Best Posts in Thread: Not a happy visitor to Duma.

I AM TOTALLY PREJUDICED: against liars, cheats, jerks, psuedo ninjas, big shots, braggers, pretend special forces members, nonsensical morons AND bad drivers - the colour of their skin or their race, creed, religion or accent has absolutely nothing to do with it.

 

Seems that guy has not traveled and visited many places in the world..... EVERY country has problems and annoyances but as others have said it depends on your attitude. I don't deny there are some serious annoyances here but after spending over 4 years in China I am happy to be here and am doing my best to deal with them and live with the people here. I too am very fortunate in having a fantastic Filipina wife that is the joy of my life. Some of these things frustrate her as much as me but we are happy and learn to laugh and get over it. Live and Learn!

 

I think Wrye nailed it, "a cheap 3rd world country", I would add the word poor as well. Most people who have been to places like Jamaica would quickly choose to retire here than there. Perhaps people who b*tch about living here are actually unhappy with themselves for not planning for and being capable of retiring on a golf course or beach home in Florida or the Gold Coast. Many of the guys here have a pretty and young partner, think they could have that in their home country? Those that sit all day drinking beer on the blvd look pretty content - maybe because they don't have to worry about getting stopped driving while over the limit. Life is not perfect anywhere but maybe those of us who have or are surviving medical problems appreciate it more.

 

I have seen or experienced much of what this fellow has seen also. I admire the ingenuity of the Filipinos at times to get around with very economical methods of transportation. I enjoy watching the school children walk home from school, as the wait for a large dump truck or some other means of transportation to go by. The drivers that stop for kids and are are always happy and the kids have smiles on their faces as the climb up on what ever huge truck that stops.... I am not sure this is that bad, as I do not hear of many kidnapping or injuries to kids from the activity. In the US this would never be "allowed" to happen but then again the kids would have walk all the way home, or huge expenses would be occurred for transportation. The ability to travel at low cost is one of the "dumb" techniques the kid (and adults) have mastered here. There is not money available to be spent on transportation here many times by the locals. They have to walk around, like being on a treadmill here, same things my friends do in American after driving to the gym and fighting for the closest parking space.
Secondly, I think you can find bad in any city, anywhere. Although it does take some mental adaptation to accept everything that goes on in Dumaguete, some say a lifetime to totally adjust, , You can adjust your immediate environment almost immediately if you have legs to walk a couple of hundred meters. When you are on a street with pollution get on another street. When I ride behind a truck belting out smog, I stop the motorcycle sometimes and give the truck a little distance rather than try to anxiously ride closely behind the truck with my face up the exhaust pipe as I cough. It only takes minor adjustments in your location in most places here to find a much better spot to be.
Dumaguete is not perfect,and it is not hell. You can find the perfect city when your attitude allows you to find it, just as you can find your hell city when your attitude allows you to find it. Dumaguete is neither. Just move around, and adjust and there are some great things about the city to enjoy, just as there are some horrible things to avoid here. It just takes a little time to find the perfect and hellish experiences of this city. Maybe two weeks is too short, and a lifetime is too long to learn the necessary living adjustments for a great life here.

 

I read his dribble and feel he would not be happy even if he won the powerball loto, got an IRS exempt and woke up each morning with a supermodel.
Dumaguete can be as good or as bad as you choose to make it, don't let the negativity of 1 stop anyone from visiting the city we call home!!!!

 

well i tried hard to keep my mouth shut and failed
the mining industry in australia fly their workers to the mine site, where they have very good accomadation set up...
normally it 2 weeks on and one week off
In the citys and towns, they are known as fly in fly out workers, so F.I.F.O
however once at the site the F.I.F.O. takes on a new meaning
fit in or f--k off
could fit the bill in a lot of cases methinks

 

Judging by the number of stressed out Filipino's ringing me this week for help or advice here in our local community, uk.
I almost rang my wife to say, stay in Philippines, I'll be on the next available plane!
Its all about adjusting to your surrounding's and making the effort to be part of it. and that cut's both ways too.
JB

 

My initial reaction was the same as the guys report, mainly ''shock", I had never experienced a 3rd world Country in person before, however, I have come to accept that is the way it is. I posted his report up because it was interesting for me to find another guy with the same reaction as myself. And yes, as others here are saying, the main attraction here is the loving caring women. I for one got very lucky in that department, and I am very thankful for my Filipina parter, which is the only reason I came here in the first place.