There are a few questions that I have for both you and ZG. This question came to me today after talking with some of the neighbors.
Zen and Riddil:
Do people there ( each respective location ).....
* - Seem to want to be friends, if only for the novelty of having a foreign pal and what doors that might open for them both in country and what I may be able to do for them in your country
* - Seem to sincerely want to be friends and offer their attention just as they would to anyone else there.
* - Seem genuinely friendly but don't approach me outside of my professional environment. They don't invite me "out for beers" ( or rice or whatever )
* - Seem wholely uninterested in me as person but are very interested in what I'm doing here.
* - Seem hostile in some way but without any type of personal gaff or confrontation initiating that hostility. They don't like _____'s and I am one of them.
My circumstances here in the Philippines are a bit different than both of yours. I've essentially set up home here and work long and hard in the US for 6 or so months and then come back here. Back and forth I go.
Most of the people that have access to me are family and people in this neihborhood. They are all pinoys ( with 2 exceptions, Chinese nationals ) and everyone is very curious to know why I'm here. This is not the tourist area. White people don't come here. It's not clean and comfortable.
Many people here like to chat with me and I'm more than happy to do this. Many also like to sing with the videokey ( which I personally don't like but often do anyway ).
Some people are very defensive when we first meet because they expect me to challenge them in some way or domineer over them. It's not long that they even out and just relax around me. At that point we can either find things in common that we like and spend time together or not. Just like anyone else on the planet I suppose.
Sure, there are those that ask a lot of very personal money questions, either joking or seriously, and they generally stop coming around because I'm not a rich man, not an important man in the US and am truly here to relax and learn about this place. Once they see that I'm not pounding my chest telling them how rich and important that I am, they assume that I can't or wont make their dreams come true, whatever they may be.
For the most part though, with very few exceptions, the people here are extremely friendly and helpful. There is no pressure here for me though and I'm the world's nicest guy.
So I'm curious as to what your experiences have been, ZenGum and Riddil. I'm guessing that they are not at all like mine here in Manila but I'll allow you to tell as much or little as you wish.