Ja, Philippinos sind Meister im Lächeln. Sie lächeln, wenn Sie loben, aber auch auch wenn sie eigentlich nicht einverstanden sind und etwas zu kritisieren hätten. Sie lächeln, wenn sie aufgeregt oder erregt sind oder selbst Ärger verursacht haben. Sie lächeln, wenn sie eigentlich etwas um bitten möchten... .
This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading! Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Total Pageviews
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Filipino Smiles... Philippinisches Lächeln
The Culture Shock - Der Kulturschock
Because Filipinos are sociable, cheerful, and full of life, it's really not as difficult as it often seems to win their friendship and goodwill, after the shock has made the stranger realize that what initially seemed familiar is in fact something quite different. It's really all a matter of thoughtfully pursuing what's socially achievable, rather than expecting Western effectiveness.
Many authors have described it this way: the European will certainly frown and perhaps even adopt an angry tone if they no longer want to hear a note that is important to them and want to emphasize it. And, what happens on the other hand: the Filipino is relaxed—and smiles! Why does he smile or even burst into loud laughter? He wants to convey or convey a crucial message... .
Filipino doctors, and I have some very good friends among them, are a very good example of my topic today. At first, I was horrified. When you receive the news that you're seriously ill, the person you're talking to will often have a broad smile on their face, as if they're enjoying delivering this terrible news. This isn't callousness, but simply appreciative behavior toward the sick, to calm them down and soften what is sure to be a severe blow.
What I've learned over the past 12 years as an expat in the Philippines: Filipinos laugh, literally, about their worries. But that doesn't mean they're happy about their worries...
Weil die Filipinos gesellig sind, lebensfroh und lebenslustig, ist es wirklich nicht so sehr schwierig, wie es oft scheint, ihre Freundschaft und ihr Wohlwollen zu gewinnen, nachdem der Schock dem Fremden bewusst gemacht hat, dass das, was ihm zunaechst vertraut erschien, in der Tat doch etwas ganz anders ist. Es ist wirklich alles eine Frage des bedachten Verfolgens des gesellschaftlichen Erreichbaren, weniger der Erwartung westlichen Effektivitaet.
Philippinische Aerzte, und ich habe einige sehr gute Freunde unter ihnen, sind ein sehr gutes Beispiel fuer mein heutiges Thema. Am Anfang war ich entsetzt. Bekommt man die Nachricht, man sei ernsthaft krank, wird der, oftmals ueber das ganze Gesicht laecheln, aussehen, als genoesse er das Ueberbringen dieser Schreckensnachricht. Das ist nun wirklich nicht Gefuehlslosigkeit, sondern ganz einfach anerkennendes Verhalten Kranken gegenueber, um sie zu beruhigen und den mit Sicherheit harten Schlag zu mildern.
Was ich in den letzten 12 Jahren als expat auf den Philippinen gelernt habe: Filipinos lachen, im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes ueber ihre Sorgen. Das bedeutet aber nicht, dass sie sich ueber ihre Sorgen freuen... .
Thinking About the Future
Mindfulness is all the rage these days, and for good reason. Focusing on the moment can improve our well-being, foster compassion, and help our relationships. What about going beyond the present moment? Yes, thinking about the future can trigger anxiety—but a growing body of research suggests that it can also make our lives more meaningful.
Humans aren’t alone in having some ability to consider the future, a process that scientists call “prospection.” After all, your dog gets excited when they see you holding a leash because they anticipate a walk is imminent; your cat may show similar excitement at the sound of a can being opened. There’s even evidence that some animals—like bonobos and ravens—can choose and save tools that they plan to use in the future.
But prospector's unique benefits to humans extend beyond that of other animals. Not only do we fantasize about our next vacation or decide whether it would be better to take the stairs or the elevator, but our perspective can cast far into the future: We might save for our children’s education or plan for our retirement decades from now. We can make predictions about our own futures based on what we’ve learned about other people’s experiences and even from characters in books and movies. And we can consider multiple directions our futures might take.
It is this remarkable ability to simulate our possible futures that makes prospection special. Just like gold prospecting may literally make you rich, studies suggest that prospecting about your future can enrich your life in at least four ways.
It makes sense that having positive expectations—optimism, essentially—could increase our ability to achieve our goals, but why might fantasizing about the future actually decrease the chance of achieving what we want? Because, write Oettingen and Klaus Michel Reininger, positive fantasies “lead people to mentally enjoy the desired future in the here and now, and thus curb investment and future success.”
But often our goals come from our fantasies. We want to excel at work, find Mr. or Mrs. Right, or run a marathon. How do we turn these fantasies into behaviors that can help us reach our goals? Research suggests that while optimism is important, it is also helpful to draw a contrast between our fantasies and our current reality, which allows us to see barriers that must be overcome.
The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke put it well: “Life is not even close to being as logically consistent as our worries; it has many more unexpected ideas and many more facts than we do.” Worrying is pointless not only because it rarely makes things better, but also because you're rarely ever worried about the right thing!
