Honestly, do you really want to live here?
I have a lot of websites, more than 200 different sites, and most of them are related in one way or another to the Philippines. Because of this, as you can image, I get a ton of e-mail from people who profess to me that they want to move here. Funny thing is, even after years of saying this, very few people make the move. And, of those who do make the move, more than half move back after only a short time here.
Why is it that few people make the move? I remember when I was in their position, still living in the USA, yet having a deep desire to move here to live permanently. The thought of moving here seemed to consume my mind 24/7. I was actually quite obsessed with it. However, when the day finally came that I sold my house, suddenly at first I was scared to death with the idea that I was actually going to take the leap and move half way around the world! I wanted it so badly for so long, but when the day actually came that I could do it, it finally sunk in on me just how huge of a step this was! It took a few days before the fear started to subside, but right up until we stepped on the plane, we pondered whether we were doing the right thing. I feel that this is a factor for many who want to move here, but never take the step. Another huge factor is financial. A lot of people simply don’t have the financial ability to make such a move.
Now, how about all the people who move here from abroad and end up going home after a relatively short time? I would estimate (although I know of no official figures) that more than half of those who move here end up leaving within just a few years. Why would this be the case? Well, I would say that the number one reason would be that they can’t adjust to the way things are here, compared to where they came from. Society is different here than in the States. Everything works differently here. If you are here on Vacation, you don’t get the feel for that, because people give you more leeway. If you are just here for a short time your Filipino acquaintances can put up with you for a few weeks until you leave. They make adjustments and give you leeway with your different ways. However, when you come here to live for good, it is YOU who must change. In the beginning, people realize that you are a foreigner and they give you the benefit of the doubt. However, after a while, they expect you to conform to societal norms here, and that is not always easy. A lot of Americans who have vacationed here always tell me that Philippine society and culture is “just the same as ours.” Well, I am here to tell you that it is not the same, my friend, it is not even close! If it were the same, incidents like what Feyma wrote about at the Bureau of Immigration wouldn’t happen. A friend of mine, Dave Starr had a similar incident recently. What about the things that AmericanLola wrote about Losing Face? These things are just the tip of the iceberg too, so please realize that you will have plenty of adjustments to make when you live here.
Another reason why people end up going back to where they came from is often a lack of income. One very common thing that I hear from people who e-mail me is this: “Hey, I am planning to move to the Philippines, what kind of job can I get when I arrive?” Well, first of all, depending on what type of legal status you intend to set up for your stay here, most likely you won’t even have the legal right to work here. If you just get off the plane and have a tourist visa, you cannot legally get a job here! If you want to work here you need a work permit. If you are a tourist, the odds of getting a work permit are somewhat small. You are supposed to be vacationing here, not working! If you get a resident visa (like a 13 series visa or a retirement visa) the work permit is automatically included with the visa.
OK, so now you have your work permit, right? What kind of job can you get now? Well, are you willing to work for local wages? Maybe P200 per day or so (that’s about $5), and that is PER DAY not per hour. If you are like me, you aren’t willing to work for that type of wage. But, don’t fret, you can still make a good living here. You need to start your own business (also read here, here, here) of some kind.
In addition, if you decide to live here, I recommend that you follow one thing that Feyma and I did when we moved here. Before moving, we made a commitment to each other that no matter what, we had to stay for 5 years. If we hated it here, or if we loved it, no matter, we had to stay, and could not consider leaving until we had been living here for 5 years. The thing is, if you leave when the going gets tough, you are not giving yourself adequate time to adjust to life here. You must take time, learn from hard knocks and force yourself to adjust to life here. If you leave after 6 months or so, you are selling yourself short, and you are really wasting your time and the money that you spent to set up life here. Hang in there, and force yourself to give adequate time for the adjustment.
So, what do you think, are you really ready to make such a commitment? If you are willing to go through some hard times in adjusting, and if you have enough money to ride out the storm, I think that moving here is a great thing. Feyma and I have talked about this in recent years and we agree that at this point in our lives we would not even consider moving back to the States, or anywhere else. We rode out the hard times, and we worked out the financial side of things too.
We’ll be staying. How about you? Will you be joining us?
Hi Macky – I should have been more clear…. it’s not the falling dollar that I was talking about, but inflation in Pesos. The inflation is very high, then add that to the falling dollar and the impact is huge. Some expat friends and I were talking the other day about groceries, and we all agreed that we spend more money on groceries here than we did in our respective countries! Of course, being expats, we are not sticking to strictly local products, which drives our bills up!
