Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information — John Shaqi
Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General InformationPhilippine Islands. Commission of Independence
History
Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information
Philippine Islands. Commission of Independence
Philippines -- Description and travel; Philippines -- Economic conditions
There is less attention paid to inconsequential details and boresome
routine than in the complex centers of the Old and the New World. It is
of less importance to know what Lady Jane wore at the ball than to know
how she will run her embroidery establishment. More thought is given
to one's failure and success and struggles with new conditions than
of a man's politics. The interrelationship of races, the development
of a virgin country, the wide latitude for one's activities accustom
you to thinking in the large. Men talk little in the Tropics, but
what they say has meaning.
There is less violence in the Philippines than in any other land. The
people are gentle and courteous. In provincial towns, in lonely
districts, an American or European woman can remain alone for days
without fear of molestation. One can take long trips through the
wildest mountain in perfect safety. Firearms for self defense need
not even be thought of.
[Competition Less Severe]
Competition in Manila is not as severe as in other cities. Success
is attained with greater ease. The routine of life is pleasant,
and days pass quickly. In occidental cities one generally rushes
through breakfast and rushes to his office. Also he rushes all the
morning until 12 o'clock. Not so in the Philippines. He dictates in a
few minutes his day's correspondence which will probably leave port
a week later, depending on the schedule of boats. Then he has new
schemes to think over and conferences to hold with confrères. After
this there is usually considerable time for ice cream and further
conferences outside. He probably visits his bank and the cable office,
and does some more thinking. If he is a salesman, he has to talk
with prospective customers. At all events he is a very busy man,
with a dozen plans for expansion working in his brain; but there
is time, aeons of time. There is so much to be done and so little
danger that the field will be overworked before he gets to it that he
fears nothing. At 12 o'clock or thereabouts he goes back to his room
for lunch. Afterwards he sleeps for two hours and drops back to his
office. At 4 o'clock he goes out for tea, and at 5 o'clock, if the
day has been a hard one, he knocks off for golf or tennis or a swim,
or goes back to his siesta chair for rest. After supper at 8 o'clock,
if he is socially inclined, he organizes a party for a cabaret and
spends a pleasant evening. Otherwise he plays cards or billiards
at his club. The next day repeats, and so on. He is never hurried,
never tired, never worried.
VII. THE ENVIRONS OF MANILA
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