Anything Actually Surprise Your Wife/so When Moving Back Here After Living Abroad For Several Years?

[manofthecoldland]

   When returning from living abroad for a lengthy duration of note, and coming 'home' with a different set of 'eyes', any revelations hit them?

    I recall my old HS friends new wife telling me that after she spent many years abroad as a OFW, she was very disappointed to discover that no one was interested in hearing about her life there. They seemed quite interested while she was remitting pisos, but now back home.... yawn.

[GregZ]

My wife kept saying everything here in the Philippines is "so small". We were in the USA for just 2 years, but traveled a LOT being full-time RVers. She saw a lot of places and comparatively most were bigger in the USA.

She was just so amazed by the stark difference she repeated it for the first week back. Her comment was directed at most everything, but the ones I remember now are the roads and the grocery store. I told her it is all just the same size as when she left; just her exposer to the world was bigger.

[Mike J]

My asawa spent seven years in the USA before I retired and we moved here.  She now comments on a regular basis:

 

1 - Customer service, especially government is better in the US

2 - Drivers and roads/traffic in the US much better

3 - Little consideration for others in terms of noise pollution

4 - Lack of zoning and future planning for building/housing

 

There are others, but those seem to be her biggest complaints after living in a different country.

[Queenie O.]

My husband spent many years abroad while we lived in the US. In coming back here to live, he's often disappointed and dismayed and in general at the general lack of good manners among many fellow Filipinos, adults and children too. Please and thank you are hardly ever heard he says. He thinks that people living in cities seem to have a better sense of decorum than provincial dwellers, but overall being gracious he thinks is lately not part of the culture. Also, among family members manners lacking too-- he finds that you're damned if you do, damned if you don't as far as treating or helping certain family members. It never seems to be enough it seems with some, and others might show "sour grapes mentality" about each others' good fortune.

[RBM]

3 hours ago, Queenie O. said:

My husband spent many years abroad while we lived in the US. In coming back here to live, he's often disappointed and dismayed and in general at the general lack of good manners among many fellow Filipinos, adults and children too. Please and thank you are hardly ever heard he says. He thinks that people living in cities seem to have a better sense of decorum than provincial dwellers, but overall being gracious he thinks is lately not part of the culture. Also, among family members manners lacking too-- he finds that you're damned if you do, damned if you don't as far as treating or helping certain family members. It never seems to be enough it seems with some, and others might show "sour grapes mentality" about each others' good fortune.

This is an interesting point raised. What amazes me is the local people entering a mall just let the door go, regardless of anything. First time have encountered this is here. Not sure if typical Asian, somehow doubt it.

Que jumping is another, recently experienced a woman trying ( I refused allow her) to Que jump in front of me at supermarket as she had fewer groceries.....No please just tries to force her way in.

[MikeSwede]

4 hours ago, RBM said:

This is an interesting point raised. What amazes me is the local people entering a mall just let the door go, regardless of anything. First time have encountered this is here. Not sure if typical Asian, somehow doubt it.

Que jumping is another, recently experienced a woman trying ( I refused allow her) to Que jump in front of me at supermarket as she had fewer groceries.....No please just tries to force her way in.

The Spanish heritage, I believe, as those things are all the same in Spain. And on the countryside more prominent than in cities.

Stopping to chat in the middle of a crossing and being irritated if a car signals to get past, dropping the door in the face of anyone behind you, stomping straight in front of the cashier, ignoring any people in waiting.

Yeah, muy español :)

[scott h]

13 hours ago, MikeSwede said:

The Spanish heritage

I am more inclined to think its an Asian thing, would be interested in Mogo's take on this, he has lived in Thailand for years.

But I vividly remember as a 22 year old, 6 foot 1 inch strapping soldier being shoved out of the way at a store display case by a 4 foot 10 inch Japanese grandmother with out so much as a by your leave. Or in Seoul being shoved out of the way in a subway line by a gentleman in a business suit.

I do know if you hold a door open for a lady here in Metro Manila folks look at you like you have a second head

[RBM]

5 hours ago, scott h said:

 

I do know if you hold a door open for a lady here in Metro Manila folks look at you like you have a second head

Ah.....maybe they take a different view on this as depending on how THE LADY looks.....

 

[mogo51]

On 3/2/2016 at 0:58 PM, manofthecoldland said:

   When returning from living abroad for a lengthy duration of note, and coming 'home' with a different set of 'eyes', any revelations hit them?

    I recall my old HS friends new wife telling me that after she spent many years abroad as a OFW, she was very disappointed to discover that no one was interested in hearing about her life there. They seemed quite interested while she was remitting pisos, but now back home.... yawn.

Well of course they were interested then, as they were oiling the potential money machine.

[mogo51]

I asked my SO who moved from Phils to Thailand to teach and earn more to educate her two children (who now each have degrees) this question:  She has also been with me several times to Oz and   her reply:

1. Thailand/Australia more so, more efficient.

2. Cleaner in both countries

3.  Better service

Her broad comment was that nowhere is perfect, but costs of  living in Australia is so very high but  you have to just be content with what you have.

She does not believe that Philippines has improved much in her time away and most things remain the same, except it has got more expensive in Philipppines.

 

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