Bob,
This is a really great article and I must say I descovered this site by accident but have since become a fan of it as I find the articles extreemly interesting and not written from the rose colored glasses perspective that is so common on some other sites , forums and groups.
I think allot of expats go to PI thinking they are going to live the same quality of life in PI for a lesser ammount than they spent in America and get really deprssed when they see thats just simply not possible because like in many other things you get what you pay for. I meen if you wanted a house with truly American Amenitys and built to American quality youd need to spend the same if not more on the said house as it would cost you in America. This is the same with many other things as well as you get what you pay for.
At same time I think others have the impression they are going to go native, live off fish, have a nipa for a house and a banig for a bed etc. They think this sounds exciting as its as far from the ratrace of working life as one can get but it soon gets old as the newness wears off and they want to live in more civilized manner. Granted some people can go totally tarzan but it takes a special breed of person and not to many westerners could be happy for a prolonged length of time with the tarzan lifestyle.
Also, I feel boredom at times is a real problem for many expats as they are used to working, being able to accomplish things in a way they know and etc but in the end they get extreemly bored since they generally cat speak local languge which limits their social intereactions, they cant work legally and if they could theyd not want to work for slave labor wages, etc etc. I also think that this boredom leeds many to vices which are destructive instead of constructive.
Other problem is I think some expats rush into things to fast which generally ends them up flat broke. I meen I cant count number of times Ive seen a expat swindled by his “soulmate” and family, lead into bankrolling really silly businesses and investments by people who have never ran any business and have no experience in the business they are advising the expat to gamble his money on them to try. etc etc etc. In end they could have avoided most these situations by doing their due dillegence but for whatever reason some expats are opt to trust any local with an idea.
Justin
Bob,
I couldnt live the tarzan lifestyle either but like you Ive known some who have, a few did it with no problem but most got tired of it rather quickly. You know though some years ago ABS-CBN had a excellent expose called Pooriegners that was quite interesting, was about really poor foreigners i the Philippines who had gotten down on their luck by one way or another and either didnt have the ability to go home, didnt want to go home or more likley than not had nothing to go home to. It was in many ways a sad show and I remember it because there was an American on there who slept on the street and had no money for food and subsided off of “tomato soup” which he made very cheaply by combining ketsup and hot water. Was just a sad show and was quite eye opening to see that we had fellow countrymen living in PI under such dire conditions.
Justin
Bob,
I forgot to add, I doubt you deal with that boredom issue much as your sitesmust keep you extreemly busy. I cant figure out how youd keep comming up with new topics on a daily basis without re-hashing old topics. This seems like it would be especially hard when taken into consideration that you compose the articles in such a proffessional manner despite churning them out on a daily basis, I think most members of the traditional press would be envious of your talent. I dont know why but for whatever reason I find it quite amazing and think you surely must not be bored.
Justin
Bob,
Out of curiosity, what percentage of people who returned to their countries do you think do so because of finances? While I am sure that many just can’t adjust to the culture, I wonder how many just can’t make it money-wise.
And Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and Feyma, Chris, Aaron, Jared, and Jean Jean!!!
Hi Bob, I give it much thought and yes, like you way back when I think about it 24/7. I am an optimistic person and know I can stick to it once I make the move. I would imagine much of the problem that makes newcomers leave after a short attempt is they hold onto their past lifestyle vision. Really, for me I can live very modest and I will be marrying into a large family so I am sure I will adapt and even prosper. Luckily, I have been self-employed since 2002 and do not expect a job to take care of me, that is even something that even here in the USA holds people back. I know I have to earn a living by myself. I have from a very young age dreamed of moving to a tropical land and after my visit to PI in 2007 I knew it was the place. I will be there for my 2nd visit in just a little over two months.
Merry Christmas to you and Feyma and the kids. Jessica received the Christmas BOX I sent and all are enjoying it.. right now they are all playing Monopoly one of the presents for the kids.
take care and enjoy the holiday!
Hi Bob – UPDATE: Construction of our “retirement haven” has finished (of course, no house in the Phils is ever “completed”) and we’re projecting the final move to occur in Sept ‘09.
Asawa-ko will first attend a “mini-reunion” of her high school classmates living in the USA and Canade in early Sept ‘09 in Las Vegas. Then, the big move. She is quite willing to let me make my move in July, if I want to!
Don’t think there’s much of a choice for me to make (outside of airline).
Hi Bob- Its almost a year since I last replied to your original post and as you know I have arrived.
I agree coming here to retire is not like coming to make a living as you have done so you have the extra burden of supporting your family and you have proved it can be done with good planning,contacts and determination.
