Our favorite interviewer Steve Hoca finally took the plunge and went to the Philippines! He didn't want me to post about it until after he returned for some reason. Now that he's returned, I can post about it.
He was there for two weeks and said that all that we told him about it was validated. The girls were approachable, he didn't feel like a creep when talking to them, and there was a sense of social connection and relaxness that you don't have in the states. However, he experienced the "shamelessness" that we talked about as well, when his date brought him to her family, and they invited him somewhere at his expense without even asking if he'd treat them. Ladislav said that that was part of Steve's "baptism" into the Philippines. lol
Steve wanted me to tell you all though, not to fly into Detroit if you're coming from an international flight, cause the TSA personnel there are the worst in the country when it comes to checking through all your stuff, laptop, camera, etc.
Anyway, Steve will probably come to the forum at some point and post his trip report. For now though, here is one of the updates he sent me:
Hello Winston:
Just wanted to tell you that I found this super nice Filipina in Cagayan de Oro who I met on Filipina cupid. She is wonderful.
You are right, when going to the mall, I don't feel like a creep. Women -- not all though -- smile at me when I am with this girl. There is none of this feeling of "you're a creep". In America, if a 40-year-old guy like me were holding hands with a 20-year-old in a mall, they would call security and have me investigated.
I don't feel any hostility from Filipino people (including women). They are, for the most part, hard-working and very friendly, especially in the province of Mindanao. I am elated.
I will show you great video I did. It's amazing. Some things here are super expensive, however, so you have to be careful how you spend your money. But aside from the economics, most Filipinos are really fun to talk to.
Also, I am not into the Angeles City thing. There are too many nice girls that bypass the whole need for sexual tourism.
One last thing. You can fly to any island in the Philippines via cebupacificair.com for about 60 american dollars. That is super cheap.
Talk to you later.
Steve