Filipino-Western relationships. Love or a mutually beneficial arrangement?

I see we're going to have to add poets corner to the forum, well done both

Amazing words simply thought provoking and a settlement of any reason to debate our love for our chosen one

nah. love is just a polite four letter word.

Count me in.

Some fellow called Shakespeare. Came from the Midlands, as I recall.

I used to think Romeo and Juliet was the 'bomb', back during my emo teenage years. Until it became cliche.

Macbeth, King Lear and Midsummer Night's Dream are timeless though and will never, ever be corny.

How many ugly British guys marry ugly British women? Loads. Unless, ugly British guy is loaded, of course. When I see my old school chums on Facebook and what they've had to 'make do' with, I know I've had a lucky escape.

How many ugly British guys marry ugly Pinays? I've seen a few who have fallen in love with the first girl (of questionable looks) they have chatted with over the internet, but the majority of British guys bat well above their average in the Philippines! Even the Aussies who are particularly inept at batting do pretty well for themselves in those islands.

I don't judge those in relationships with large age differences. I think it's great. Well done, you! I wouldn't stick my head in the sand and fool myself that is love's dream. OFWs come in many guises. One of those unofficial guises is as a wife. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Nothing wrong with that. When I'm 64, I hope I can convince myself that Pinays are attracted by my seniority. In truth, I know they would much rather be with a young Pinoy wearing sandals and a vest shooting hoops on a dilapidated basketball court.

As for myself, my OH is 27. Soon to be 28 when she will be 7 years my junior. I don't tell her it enough, but I love her very dearly. Sweetest girl on Earth. Would I have looked twice at her if she had a grotesque nose, pot belly and rotten teeth? No. As luck would have it, she has cute cheek dimples, a button nose and enchanting eyes. Phew.

She insists that she loves me. She insists I am her dream guy. I don't kid myself. If she could choose the man of her dreams when she was growing up, it wouldn't have been me. However, we've grown close and I think she likes me. Possibly even fond of me. In the circumstances, I'm happy with that.

What we should remember is that these Filipino women come from a weird alternative universe, where they are the lucky ones and we are the handsome ones.

I genuinely believe my wife is beautiful. That's why I fancied her in the first place, after all (but not why I fell in love with her and married her because I'm, like, real deep and stuff).

But, to her, I am the handsome one and she's the one who got ucky. Look at her theories on old UK guy/Filipina reationships that I posted earlier. She went for my looks (stop laughing at the back!!), but doesn't think for one minute that me being attacted to her was down to looks. It wasn't mentioned.

So, you see, there's me - 54 year old guy who likes to believe himself to still be a bit of a looker until he accidently catches sight of himself in the mirror - and her - 28 year old beautiful woman who genuinely believes herself to be not very attractive because her skin is a bit dark and she's too thin. Seriously! To coin a well used phrase, you couldn't make it up!

But our relationship now works because we are amazingly compatible despite the age difference. It's not just because we fancy each other. As I said, I'm really deep and that, you know!!! And that's the truth.

Yes. I agree with that. I also find it hard to believe that my wife also would complain that she was too thin and that her skin was too tanned, and then for some unfathomable reason claim that I was good looking. I don't see it at all. It does feel like a parallel universe. My wife and I also seem to get on remarkably well. A lot better with a lot more shared interests than I would have thought possible given that we come from totally different backgrounds..

i'm sure we have a mutually beneficial arrangement. we both get exactly what we want--even though we have totally different priorities.

Oh - and on the subject of being too thin - has anyone noticed in the department stores those strange padded womens pants which are designed to make her butt look bigger? I remember having a chat with my wife about that - seems that 'oh those jeans make your bum look big' = compliment ...

Yes...We know!

no, but American friends have pointed out that the Philippines copies, not American culture as such, but American black culture - basketball, not baseball, and so on. There is therefore a lot of attention paid to "shaking of booty".

Years ago I read an article which said that fashion loops between "tits and bums" and "legs and lips".

I go with legs and lips. Oh, and cheekbones.

they eyes have it---for me

Eyes for me too...as long as she is also slim.

Nice eyes, pretty not-too-slim face, curvy hips, slim waist, nice legs, long hair, proud walk, lovely smile, feminine hands, girly voice.......not too much to ask for.
Think I'll ask my wife to marry me again

aaaaaaaaaaaahh

She is 28 im 31 she is working in HK and me in UK.
I want her to move to UK but she says she is happy there and would like me to move to HK. We were supposed to get married this December in HK but its on hold as we have not made up our minds where we are going to stay. Both want to be with each other.
I’m just earning 35k pulse bonus so I’m thinking I should be moving out to HK. But then I have my own house and flats all paid off and earning me good rent so don’t know what to do

That's easy: Move to Hong Kong. Keep your UK property and rent it out.

Never miss a chance to work in HK.

Agreed. Or move to the Philippines, retire and live off the rent.