The internet will one day change and it will be interesting to learn what provision you have made for such changes.
To be honest I’m still in holiday mode and I have to pinch myself to remind myself that I’m not on holiday but rather I live here permanently and this is my home and adopted country now.
I hope I can still write on the blog in a positive fashion as you do Bob by this time next year taking one day at a time.
Kind regards.
Jim.
Hey Bob,
You know, it wasn’t that hard for me. Now I’m still some what of a newbie. Only 10 months under my belt. At your age I doubt you had a pension backing you up though. Coming here without that would have been truly scary.
It took me a year and a half to get here once I decided to come. I think about a year and 4 months of that I was putting it off out of subconscious fear.
Shortly after getting here, while taking a tric in Talisay, I was wondering if I had lost my mind but before the ride was over, I decided I just needed to get use to it.
I had a couple of months where I was hungry most of the time. I lost 20 pounds, which I badly needed to do, no danger of starving or anything lol.
I would enjoy going back to the states for a visit, but I can’t imagine anything causing me to want to leave here. The biggest thing I’m scared of now is that I could make a mistake and find myself deported. Loose my temper at the wrong time. We American’s are not use to some of societal demands. I suppose my dry whit could also get me in trouble. I had to fire a helper, that too could get a reprisal and get me thrown out of the country. I don’t think it matters if the allegations are true.
I can’t say what tomorrow holds, at 50, I’ve come to realize, bad times are ahead. It is just unlikely that within the next five years something wont go horribly wrong. That’s how life is.
I don’t think I’ll leave though. I think the only thing that could possibly get me to leave is my health. I fear that I’ll be faced with a life and death decision at some point. I think, I’m going to stay here. It is hard to know though until one is actually faced with it.
Someone said the language is the hardest part, I agree. It limits your interaction and understand of the . I’m working on that.
200 sites? geesh dude! LOL
Yea Just go with the flow Rusty You should do all right .. … I belive i’m going tarzan ..a small farm in the forest way back in the sticks …I’ll be a filipino hick …
I’m ready to move there now , no questions asked … Phil n Jess
Hi Bob
I only found this site about a month ago while looking for driving laws in Davao City. Now this is daily reading for me. I am only coming for the second time in 4 months on the first to stay with my wife to be. This time not in a big Western Hotel but in a rented house. That is because I came there to get the necessary photos of Joselyn and I together so I could bring her her on K-1 visa like my brother did over a year ago, she and her family decided that a wedding there was better. She pent most of two weeks talking of living there. Knowing my brother is already having a house built there and knowing I like most that do live there wanted out of here, I talked with family here and this time Josey and I are going to look for home in Davao City. No tarzan here but I will be able to ( if I do not blow wad like you in two years hehe ) be able to live. After adjustment period, then open business. Thank you so much for your site. I have been reaserching your area for almost a year and have found more here than anyplace I have searched.
Thank you Bob
It was a lot my Brother that reminded me that growing up, and both of us are older than you, that we were poor. He picked his wife after visiting her and her family and saw that they were like we were when young. I did the same. The very happiest days of my life were when I did not NEED two cars, three tv’s and everything else. I know it will not be easy, but at least I did not meet a rude person there. In fact as soon as I landed back home and asked an employee how to get from international to domestic I was told ” not my job go ask someone else ” I laughed and said great to be home. That made my decision final
Final word on this is thank you so much for the most informative site I have found. I know I have really found paradise. Oh and off subject but I will help with your Christmas food for poor next year. Hopefully from there
Thank you Bob, it will be in 6 days your time. I will contact you and I would like that very much. And oh I have never pointed fingers hehe at anyone but I now know not too hehe
Maayong buntag, Bob! This topic is close to my heart. I left my beloved Philippines in a huff—so to speak—after three decades of living in Spain, I am dying to return there for good. However, only time will tell. Although I love this adopted country of mine, there’s something about Pinas that makes me miss it sooooo much. There are hundreds of thousands of ex-pats living in Spain, but the truth is, many of them have successfully formed their own version of “ghettos”, in particular, the Brits. Hardly any of them even speak Spanish. They have their own bars to go to, or a handful of restaurants, an odd school or two for their kids—but really, majority of them have no understanding whatsoever of the language, customs, traditions. They are happy doing what they do best. Stick with their own kind. And this is no exaggeration. And they have room to talk about the Sub-continental Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshies, ) living with their own kind. So, should we blame those who create their own “ghettos”? My husband and I are fully integrated here. Our neighbours are Spanish, Arabs, Germans, Belgians, Brits, Rhodesians, Swiss, Dutch. And we all get by. The reason is mainly because we have bothered learning the language. Still, there’s something special about Pinas, and hopefully, someday, I’d be able to explore it properly and enjoy the sites, sights and sounds of the new Pinas. I know there have been many, many changes, and I couldn’t wait to be able to appreciate all these once again, in my own time. My husband is not able to travel long-haul anymore due to DVT (deep vain thrombosis which almost took his life in 2000 when we traveled to the USA), hence, my only wish is to be able to do so next time. Meanwhile, Bob, enjoy the best you can over there! Regards, Hill
