MarcosZeitola wrote:OutWest wrote:zboy1 wrote:MarcosZeitola, please let your sons or daughters be proud of their Asian heritage! Don't have them end up being self-hating Asian American types or another Elliot Rogers, PLEASE!
Also, have them be very aware of their Filipino culture and background; that way, they can use their dual backgrounds to a great advantage, because Asia is the future, and the West is in decline.
OutWest--who is a White man married to a Filipina women, and has two mixed children--also agrees with this notion, and his doing everything possible to stay in the Philippines, and raise his kids to be proud mixed-race children who embrace their Asian side. Also, he wants them to take advantage of the economic center shifting towards Asia, and away from the West.
This is quite true. I'm actually back in the USA for about 6 weeks, but what you say is correct. Many American have difficulty accepting Asian people at face value.
They have to pigeon-hole them as this or that, and layer it in with a few racial slurs.
If you can imagine, there are Universities and companies in the USA that are apparently
looking to limit the Asian population. Being as they can't take the competition, so called
"Liberal progressives" have decided its ok to discriminate against people so long as they are not Black or Latino.
http://minuiko.tumblr.com/post/79174122 ... ation-bill
In general, So called "Liberal progressive" Americans are such piles of Shite.
This law which would legitimize regulations against Asians was PASSED in the California State Senate this year.
For me, the move to the East is irreversible. I will be back in China this coming autumn
as I have cut an import/export deal with a Chinese Steel products company, and I can tell you, it is EASIER to do business in so called communist China than in the USA, and much more profitable. Of course, part of all this is that I want my kids to be very comfortable in Asia and to have a sense that the fit in and that they have pride in who they are.
Your life decisions are inspiring to me. Can I ask you a few questions?
1: How is your housing in the Philippines and was it a lot more affordable then out West?
2: What's the age gap between you and your wives and has it worked in your advantage?
3: How many more children do you plan on having, and is it easier and a lot cheapier to raise them there then it is in the West?
4: Are there any other Western men living in the Philippines that you know of who are as committed to integrating in their society as you are?
5: What things have you done to successfully intregrate in society there?
Thanks for the thoughtful questions-
1- Housing. In the USA, about 66% of the cost of a new house is labor. That allows for considerable savings if one takes advantage of the offset in labor costs.
Even in the Philippines, land and house values vary considerably. In Mindanao, there is not
much of a demand for houses by monied foreigners in most places, so land and houses can be cheaper...IF it is a place that you can live as a foreigner. Some places I would NOT
advise...That said, some places you can buy a house for $80,000 or even MUCH less, and it might be a house that would sell for hundreds of thousands in the US.
Rent can be expensive or cheap. With experience in the provinces, you can get good housing for less than 400 per month.
2- I was 20 years older than my first wife and 29 years older than my current wife.
Hard to say, if you are in good shape for your age, you can use it all to your advantage.
Really, I do not let it be a big deal.
3- I am at a total of 3 now...wife says she wants two...so we just might be busy for a while...lol It is somewhat cheaper, not dirt cheap, because if you are keeping higher health and safety standards it simply costs more than it does for most Filipinos.
4- Hmmm...I am integrated to a point. I will always be that "Poreigner".
But I am also very accepted and integrated in some ways into a local middle class and upper middle class structure, but on their terms. I live within those limits and everything is fine. My wife's family, especially her father, who I would take a bullet for, has really helped in all respects. Otherwise, I do not want or expect to really integrate, I just work for understanding and acceptance and I offer the same. I am not trying to go native...
5- Things I did that helped integrate, in context of #4....
Well high on the list was to court and marry a lovely local girl from a respected family.
After that was to maintain and build a reputation as a solid man who really respected the family I married into. We also have a small farm (Mangos) and we also employ several Filipino men as well as two women. We are generous and kind to our employees, but we are NOT pushovers. Also, we do socialize with some other Filipino families, and we very much follow the tradition of being generous hosts. We throw some great feeds! lol
and further, we are very active in charity and relief activities and have donated over 50 tons of rice to various emergencies in the last few years. We do not do this for recognition, we do it because we can and it is the right thing to do.
Hope this helps...