We hardly count our blessings. We enjoy counting our crosses. Instead of gains, we count our losses. We don't have to do all that counting - computers do it for us. Information is easily had.
Facebook to and fro, back and forth, there and back - how many posts and comments have been posted already with sadness, loneliness, boredom strikes, problems, worries ... .
Just remember this: Opportunity doesn't just knock - it jiggles the door-knob. and "your social media online-friend" - the warrior is with you day and night, at every corner, following your every step. Complaining and grumbling are good excuses, right?
Seniors may experience more anxiety-inducing situations than younger adults, and they may not have as many resources for support. Some people may notice that their anxious thoughts get stronger or more frequent with age, but anxiety is a treatable mental health disorder.
The whole world is an awful place filled with dreadful and horrible negativism. Yes, I confess, I'm also surrounded by many worriers who put their fears into me. Politicians, i.e., many times love to search for some grave alarm that will cause individuals to abandon their separate concerns and act in concert, so that politicians can wield the baton. Calls to fatal struggles and fights are forever being sounded.
Well, when will we start counting our courage and not our fears, or enjoy instead of our woe? Worrying itself is pointless.Of course, no society has achieved perfect rules of law, never-ending education or unique responsible governments. Let's seek out the worries but avoid the warriors, because they try to avoid liberty.
Worry, that sense of insecurity, unease, and fear over what negative events may happen – as unrealistic as these concerns may be – is one of the most unpleasant emotions that you can experience as a human being. It is also one of the most common. While everyone has worried at some point, many people suffer from chronic worrying in the form of anxiety. In Australia alone, 2 million people will suffer from anxiety in any one year.
If you worry often, you’re far from alone. In fact, it may comfort you to know that many of us tend to worry about the same issues. All of those anxieties and stressors that may plague your life also affect a huge chunk of the rest of the world as well.
Melanie Greenberg, Ph.D., is a practicing psychologist, author, speaker, and life/business coach, with more than 20 years of experience as a clinician, professor, and researcher. She says:" One of the most helpful things you can do instead of worrying is problem-solving. Problem-solving means defining the problem in a way that you can do something about it (e.g., "How do I prepare for a possible loss of income?" or "How can I learn to accept that my ex has moved on?"). Once you have a defined problem, you can generate some possible solutions and think through the likely consequences of each (e.g., "What is most likely to happen if I do X?"). Finally, you can implement your favorite solution, whether it involves taking action, discussing the situation, finding out more information, or working to accept something you cannot change".
If you are still worrying right now about something, try to read Jeremiah 29:10-14 or Revelation 21:1-8, just to mention these two. It works.
Gasoline, diesel to rise by ₱1.8/liter on Tuesday
By Gabriell Christel Galang
Published Jun 16, 2025 11:39 am
Motorists will need to tighten their belts once more as fuel prices are set to increase this week.
Effective Tuesday, June 17, gasoline and diesel prices will both inch up by ₱1.80 per liter, while kerosene will go up by ₱1.50 per liter.
These adjustments have been announced by Shell Pilipinas, Caltex, Seaoil, CleanFuel, and PetroGazz.
Last week, analysts forecasted these price hikes based on the recent trade signals between the United States (US) and China, as well as trade negotiations between the US and Iran.
Concerns over supply disruptions and rising oil demand persisted, but prices remained moderate due to stable gasoline and diesel benchmarks in the Asian region.
So far this month, gasoline prices have increased by ₱2.80 per liter, while diesel prices have risen to around ₱3.05 per liter for June.
Kerosene was also raised to ₱1.70 per liter.
Amid recent tensions in the Middle East, especially between Iran and Israel, the Department of Energy (DOE) has downplayed the risk of significant disruptions to global oil supply and transportation, as former Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla explained that this would have a minimal effect on the Philippines’ fuel supply and prices.
Nonetheless, he assured that oil prices will not go up to their alarming rates.
Overseas remittances surge to $2.7 billion amid stable global employment
By Derco Rosal
Published Jun 16, 2025 04:05 pm
Cash sent home by Filipinos working and living overseas continued to increase in April, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed, reflecting stable global employment abroad.
Money sent in by overseas Filipinos (OFs) increased by four percent to $2.7 billion in April from $2.6 billion in the same month last year, the BSP reported.
Cash remittances for the first four months also rose by three percent to $11.1 billion from $ 10.78 billion posted in the same period last year.
Cash remittances coursed through banks in the first four months were predominantly from the United States (US), followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, according to BSP’s statement released on Monday, June 26.
As such, remittances for these countries were the drivers of the overall increase during the period.
By source, the US remained the top source of cash remittances during the period at 40.4 percent, followed by Singapore (7.3 percent) and Saudi Arabia (6.3 percent).
Several money transfer centers in countries abroad send money through partner banks, known as correspondent banks, most of which are based in the US, the central bank noted.
It added that remittances sent through money couriers are recorded under the country where their main offices are based—often the US—rather than the actual country of origin.
