Fil-Am

A friend had texted me recently and asked if I really thought it was more fun in the Philippines. I had texted back and said "with the things that I do and the company that I keep, YES". She texted back "Good answer" and I said "I know".

This big hoopla about the It's More Fun... Campaign that the Philippine Department of Tourism has created an atmosphere of pro and against between the people who enjoy life and those who spend time complaining about it. You know what I mean. You know people who admit to themselves that they too want a simple life, a nice house, a loving and healthy family and no debt, but at the end of the day, they like complaining about so many other things that they miss the point. They complain about how bad it is right now, how the government is this and that and how some people are lazy etc. etc.

I have friends who live in the Philippines and complain about life there. I have friends who live here in the US and other counties and complain about the Philippines. I'm not one to say that their arguments are not correct. Of course there's truth in it. But you know what? The corrupt government? The poor infrastructure, the crab mentality, the pessimistic outlook on life, the low standard of living? All of that exists everywhere. It exists in downtown Las Vegas, in the great cities of Detroit, Los Angeles and New York. I've seen them in London, Rome, Paris. I know they exist in Thailand, Japan and the Middle East. So C'mon... Why waste time highlighting things that obviously are there and are just sad?

Going back to the text thread that I had with that friend, I ended up arguing with her that the simple life, the healthy family, the friends and the honest source of living can be anywhere in the world, it doesn't matter. So, yeah, I do find it more fun in the Philippines, but it doesn't mean that I don't like where I am.

Then I was asked if I was not proud to be an american. I answered back, "there are days that I do what I like, and most days, I do what I must." I'm sure I got that from a movie or something. But that's how I feel about that. I also explained that I know quite a few Americans who have never left this country who have nothing but bad things to say about this country. That it's going the wrong way. That's for another argument (although that one won't go anywhere and would not have a finalized consensus). Just to clarify, I am a Filipino - look at me - who is a naturalized US citizenship. Even the US government recognizes it that way.

Bottom line is there's a good and a bad in everything and anything. That there are pros and cons to every place and situation. But surely you can find energy in focusing on the good than the bad right? I think the only time one should trumpet the negative things about life is when they are ready to do something about it and not just something to say about it.

So, friends - family. Chill. It's a good life. Just sit back, look at what you have. And if you can do that... Then you've got something to be thankful for. More than you'll ever know.