and middle classes – who have what it takes to make a difference) to go in the same direction of his mistaken idea, or in the direction of his “maling akala.”
This is why wielding influence can also be a curse… Any misstep an influential person makes can turn him into a Pied Piper who leads hapless mice towards the edge of the cliff. Wrong advocacies or mistaken ideas such as “not listening to valid criticism” is extremely dangerous ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING FROM A HIGHLY RESPECTED and HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL person.
This is all I’m trying to say.
Had my idol, Mr. Jim Paredes, been an ordinary “Pidro”, I would have stopped right after saying my piece.
Alas, Apo Jim is Apo Jim. He is a beacon to so many Filipinos and members of the influential classes (middle class / upper classes) instinctively listen to him. This influence means that mistakes such as that one where he mistakenly thought that Nasty was a “real person” and villified this fictional literary device whose purpose was to merely stress some very important points can be multiplied millions of times over.
Multiply Mr. Apo Jim’s mistake with the number of people he influences to do the same wrong thing, and there lies the rub.
I am now saying that this isn’t so much about “Nasty” per se.
This is about the responsibility that rests on my idol Apo Jim’s shoulders about making sure that he does not get misled by emotion, and instead uses logical analysis to get to the bottom of things.
That’s all I wanted to say: Influential and Powerful people have a responsibility towards the people they influence and hold power over.
Vaya con Diós,
José Rizal II
thanks for agreeing, benign0. and, jose rizal II, i do get your point. jim isn’t any ordinary jim but THE jim of APO Hiking Society, which contributed in its own unique way to the demise of the unlamented dictatorship.
in this sense, i reiterate also jim’s pivotal role in shaping or re-shaping our society, whether he wishes to or not.
BUT…is jim still listening? he isn’t responding to this thread anymore, and may have moved on to other issues.
Dear Anonymous,
You’re right. Maybe he has moved on to other topics. Maybe he isn’t reading…
(Or maybe he is)
And if he isn’t, then I’m sure someone close to him – a friend or relative – would probably have read the stuff I wrote and would hopefully have told him about it. (Or will tell him about the stuff I’ve written)
After all, the stuff I’ve mentioned is valid and is just constructive criticism, not malicious name-calling or character assassination.
I’m confident that Apo Jim, being a sensible guy, will pay heed to the stuff I’ve said.
And when he does pay heed to what I’ve written, I know he’ll become a much more positive influence on Pinoys. And I don’t just mean “Feel Good” stuff – making Pinoys “feel good” about the status quo of puede-na-yan mediocrity and making the same mistakes over and over again. I mean real and true positive stuff as in truly influencing people to really become better than what they are at present.
Vaya con Diós,
José Rizal II
dear jose rizal II,
perhaps you could write another ala “nasty” article. that seems to have gone over well, considering. =)
enjoy reading your blog. i agree with a lot of what you have said, but there are a few things i disagree with, particularly the following:
– no great intellectual stimulation so far. dunno about sydney but here in melbourne, why buy books and such when each suburb has their own library which anyone can make use of. plus there are all these different festivals, events, groups, etc. you can avail of which will not only nourish your intellectual but also your creative side. watch out for your local paper, they should give you an update on what’s going on around your area.
– please do not compare australians with americans (especially americans!)when it comes to the subject of being well-travelled. i dunno who you associate with, but my friends and people i work with are always constantly planning their next trip overseas. here, students in high school have to learn at least one other language. they get to pick which one they fancy. plus there are all these other things that introduce you to different cultures and languages. at the moment, the Melbourne International Film Festival is on. in this year’s festival i have chosen to see a couple french, one filipino and an iranian film.
btw, looking forward to watching you show in melbourne next week.
About Australia and its environmental outlook: I came across this article about how Sydney won the right in hosting the 2000 Olympics by advocating a “clean and green” stance–recycling, using biodegradable fuel, etc. And it seems they are not practicing what they are preaching. So much for being a model to the world.
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now, and it’s my first time to comment. Hope you and your family are doing well there in Australia. God bless!
Hi Jim, I enjoyed reading this post. I can relate to your comments having been a migrant myself. The only difference though is you’ve got your family with you but I don’t. No relatives here at all. I love SBS as well…I think that’s the only sensible channel here in Sydney.
welcome to australia, mr jim paredes.
a bit of advice: do everything touristy while you still feel like a tourist. touch the tiles of the opera house; cross the harbour bridge; see the view from the centrepoint tower; check out the aquarium and taronga zoo; take photos of interesting people on the streets; visit the botanical gardens.
things like these you will tend to take for granted after a while and will only get to see and do when friends from overseas come for a visit.
This thread rocks!! I enjoy reading eloquent exchanges of feelings and ideas about my dear Philippines.
To MAB: just a little bit irked on what you insinuate about Americans “when it comes to the subject of being well-travelled”. This is another case of American bashing at it’s best. I’m now a New York transplant after coming out of Melbourne’s Swinburne Uni and Manila’s San Beda and I know that travelling overseas is a way of life down there. But I may have to add that Americans too are keen to go abroad and learn what is in the other side of the world. This summer alone my 12 year old boy and his friends were in Europe for that needed jaunt.. yun lang po and you all have a good one.
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