“Therefore, the US would appear to be the main source of OF [overseas Filipino] remittances because banks attribute the origin of funds to the most immediate source,” the BSP said.
Personal remittances, or the sum of transfers sent in cash or in-kind via informal channels, also increased by 4.1 percent to $3 billion in April from $2.9 billion in the previous year.
Year-to-date personal remittances also climbed by three percent to $12.4 billion from the $12 billion registered in January-to-April period last year.
The BSP attributed the increase in personal remittances to the rise in both land-based and sea-based OFs
John Paolo Rivera, senior research fellow at state-run policy think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), said that the increase in cash remittances “shows underlying strength in remittance flows, driven by stable overseas employment, particularly in the US, Middle East, and parts of Asia.”
“Moving forward, remittance growth is likely to remain steady, supported by demand for OFWs abroad, especially in healthcare, logistics, and domestic services,” Rivera said.
Rivera noted that weaker peso may encourage more US dollar remittances, but risks such as inflation in host countries, geopolitical tensions, and potential policy changes like remittance taxes in key markets like the US could weigh on future inflows.
Gewitterflut und Hagelberge in Sachsen und Bayern
Bis zu zwei Zentimeter groß waren die Hagelkörner im Erzgebirge
Jörn
Ehlert
Straßen wie Flüsse, Bäume auf Autos, Festival abgebrochen – der Südosten Deutschlands wurde am Sonntagabend von schweren Unwettern getroffen.
Besonders heftig wütete das Wetter in Sachsen. In Zwickau tobte es laut Polizeiangaben am Abend „ordentlich“. In Auerbach und Hartha krachten Bäume auf Autos. Ein Baugerüst stürzte an einem Wohnhaus ein. In Treuen riss ein einstürzender Schornstein mehrere parkende Autos mit.
Die Feuerwehr Hartha zersägt einen Baum, der auf ein Auto gestürzt war
Erzgebirge im Hagelsturm
Im Erzgebirge entluden sich gleich mehrere Gewitter. In Annaberg-Buchholz stand das Wasser auf den Straßen, Treppen verwandelten sich in kleine Wasserfälle.
Eine Treppe in Annaberg-Buchholz wurde am Sonntagabend zum Wasserfall
Wie ein Fluss: Bei heftigem Regen fluteten Wassermassen diese Gasse
In der Region Schwarzenberg und Breitenbrunn holte das Wetter den Winter zurück: Es türmte sich der Hagel. Körner so groß wie Zwei-Euro-Stücke – bis zu zwei Zentimeter Durchmesser, meldete der Deutsche Wetterdienst. Autofahrer kämpften sich durch überflutete Straßen, Feuerwehren waren pausenlos im Einsatz.
So viel Hagel! Für einen Moment brachten die Gewitter winterliche Verhältnisse zurück
Anwohner kämpften sich in Gummistiefeln durch Hagelberge und Wasser
Auch Autos hatten mit den Wassermassen zu kämpfen
Festival abgebrochen
In Chemnitz mussten die Veranstalter des „Kosmos“-Festivals aufgeben – das Event wurde wegen der Unwetterwarnung vorzeitig abgebrochen. „Diese Entscheidung fällt uns nicht leicht – aber eure Sicherheit steht für uns an erster Stelle“, erklärten sie.
Wasser im Supermarkt
In Oberfranken ist ein REWE-Markt überflutet worden
Auch im Süden Deutschlands richtete das Unwetter Chaos an. In Helmbrechts (Landkreis Hof, Bayern) wurde ein Supermarkt geflutet – die Feuerwehr pumpte das Wasser aus den Gängen. Aus Neustadt an der Donau und Perletzhofen wurden ebenfalls überflutete Straßen und Keller gemeldet.
Zehn Verletzte auf der A8
In Baden-Württemberg schlug der Starkregen ebenfalls zu. Auf der A8 kam es durch Aquaplaning zu mehreren Unfällen. Zehn Menschen wurden verletzt, teilte die Feuerwehr mit.
Ein Unfall auf der A8 bei Kirchheim unter Teck
Nicht nur in Deutschland schlug das Wetter heftig zu. Drei Bergsteiger sind am Sonntag bei einem Alpinunfall im Gemeindegebiet von Flirsch in Tirol (Österreich) ums Leben gekommen. Die beiden 60-jährigen Eheleute und der 62-jährige Bruder der Frau wurden nach einem Wetterumschwung auf rund 2270 Metern tot aufgefunden, wie die Polizei mitteilte. Sie starben offenbar durch einen Blitzschlag.
So wird das Wetter in den nächsten Tagen
Nach dem stürmischen Wochenende kehrt zum Wochenstart langsam Ruhe ein. Laut Prognosen bleibt es am Montag im Osten und Südosten noch stark bewölkt mit einzelnen Schauern. Im Laufe des Tages zeigt sich aber auch die Sonne – besonders im Südwesten und an der Nordsee. Die Temperaturen klettern auf 20 bis 26 Grad.