GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS

I have just finished reading "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner and I totally enjoyed it. Thanks to sister of faith - Kawadjan - who introduced this in her blog. Mwah! One main reason that keeps me blogging (or blog hopping) is that I get updated with some of the best stuff out there that other bloggers had already discovered. My easy and lazy way of keeping up with the Joneses! I love this book. He travelled around the world to find the happiest places or people and here's what he found out: "Money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think" "Family is important." "So are Friends." "Envy is Toxic." "So is Excessive Thinking." "Beaches are optional." "Trust is Not." "Neither is Gratitude." But these things we already KNOW.

The author just confirmed and analyzed these factors in his journey. He forgot to visit the Philippines (though there were several mentions about pinoys working in Qatar) - but I think the level of happiness in the Philippines would be high despite corruption, poverty and chaos. Just watch Waa-Waa-Wee for instance. What do you think?

I am living in Australia for ten years now. But over the years, I am not THAT that happy despite the following facts suggest.

Australia Happiness level: 7.7 Population: 21,260,000 GDP per capita: $34,359 Happy fact: In 2006, a pair of economists ranked Australia second, after Iceland, in a new kind of happiness ranking. Using the U.N. Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, education and GDP, the researchers found that Australians were happier than citizens of other nations even though they tended to work long hours and enjoyed less job security.

Maybe because I live in colder zone and I am definitely a summer person. Reason enough to head off to Quensland! But even then, places are just places - The happiest place on earth is where your heart is - where you want to die - and that is HOME! So for the Filipinos abroad - there is always that nagging, constant longing (to go home) that breaks our hearts now and then. If only we have that CHOICE - and can bloody afford it!