America vs. The Philippines: What I Didn't Expect When I Returned

[00:00:07]Good morning everybody. It's Bob.

[00:00:12]This video is not going to be America is bad, Philippines good style type of video.

[00:00:20]This is going to be about what I honestly experience going back and forth from the Philippines to the US.

[00:00:34]And I've been doing this now for about 3 years.

[00:00:40]But before I do that, I just want to say the reason I started this channel was because when I was researching the Philippines, I couldn't find one that cut down the middle. Uh it was either mostly all, you know, mostly bad or mostly good.

[00:00:58]Nobody to me seemed like they were giving an honest opinion.

[00:01:02]I do that.

[00:01:05]I was in your situation researching the Philippines and it I just couldn't find one. I had to make the decision on my own. Uh so hopefully my channel helps you and thank you for subscribing.

[00:01:27]On that note, um I've talked about this part before. What what shocked me the most going back was going back to nothing. And what I mean by that is in other videos I talked about how I sold my property, you know, got rid of my car, got rid of my house, property, everything.

[00:01:56]And the difficulty that I have when I first go back is realizing I'm technically homeless.

[00:02:03]I do have places that I can go, which I'm thankful for.

[00:02:09]But the reality of it is I'm homeless when I go back. Everything I own is here.

[00:02:14]Um, so it takes me a little while to adjust.

[00:02:22]And that's what you also if you're if you're doing this long term, that's also what you're going to have to deal with, especially if you sold everything. It's a weird feeling because, you know, as for me, going back, you know, I had a house. I had everything. And not being able to go to that house is weird, but at the same time, it's freeing because I'm not obligated for maintenance on that house anymore, payments, nothing. And it freed up a lot of cash.

[00:02:59]But it still takes some adjusting.

[00:03:05]I bring that up at the office when I go in there, when I'm back in the States, and everybody just kind of laughs cuz I tell them I'm homeless. And the reality is I am when I go back to the States, um, you know, they they often ask me when I go back what I miss.

[00:03:26]What I miss?

[00:03:30]There isn't a whole lot that I miss other than the US being my home. I still love the United States. Uh it's just too expensive.

[00:03:41]Uh very stressful lifestyle.

[00:03:46]But the things I do miss are gas stations that sell coffee.

[00:03:59]gas stations open 24 hours, which there are some here. There are um but if you're making a long trip, you definitely have to trip plan properly because they especially out in the province, the 24-hour ones are far and few in between.

[00:04:16]So, you got to plan properly here if you're making a long trip.

[00:04:22]I miss the convenience of going to a coffee shop at 7 in the morning.

[00:04:32]Most of the coffee shops in my area at least are open at like 9 or 10, which I don't get. I don't get that. It's confusing to me.

[00:04:44]Um, what I couldn't stand going back to the US after being in the Philippines, for me, it's it's the stress of of living there in the US.

[00:05:04]Um, everything is fast-paced in the US. here. Everything is slowed down. Slowed down.

[00:05:14]I'm sure I'll hear something about that in the comments and getting so used to everything being slowed down and then going back to the US where everybody's like, I need to get here right now. Go, go, go.

[00:05:34]It does take a little bit of adjustment.

[00:05:38]So, be ready for that.

[00:05:40]It does. It takes a little bit of an adjustment. Um, for me it takes, you know, maybe a couple weeks.

[00:05:53]Everything in the States when I go back, it takes me a couple weeks to readjust.

[00:05:57]Like the whole house thing. I stay at my my friend's really nice camper.

[00:06:04]Um, that's right by our office, right next to it, literally.

[00:06:11]And it makes it does make my life easier when I go back.

[00:06:16]But it takes me a few weeks just to reaclimate to everything. And my job, they give me that that space to do that, which is nice. My boss tells me he doesn't want to really see me in the office too much during that time, which I still go in the office, but it it takes a it takes a little bit of time to get readjusted. Everything here, I mean, comparatively, the US and the Philippines are almost the same on the basic level, especially when it comes to like driving laws.

[00:06:52]Um, I should say written driving laws, not enforced driving laws.

[00:06:59]Um, if if you follow the laws that you follow in the US, you're pretty much okay. There are a few differences, but you're pretty much okay. So, adjusting to here wasn't bad.

[00:07:20]Um, one of the big things for me too is jet lag. Now, coming from the US to here, it only takes me a couple days.

[00:07:33]Uh, I'm usually pretty good. When I go back to the States, it usually takes me a week or two. Uh, this past time actually, it was I happen to get over it pretty quick, which surprised me. Uh, like I said, my boss, he's just like, "I don't want to see you in the office for the next couple weeks. You just, you know, you just get used to being back here. If I need you, I'll I'll talk to you." Type of thing. And it does, you know, it I I try and prepare myself before I leave. I take a couple naps through the day, like maybe a couple weeks before I go back um to try and get my body back into that cycle, and that does help. Uh, if anybody else has any techniques, please put them in the comments.

[00:08:16]Um that really is physically is the hardest and I mean everything else like the stress that takes takes a little bit but it's I think that the the time change does add to a little bit of the stress cuz you're tired and your body wants to sleep at off times.

[00:08:46]At least mine does. Now, I'm speaking from my point of view. Just so I'm making that clear. This is all my point of view.

[00:08:56]But, you know, looking at all this in a way, the Philippines has changed me in different ways. In certain ways, I should say.

[00:09:14]It's it's taught me to slow down and smell the roses.

[00:09:18]Uh everything doesn't need to be in a rush.

[00:09:22]Uh it's it's taught me a lot of patience in traffic.

[00:09:27]Uh that's something you have to have to get used to here is the traffic. Whether you're in a trike, a jeep, or driving on your own, got to get used to the traffic.

[00:09:42]It has taught me to appreciate peace more.

[00:09:52]And when I go back to the States, I lose that peace a little because everything is fast-paced there in the US.

[00:10:02]And so after I get there, I'm anxious to get back. I know to some people they probably think I'm crazy for saying that. I'm not. and just anxious to get back. Yeah, the Philippines is not made for everybody. It really isn't. And you have to have a certain mindset to be here. Um, people here move slower.

[00:10:27]They have their own time schedule.

[00:10:29]Uh, and there's a lot of other things that go on, you know, and you'll see that when you get here.

[00:10:40]But if you can't adjust to that, you'll hold resentments. And for me, the trade-off for me with the noise at night, uh, you know, the 2 a.m. motorcycles going down with the unrestricted mufflers, the trade-off for me is a lot less stress in my life and everything is slower. And they >> in general, >> they don't the people don't expect a whole lot from you because they don't expect a whole lot from themselves.

[00:11:18]And the Philippine people are amazing here. I don't care what people say, they're amazing.

[00:11:26]On that note, I hope everybody has a fantastic day and I will see everybody in the next video. So,