Personal questions, how do you deal with them?

[Gratefuled]

This is what I consider very very rude. It seems like everyone here does it. Bad habit. I don't  know why some feel a need to know so much about a person that they hardly know. Maybe to get to know them better but why not wait and maybe they will know in time. 

Some questions are ok from strangers just to make conversation. So, to strangers I never give them an honest answer.  Wife friends and some relatives are the worse. They always seem to want to know when are we going to go to America, about my income, my age, and our plans for children. I never give them a straight answer. They laugh it off realising that I do not divulge personal information. 

[AlwaysRt]

2 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

They always seem to want to know when are we going to go to America, about my income, my age, and our plans for children. I never give them a straight answer.

Yup, I (well my wife, they don't usually ask me directly) also get the 'Why don't you buy a house/you should buy a house' in addition to your list.

[mogo51]

7 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

This is what I consider very very rude. It seems like everyone here does it. Bad habit. I don't  know why some feel a need to know so much about a person that they hardly know. Maybe to get to know them better but why not wait and maybe they will know in time. 

Some questions are ok from strangers just to make conversation. So, to strangers I never give them an honest answer.  Wife friends and some relatives are the worse. They always seem to want to know when are we going to go to America, about my income, my age, and our plans for children. I never give them a straight answer. They laugh it off realising that I do not divulge personal information. 

Only worry if they want to know your bank account number!

[Dave Hounddriver]

It seems to be a cultural thing.  I don't mean just Filipino culture but local culture.  Whether you live in Manila or Dumaguete, Chicago or Farmington, or any other place on the map; there are questions that are considered rude and others that are considered fine.

I find it rude when other foreigners ask me:  How much do you spend every month? What did you pay for that? Where did you find her and does she have a sister?  And yet I accept that some guys come from a culture where you speak what's on your mind.  Here in Philippines, what's on their mind is:  Hey Joe give me money.  I figure its their right to have freedom of speech so I just find a response that I am comfortable with and throw it back at them.  For example:

How much do you spend every month?  (I outright lie as its none of their business but the best way to shut them up.)

What did you pay for that? (Same response.)

Where did you find her? (Joke lang)

Hey Joe give me money. (W'ay kwarta) (corrected wrong spelling 'cause of gf reading over shoulder LOL)

Have a stress free day, guys 

Edited June 9, 2017 by Dave Hounddriver

[Gratefuled]

11 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

'Why don't you buy a house/you should buy a house' in addition to your list.

and, they probably know of one for sale that is cheap and perfect for you.

Yes, I've had people try to sell me a house. I have to laff. The laff tells them I'm not interested. 

Just like the guy trying to sell me sun glasses when he can plainly see I'm wearing mine.

[AlwaysRt]

2 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I find it rude when other foreigners ask me:  How much do you spend every month? What did you pay for that?

While there are some that are just outright nosey, many expats ask about pricing to fill in the blank of 'what should things cost here'. Having heard about local pricing, long nose tax, and being in a new market, without asking those already here there is no way to know if you can afford something, if you got a good deal, or getting ripped off. I suppose I do handle the question different, based on how the question is asked and if I think the person is gonna run around adding "Steve said it should be this much..." Those guys get nothing from me at all.

[AlwaysRt]

Just now, Gratefuled said:

and, they probably know of one for sale that is cheap and perfect for you.

Yes, I've had people try to sell me a house. I have to laff. The laff tells them I'm not interested. 

Just like the guy trying to sell me sun glasses when he can plainly see I'm wearing mine.

hahaha, for those that have asked me about a house, my answer has been 'sure, you gonna pay for it?' - end of conversation! 

[Gratefuled]

4 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

hahaha, for those that have asked me about a house, my answer has been 'sure, you gonna pay for it?' - end of conversation! 

Or, if it's such a good deal, why don't you buy it?

[Dave Hounddriver]

9 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

While there are some that are just outright nosey, many expats ask about pricing to fill in the blank

Yes, its the former I refer to.  When I come on the forum I am more open to these kinds of questions because that's why we are here.

The nosy ones ask because they want to reaffirm that they are richer than you or paid more than you and thus, somehow, justify that they are better than you.  At least that's how they come across.

[Jack Peterson]

3 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

 

8 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

hahaha, for those that have asked me about a house, my answer has been 'sure, you gonna pay for it?' - end of conversation! 

Or, if it's such a good deal, why don't you buy it?

 

 ED, Steve,  I  your answers but as funny as  they are, if you were to say that, would it not make you or anyone then guilty of asking Personal Questions ? which it seems, is what the Topics is about and I guess we can all be Guilty at sometimes, even without realizing it

 Just a Thought