Because Filipinos are naturally hospitable people, it is in our nature to get along with the neighbors. However, there are those that test your patience to a point that you’d immediately uproot the entire family.
Here are those people:
1. The Chismosa Neighbor
Nobody likes a gossipmonger, especially if your business is the talk of the neighborhood. Chismis, no matter how incredulous it may sound, can do harm to the most good-natured people, and often result to broken relationships and lost trust.
2. The “Creepy Uncle”
Any homeowner, especially those who have kids, wouldn’t want to live across a suspicious-looking miser who stalks around their property. Unlike in the US where parents have access to registered offenders, Filipinos have to rely on vigilance and pakiramdam if they feel that the neighbor is someone to look out for.
3. Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde
Oftentimes, it is hard to determine on a few chance meetings whether your neighbor is a person who can’t hurt a fly. But my parents learned this lesson the hard way when I was a child.
When our seemingly nice neighbor got drunk for the umpteenth time and ran amok with an itak while hacking away our already broken fence to vent out his frustrations, my military-trained dad decided that the neighborhood was not a safe place for us to grow up in. We packed our bags and left our already paid home (and what remains of the fence), and moved to a new house on a new mortgage in less than a week.
4. Frustrated Rockstar
Back then, I had my first taste of freedom when I moved out from my aunt’s place to my new apartment to live on my own after college. It was just a 5-minute walk from where I work before, the rent’s cheap, and the location was awfully convenient (3 food stalls and a laundrymat was just two floors down my building). What I failed to take into consideration was that I lived directly across a string of karaoke bars.
I managed to hold my tongue for the next six months. Obviously, this guy didn’t, as he let the whole world know about his horrible ordeal:
5. The Grumpy Old Man
When you think of how the international survey ranked us about our state of happiness, we often wonder why there are those few who would rain on your parade.
This type of neighbor always has a frown perpetually etched in his forehead, and at most times, will not hesitate to say his piece about your garbage can that’s one millimeter inside his side of the property or your fence that supposedly was built a mere inch over his space. Despite your efforts to try to be polite to them, you would always wonder why this neighbor has so much beef against you.
6. The Slob
My mom always say that your lawn is the reflection of your home’s interiors. This is perhaps a significant factor homebuyers look out for when buying properties. This is especially true for those who are investing in homes that they can convert into rentals. Nobody wants to live near people who are not aware of trash cans, as unsightly surroundings can easily devalue properties.
7. The Feeling-At-Home “Auntie”
Your neighbors would occasionally borrow suka or toyo, and that’s fine. But there’s nothing more annoying than a neighbor who breezily walks into your front door without knocking or being invited in, and then helps himself to your freezer for merienda then plops on your couch with his feet up for some cable TV.
Are you still living with any of these types of neighbors? Was there a specific one that made you change homes? Share your story below by leaving a comment.
