Shes On The Phone 20/24 Hours A Day And Yet Won't Call Anyone

[Dave Hounddriver]

We have had no water today.  I don't know why.  Anyone I ask just says "No water".  Its hard to wash or cook or even flush the toilet with no water so I want to know when it is coming back on.  All I can find out is that all the neighbors have no water but everyone sees fatalistic about:  This is Philippines, it'll be on when it comes on.

 

So I ask my gf to discuss it with the neighbors or phone the water company and find out what the problem is and when we will have water.

 

She gets so mad at me that I expect her to ask questions.  She is on the phone all day chatting about nonsense but freaks out every time I ask her to make a call that matters.  She tells me I should do it, but when I do I have 2 problems.   I cannot hear what is being said on the phone as my hearing is bad and when I do hear I cannot understand the language or pronunciation when talking on the phone.

 

Why is it so difficult for some filipinas to ask questions?  Why does she get mad at me for wanting to know rather than getting upset with the people who are responsible for stopping the water?  Just one of the frustrating parts of living here.

 

[Larry45]

Same issues here.  It's 10X better if SHE asks the questions and makes the complaints, but they are raised not to make waves and just go with the flow.  Frustrating, for sure.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Update:  Since she figured out that she would also like to know, she started asking questions around the neighborhood.  Turns out it is a subdivision problem as all our water comes from a tank that is fed by the subdivision's pump, and the pump is broken.  Word is that they will fix it tonight but I start to see why so many people have their own storage tank in this country.  (Actually, most places I have lived here have their own water storage tank for reasons like this but I had hopes that a one year old subdivision would not yet have these problems.  Oh well, water's back on now so all is right with the world.)

[frosty (chris)]

We have had no water today.  I don't know why.  Anyone I ask just says "No water".  Its hard to wash or cook or even flush the toilet with no water so I want to know when it is coming back on.  All I can find out is that all the neighbors have no water but everyone sees fatalistic about:  This is Philippines, it'll be on when it comes on.

 

So I ask my gf to discuss it with the neighbors or phone the water company and find out what the problem is and when we will have water.

 

She gets so mad at me that I expect her to ask questions.  She is on the phone all day chatting about nonsense but freaks out every time I ask her to make a call that matters.  She tells me I should do it, but when I do I have 2 problems.   I cannot hear what is being said on the phone as my hearing is bad and when I do hear I cannot understand the language or pronunciation when talking on the phone.

 

Why is it so difficult for some filipinas to ask questions?  Why does she get mad at me for wanting to know rather than getting upset with the people who are responsible for stopping the water?  Just one of the frustrating parts of living here.

:hystery:  Had to laugh when I read this, mines the same. Last week we were stuck in traffic near Tamiya, some tryc driver got shot and killed all these people where running up the road, which I thought strange, asked my girl to ask some one what the problem was, she sat there like a stunned mullet, eventually a traffic controller came by and I asked him what was going on, he told me and said best to turn around and go home, police and ambulances where blocking the road.

[WordsandMusic]

To answer the question, and it's a good one!! Why won't filipina's ask questions. If there has been anything I could undue about my wife, it's the fact that she will not investigate or ask questions even if it directly effects her. She feels as if she is not suppose to question authority in all its shapes and forms, I guess. She really hasn't given me an answer. I push her to find out things on her own even if i'm close by. She argues a little then finally asks a question. At first she claimed it was because her english wasn't that good. But it is and she only lacked confidence. I told her when we moved to the Philippines, every aspect of our life and finances were on her, not me. I'm retiring and want nothing to do with paying bills or buying food, I never want to drive a car again. So she had better get much more assertive about life and dealing with it. It's a crying shame when smart people lack confidence!!!! 

[Dave Hounddriver]

At first she claimed it was because her english wasn't that good

 

I would believe that except that the questions I want her to ask are to people in her native language  :hystery:

 

I do understand a little of her reasoning.  When she goes out by herself she tends to get treated as a child.  Authority figures give her the brush off like she is just an annoying peasant.  When I go with her and she asks questions, the person she is asking often gives the answer to me, in English.

 

But when it is something she really wants she will ask way more questions than I want her to.  Example, I got a phone call from my bank a couple months ago to say that my gf had been asking about buying a car that I was going to finance and it was all being done without my approval until the bank actually called me and I told them she had overstepped her authority by applying for a car loan in my name without me even being there.  (She later told me it was a pushy salesman who talked her into it.)

 

PS:  Thats another story but to make it short, the bank is interested in lending me more money than I can afford but they would not give me a loan for the used car that I could actually make the payments on.

[sonjack2847]

We have had no water today.  I don't know why.  Anyone I ask just says "No water".  Its hard to wash or cook or even flush the toilet with no water so I want to know when it is coming back on.  All I can find out is that all the neighbors have no water but everyone sees fatalistic about:  This is Philippines, it'll be on when it comes on.

 

So I ask my gf to discuss it with the neighbors or phone the water company and find out what the problem is and when we will have water.

 

She gets so mad at me that I expect her to ask questions.  She is on the phone all day chatting about nonsense but freaks out every time I ask her to make a call that matters.  She tells me I should do it, but when I do I have 2 problems.   I cannot hear what is being said on the phone as my hearing is bad and when I do hear I cannot understand the language or pronunciation when talking on the phone.

 

Why is it so difficult for some filipinas to ask questions?  Why does she get mad at me for wanting to know rather than getting upset with the people who are responsible for stopping the water?  Just one of the frustrating parts of living here.

I had the same when I wanted sim to call globe they just don`t complain even when the service is crap just like when you have a brownout do they drop the supply charge no. Never mind mate you are not alone.

[sonjack2847]

Update:  Since she figured out that she would also like to know, she started asking questions around the neighborhood.  Turns out it is a subdivision problem as all our water comes from a tank that is fed by the subdivision's pump, and the pump is broken.  Word is that they will fix it tonight but I start to see why so many people have their own storage tank in this country.  (Actually, most places I have lived here have their own water storage tank for reasons like this but I had hopes that a one year old subdivision would not yet have these problems.  Oh well, water's back on now so all is right with the world.)

So you`ve had a shower now?STINKY

[Tukaram (Tim)]

In person I will usually ask because quite frankly sometimes a foreigner gets better treatment.  On the phone... forget it!  I can never understand them, and they cannot understand me.  She has to call... but never wants to.  I get the impression that calling to complain is too confrontational?   :tiphat:

[Dave Hounddriver]

So you`ve had a shower now?

 

She's trying to tell me that since I have gone so long without a shave that I should grow a beard.  And yet last year she told me she hated beards.  :bash:

 

Anyway, bottom line is I don't like them myself but I am lazy at times so I may skip shaving today.

 

Edited October 22, 2015 by Dave Hounddriver