Are we HAers "taking advantage" of poor economically disadvantaged women like our bashers claim?

[publicduende]

The Philippines sounds fun but tough for people who like a sanitized-looking shopping experience, clean air; health inspected restaurants, and gluten-free vegan options.

I know you know Jakarta more than Manila but, what you said doesn't really do justice to the many, wonderfully-looking malls available all over Metro Manila, especially in the Central Business Districts (Makati, BGC, Ortigas).

With the exception of a few older ones, all malls by Ayala, SM, Robinson's, and Megaworld, are shiny new, perfectly air-conditioned, and packed with shops from the more conventional fast foods to exotic and fine dining restaurants, and pretty much any commercial establishment you could think of, from electronics to sports equipment, spas to dental clinics, and even several essential government offices.

Metro Manila can be hell, with all the pollution and the traffic on its main artery (EDSA), so malls have been designed as proper oases for people to stroll, dine, and shop. Believe me, it's as sanitized and refreshing as it gets, over here

In terms of hygiene, in my 7 years here I have never had a single problem with a mall restaurant, from a humble Jollibee to a posh steak house. Mall restaurants in Davao tended to be a little bit more run down, compared to Manila, but never to the point where I would see a roach or similar insect roaming free and would be worried about the quality of my meal. Never had a single episode of food poisoning, either. Independent, smaller restaurants tend to have much less strict hygiene standards but, to be honest, I am rarely attracted to those, especially if a mall is nearby and I can count on a more established brand.

As for gluten-free and vegan options, as we know Filipinos are some of the world's best gluttons and omnivores. I am not a vegan but agree with you, one would be hard-pressed to find establishments catering to "niche" diets. Restaurants offering healthy meals like salads with organic veggies, unsugared smoothies, and the likes, are quite abundant, though they tend to exist only in the posher malls.

Just to give you an idea, this is a mall that's less than 10 minutes walking distance from our home. It's called Podium, owned by SM. It has been substantially renovated a few years ago and it looks like something even Singapore would find hard to beat.

[ArchibaultNew]

I think the comment comes from a perception of women as vulnerable to manipulation and abuse, because men travelling abroad from developed nations to underdeveloped nations will likely have more financial security than the women that gives them power in the relationship. Which IMO it does, because if someone is economically dependent on you they will be more willing to put up with negative behaviour, just like most of us are willing to put up with our bosses and co-workers being assholes, in a way that we wouldn't let anyone in our free time communicate with us like they do.

However, those comments don't take into account the reality that some men get taken financially advantage of by those women they see as only see as being vulnerable.

I don't think those commenters realize that we can't predict which party is going to be predatory, and also that neither party may be predatory and just benign people looking for a partner.

Yeah but this assume that every man who finds a woman abroad is a scumbag and loser jerk. That's what Hollywood portrays, but it's not reality. There are many nice men who find women abroad. Why don't they consider that? And why does every good guy have to find a woman in America or else there's something wrong with him? That's very narrow. Also, some men find equal relationships abroad, like when they find a woman in Poland. Not every guy who dates abroad has a sugar daddy relationship. Some find an equal partnership too.

Btw, how come everyone in all forms of media assumes that you have to stay in America and endure your problems, such as loneliness, depression, isolation, etc? Everyone assumes that, including alternative media and truthers. For some reason, no one sees leaving America as a solution. No one. Not even freethinkers will consider it. They may talk about traveling overseas, but they NEVER talk about it as a solution to your problems. Why is that? How can everyone be so blind universally?

Try this: Tell a truther or freethinker out there about HA. You will notice that a mental block goes up about it. They cannot consider it for some reason. They have a mental block about finding a better or freer or happier life abroad. Even if they are open minded about UFOs, Bigfoot, Ghosts, etc, they cannot fathom going abroad as a solution to fix your problems. It's very inexplicable. How can everyone be universally blind or have a mental block about our solution???!!! Very strange!!!

Even Matt McKinley, at the video link above in my OP, whose comments I posted under, assumes that if you wanna get out of America, you will be living in a cardboard box in the woods, that's what he always says. As if getting out of America is impossible and living overseas isn't an option on the table to consider. Very strange! Why is that? Even the biggest freethinkers all assume this! Why??? Stuff like this makes you question reality!

I would like to add that many sell living abroad as a "luxury" and something only millionaires could do. This image is false. Seems its actually cheaper to go around and travel once you are abroad. Travelling between countries is cheap. Countries like Latin America where airfarce is low. Also I've been told even in Europe you can travel by train quiet easily. I think any middle class America could pull it off. While working from their laptop.

[MrMan]

The Philippines sounds fun but tough for people who like a sanitized-looking shopping experience, clean air; health inspected restaurants, and gluten-free vegan options.

I know you know Jakarta more than Manila but, what you said doesn't really do justice to the many, wonderfully-looking malls available all over Metro Manila, especially in the Central Business Districts (Makati, BGC, Ortigas).[/img]

Fair enough. What I know of the Philippines comes from media, online, people I know who lived there, etc. Jakarta has beautiful malls, too. But I don't think they have health inspectors. The food served at the restaurants in the shopping malls looks good when it is presented, usually.

But there are those lower end less hygienic options elsehwere, also.

I haven't seen gluten-free, etc. all over the place in Jakarta. Do they have that sort of thing in the Philippines?

[publicduende]

Fair enough. What I know of the Philippines comes from media, online, people I know who lived there, etc. Jakarta has beautiful malls, too. But I don't think they have health inspectors. The food served at the restaurants in the shopping malls looks good when it is presented, usually.

But there are those lower end less hygienic options elsehwere, also.

I haven't seen gluten-free, etc. all over the place in Jakarta. Do they have that sort of thing in the Philippines?

The quality of health inspection, I frankly wouldn't know. Judging from how many restaurants have an open kitchen layout and sport pretty new and clean appliances and equipment, I would say the hygiene levels are definitely above average.

And hey, since we're talking about it, you should come and see the abysmal conditions of some of the cheaper restaurants in the UK, especially around London! That's a place where I used to get food poisoning at least 3 or 4 times a year, and that without even eating out more than once a month. Same for my friends and colleagues, who would often call in sick because of a "bad Chinese", a "dodgy curry"...and no, they were not being racist

I googled for gluten-free restaurants in Manila and found some 150 entries. Probably not even 2% of all the establishments in Manila, but still a sizeable amount and choice.

[MrMan]

Maybe Manilla is cleaner than Jakarta?

I don't remember getting sick at the mall, except I got sick off the chicken sandwich at Wendy's at Pondok Indah mall... twice. I'd forgotten about it and ate there again.

[publicduende]

Maybe Manilla is cleaner than Jakarta?

I don't remember getting sick at the mall, except I got sick off the chicken sandwich at Wendy's at Pondok Indah mall... twice. I'd forgotten about it and ate there again.

I have never been to Jakarta, nor to Bangkok but, from what they told me, I think Manila is in between Bangkok and Jakarta in terms of high-quality commercial infrastructure. And I emphasize "commercial" because the public infrastructure surroundings these beautiful malls, office and lifestyle districts, is dilapidated, mediocre at best.