Our emigration: how Ukrainian lives in the Philippines

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Ukrainian Inna Gavrilenko after graduation entered the building institute. She had no enchanting plans for the future. But after a couple of months after the start of classes, Inna met the owner of the model school, received an invitation, underwent training - and became a popular model, starting to travel the world, but for life she chose the Philippines.

Inna shared with the Internet publication what she was attracted by this island state, as well as about the peculiarities of life in this country “Columnist".

Moving history

In 2014, I flew from China to the Philippines to work under a contract for three months. The stress experienced in the Middle Kingdom helped me see the Philippines from the good side: eternal summer, smiling and friendly people, everyone speaks English... I decided to stay and extended my contract for 5 months. And when I was getting ready to leave, I met a guy because of whom I had to stay. He is French, but lives and works in the Philippines. Since I liked both the country and the people, I left without hesitation.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

about country

The Philippines is made up of several thousand islands with incredibly beautiful beaches, like something out of a Bounty advertisement. Their complete opposite is the capital, Manila, where a fifth of the total population lives. Summer all year round, rainy season from June to September. The official languages ​​are English and Tagalog.

The Philippines has a complex history: the country was colonized by Spain for more than 300 years, then the Japanese came here, then the Americans. Spain imposed its culture, language (Tagalog is very similar to Spanish) and religion. It was originally Muslim, now Catholic, but Muslims still make up a decent percentage of the population, although they live in a separate part of the Philippines.

The country is poor. The big gap between the poor and the rich, almost no middle class. The same big difference between the capital and the rest of the country.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

About people

Filipinos are very hospitable, friendly and smiling. I remember my first day here: I was walking down the street, people looked at me and smiled. At first I thought there was something wrong with me. Then I realized that they were smiling at me because they were so friendly. Plus they really love white skin. For them, “foreigner” is synonymous with the word “handsome.” I have something to compare with - I know how, for example, they look at a woman in India. Not with admiration, as in the Philippines, but with lust.

After some time, having become better acquainted with local customs, you understand: smiles, friendliness and the ability to enjoy every day are their only good qualities.

What flaws would I highlight? Filipinos are unlimited. My shoot is always delayed for the whole day, although everything can be done in five hours. In the morning, many are late in the studio because of traffic jams, this is part of normal life here. Then they all have breakfast. This takes up to 40 minutes. Then we start to do makeup and hair, it takes another half to two hours.

We've been filming for an hour, but then it's already lunch time. Two hours of work - and “merienda”, an analogue of the Spanish siesta. True, Filipinos do not sleep at this time, but they also do not work.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

We finish filming when it gets dark... This example shows how relaxed life is here. Many foreigners like it, especially if you are 20 years old and looking for yourself in life, or if you are 60 and already retired. For the rest of us, these are the daily difficulties that we have to face.

Another peculiarity: like the Chinese, Filipinos always answer “yes” if you ask them for something. But this does not mean that they understood everything or will do everything. It’s better to repeat it several times and make sure that the person understands, for example, an order in a restaurant.

My boyfriend also feels all the “delights” of the local mentality, but he is not going to leave, because there are good opportunities for his business. If it weren't for my boyfriend, I would have left long ago. There is still a big difference in cultures, and it can sometimes be very difficult to come to terms with their laziness. Therefore, most often we communicate with foreigners.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Standard of living

Because of the low wages, many Filipinos leave to work abroad and send money to their families. Doctors and medical staff leave for America, Canada or Arab countries. Low-skilled labor is in demand in Asia, in many countries richer Filipino nannies, housekeepers, drivers and builders can be found.

The driver's salary is about $300. A nanny earns about $240 a month. If it is a private home, then the nanny can live with the owners and receive $100 a month, working 6 days a week, for the rest of her life. $400 is the salary of a public school teacher, nurse, doctor. An employee in the province will receive $60-100 per month.

In the Philippines themselves, almost every person with a good salary has a housekeeper, a driver, and a nanny. We also have a housekeeper, and we pay her 120 dollars per month (3 work once a week).

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Education

Local education is based on the American system. Expensive if you go to a private school or university. But the state gives a loan for higher education. With a good diploma and knowledge you can find a well-paid job.

Public schools are overcrowded, as this is the only affordable education for the poor. Classrooms without air conditioning (and this with constant heat) are packed with children: sometimes there are 70 people in the room. Most, after finishing school, begin to work to help parents.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Transport

Manila is a crowded city. According to official data, about 13 million people live here, but if you add those who live in nearby provinces and commute here to work every day, you get 20 million.

