A Filipina friend of mine and her husband moved to a flat, which she calls a condominium. Emphasis on the condominium. She is very thrilled and excited about the whole moving thing. She told me that she enjoys watching the city skyline at night and well... everything and everybody that is below her.
I am happy for her. True, the skyline is beautiful, especially late at night. But it made me think about the difference in lifestyles and perspective.
In the Philippines, if you live in a flat... well, you are well-off. Only moneyed young executives live in flats, or condominiums for that matter. (Besides, flats are only found in congested big cities.) Ordinary people live in houses. If you are poor in the Philippines, you eat fish and vegetables. Meat is expensive. Only middle class and rich people can afford to eat meat on a daily basis. As for vegetables, rich people often go for salad.
Also in the Philippines, only rich people ride Mercedes. Ordinary people take jeepneys and buses.
Here, people who can not afford to buy houses, live in flats. People who have money, eat fish and vegetables on a daily basis. Salad is for everybody, and lettuce is one of the cheaper vegetables available in the supermarkets. As for riding Mercedes, well,... it's a cab here! Anyone can hail a cab. Although, there are also people who drive Mercedes here.
It's funny, isn't it? How things work in this crazy, crazy world. lol
14 comments:
Hay naku, mahal na man an sira didi. Sometimes, fish is more expensive than meat. Mas lalo na an alimango, he he he.
You've marked quite interesting differences actually. Though here in the Netherlands I think that there are condominiums that can be quite expensive, too.
As for the food, what you mention reminded me of the first time my husband was visiting in Argentina. He saw my parents coming back from the supermarket with bags full of beef - kilos and kilos of it, for the weekend.... and he assumed that we had be stinking rich if we could afford to buy beef in those quantities just for a family meal at the weekend :o)
@Anna: pinusta man ada an gin babakal mo kaya mas mahal. hahahaha An alimango nan sugpo, pirme man ina mahal talaga. ;)
@Aledys: It´s true that there are condominiums that are also quite expensive here. But houses in general, are much expensive than flats.
My inlaws thought we were also very rich when we served them tuna, lobster and prawn during a visit to the Philippines. Well, we´re not rich and we also don´t eat lobster and prawn regularly. lol Tuna is relatively cheap though in my hometown. ;)
Hi! college friend man ako ni cherie... and have read most of your blogs... i love it!!! a nice peek at what life is like there in Holland. taga sorse man ako, pero siguro an magkakilala i'm guessing...is my mom and your mom or some of your aunts. Sa Naga City na ako nag-high school kaya lain ako expose sa mga taga SNHS. ako si follower na wara sin picture...di ko aram pa kun papan-o magbutang!!! you make me laugh a lot... thank you for your funnyness!!! is there such a word? hahaha!
Hi! I love your blogs... nakakatawa ka how you portrait life in Holland... taga-sorse man ako...somehow i feel i find a new friend here in cyberspace... i have a strong feeling.. that my mom and your mom or some of your aunts grew up as friends too. An balay namon didto sa daku na balay infront of PNB. If you plans to visit didi sa US, let me know...
keep laughing... keep playing.. keep writing...
hahaha that is interestings...
In India, houses are for everyone... Bunglows are for rich and row houses for poor :)
In flats also there are differnt type of flats, simple without lift kinda for poor and with 4 lifts, luxurious appts with indoor Gym, Swimming Pool, Garden, Reception, Baby care in short everything that is for rich...lol
Interesting, same planet and how it differs everywhere !
@Tessa: An balay nindo an may masiramon na tambis (or was it macopa) san sadto? Hugo apelyido mo? Kay niyan, bagan funeraria na an yadto. HAHAHAHAHA Kilala ko ada ikaw sa bayhun kun sa Milagrosa ka nag elementary. Kundi dili ako masyado familiar san mga younger batch sa akon.... especially in your case kay kumbaga sa Naga ka nagdako. :)
Mayad man kay nalagalag ka didi. Amo ini na blog an shrink ko kay yaadi intero na kabuangan ko. HAHAHAHAHA
Pwede ka man magbutang pic. Kadto ka sa edit profile. Tapos, add ka pic didto. hehehehe
@Tessa: diin ka dida sa US? Kay kadaon ko ikaw buwas (kay gab-i na). hehehehe Seriously, diin baya.. kay malay mo... hehehe :)
@Lopa: In the Philippines... houses made of wood are for ordinary people while houses made of card boards (I'm not joking here), are for poor people. This scenario is, of course, in the big cities only..
In my hometown, everybody has a house made of wood, bricks, cement, etc... Needless to say, bungalows and mansions are for rich people. :)
i guess didi halos pareho man, pero an pinakamiportante didi an location.
binabakal mo an zip code, hahaha.
Amo ha? location... location... location! lol
Lopa gave u a good primer on Indian housing. :) disparity is depressing, no? i could give so many instances when i have felt so guilty for indulging in some thing. This is when i feel that a bit of communism wud do us some good.
My sistrs friend had told me about the merc taxis in germany. When i finally sat in one, in hannover, i felt soo gut. :-D
@Aristarkhos: I feel the same way sometimes... you know, that communism would do us good. But if we will loook at history, it didn't really do a lot of good for the common people. And this is why I am more in favor of socialism. hehehe
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