There is no metro here, or rather, there is, but the number of stations is very limited, and it runs only in some areas. There are also buses that only operate on certain highways, and jeepneys, an iconic local transport that looks like brightly painted buses, although in fact these vehicles are converted from old American army jeeps.

I never use public transport - firstly, it is always packed, and secondly, it can be unsafe. Luckily, a taxi ride only costs 2-3 dollars. By the way, Manila residents do not know what a “pedestrian” is: there are no sidewalks along the roadway. And no one follows the traffic rules, the traffic is absolutely terrifying. But there are practically no accidents, which is not surprising - the average speed during rush hour, I think, is about 20 km/h. I’m already used to the fact that it takes at least an hour to get in any direction. Books, films or audio really help: when you spend a lot of time in traffic jams, you want to occupy yourself with something useful.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Leisure

The choice is small. The local population spends weekends in shopping centers. Of course, with such a heat you will not want to be on the street. They always avoid the sun, even if you need to walk 15 minutes.

We usually spend the weekend by the pool, at the cinema, with friends ... There are no parks here, everything is built up with buildings. There are also no tourist attractions or historical sites. Typically, tourists do not stay in Manila, and fly directly to the islands.

There are also no theaters here, only sometimes theaters from Europe or America come on tour. But there are bars and clubs for different tastes and ages. And constantly opening new places.

To leave the city for the weekend, you need to leave very early in order to avoid traffic jams. To the nearest sea an hour 3 drive. Or, if you want a better beach, then by plane to another island.

The country is famous for its white beaches and azure water. But I do not like to lie on the beach, I prefer to rent a motorcycle and drive around the island, take a boat to explore the nearest islands, scuba dive. Each island is different.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Food and restaurants

Agriculture in the Philippines for some reason is not developed at all. They even import rice and seasonal fruit. There are no dairy farms either, the whole milk is imported. All this is due to the fact that the country has a huge corruption, and people in power are busy filling their pockets, and not improving the standard of living of the population. From the side, from the point of view of a foreigner, this is obvious.

As for the national cuisine, it is quite heavy: rice, a lot of fat and fried. But in Manila, a huge variety of various restaurants of national cuisines (with the exception of Ukrainian or Russian - tourists simply do not reach here. There is not even a Ukrainian embassy here).

It would seem, near the sea - must always be fresh seafood. But, unfortunately, in Manila it is not. Prices are as high as in Ukraine, and the choice is small. But on the islands you can find everything fresh: fish, crabs, shrimps, sea urchins ...

Manila is full of street food, but if you are not extreme and appreciate health, I would not recommend it.

It seems to me that the restaurant business here is in first place in terms of income. On every corner, on every floor: coffee, ice cream, burgers, fries, fried chicken…. All advertising is about food. Filipinos love to eat. But at the same time, they often prefer fast foods borrowed during the American presence in the Philippines. People overeat, eat junk food, are overweight and have heart problems. Average life expectancy is 68 years.

A trip to McDonalds will cost an average of 10 dollars. But I, of course, do not go there. I try to find something with a normal healthy meal. For lunch, I spend an average of $ 10 for one dish with a drink. Dinner for two $ 30-50, if with wine (I also have a French guy). There are more expensive places, of course.

Photo: Instagram / innagavrylenkoofficial

Accomodation

It is very rare to find houses without a swimming pool and a gym, at least small. Rental prices vary depending on location and size. A new, furnished, small apartment (20 sq. m.) will cost $400 per month, 1-room 50 sq. m. m in a good house - $1000, and in an old building and poor condition - the same $400.

House - from 2-4 thousand dollars and more. A foreigner by law has the right to buy an apartment, but not a house or land.

It doesn't matter where you are, it is important who is with you

In conclusion, it is important to say that a good quality of life equals high earnings. In the Philippines, this is a minimum of $1200 per month. And one more thing: it doesn’t matter where you are, it matters who is with you on this journey. For example, my friend from Poland barely made it to the end of her contract in the Philippines: her face showed bewilderment and disgust for this country with its poverty, garbage, dirt... But it is here, going out into the street in a bad mood, that I involuntarily begin to smile at answer to passers-by, my mood changes, and I’m glad to live here.

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