Hi Bob &all I am very pleased that this versitile issue is being readressed. The last time this was brought to light I was asking about accessing money,if you recall. I should have explained myself better last time,so here goes. I have been told that it is difficult for a foreigner to open a bank account there. I have asked my bank here if they would transfer money to an account there for me, for also identification reasons. They wouldn’t touch it. Of course with no bank account also no security box. I hate to just rely on bank & credit cards. If they were lost or stolen I can imagine what a mess I would be in. I don’t really know anybody there, & nobody knows me. With no ID & no access to money. This is a big fear of mine. Is their an answer to this possibility? There! I think I said it right this time Sorry for the confusion last time. Great site Bob. Thanks Guy
That is better. Thanks Bob
If things look this bad next year I ‘ll be there next Oct . …… Phil n Jess
Hi Bob,
I have experienced some of the unusual aspects of life there when on vacation.
For example during a stay at a nice resort on Mactan Island I went for a swim in the pool on a very hot day. Being fair and having has a few brushes with non lethal skin cancers I make a habit as many aussies do of wearing a t shirt when swimming to protect the skin from sun burn. I was surprised when the guard came over and ordered me out of the pool. When I questioned why I was told that I was improperly attired and that I must remove my t shirt if I wished to swim in the pool. When I pointed out that there were a number of korean ladies with t shirts on that he was allowing in the pool he said no that was different. When I explained why I wear a T shirt he just shrugged and repeated improper attire and please leave.
I have to be honest and say I had to really struggle to contain my anger at what I thought was an ignorant stupid rule very crudely applied.
I applaud your self control and maturity Bob in being able to cope with such frustrations. I really would like to be able to rise above the trivial annoyances referred to here and those I have experienced but I think it would take me a long while to mellow out and let filipino ways just wash over me without raising a yelp. Leaving western society behind should lower stress levels but don’t these little annoyances just keep winding you back up again?
Hi Bob, I need some help, I love my Filipino girlfriend, love the Philippines and Red Horse and the Filipino people and I never had difficulties with the culture during my many visits there. But there is one problem, FILIPINOS CAN’T COOK. and I love eating sumptious asian food. Only once in Moalboal, I remember quite vividly because I was surprised at the good taste and presentation of the dish, that I could give the food about 7 on 1-to-10scale. I do not know if it is only me , or other expatriots think similar but compered to coulinary mecca of lets say Peneng in Malaysia, Pattaya in Thailand The Philippines is a real dissapointmant to me. The Spaniards had a bad inflance on Filipino cooking and presentation. Maybe I should start my own restaurant there?, but I do not like cooking, I only like eating. So what you people would say to that?
Hi Bob,
This website is amazing! I was looking for information on the web about living and working there in the philippines and I came across your site. I tremendously enjoyed reading your columns. I love the comments too. I use to live there in davao for 2 yrs. I graduated HS from UM and attend Ateneo Davao my first semester in college. My family is not from Davao but we lived there for 3 years because my dad was assigned there. I love Davao. I miss that place. I love it so much that I took my wife (american) there during a vacation to meet my HS friends.
Congrats on your decision to pursue filipino citizenship. I am thinking of re-acquiring my filipino citizenship here in the states as well. more power to you.
Hi Bob,
so i’m curious? i’m assuming that you have a permanent resident visa while living there. did your visa allow you to work or start a business there with no problems? how long is it good for from the initial approval? was it good enough document to prove that you are legal to work or engage in a business there in the phils.? i have been trying to decide whether to get a permanent resident visa or just do dual citizenship. what do you think? Thanks.
Thanks for the recommendation Bob. about the 1 year probationary, does this apply to the 13g visa as well that is issued by Phils. embassies/consular office here in the US? I think 13g visa is what the consular office here in SF will give my wife and kids since i am a former filipino citizen.
another question bob. what if my wife gives birth there in the phils, what options do we have to legally declare and register the citizenship of our new born?
thanks again.
Hi any1 here Canadian citizen, if a Canadian decide to migrate and live in other country. do you need to informed the CRA that ur not going to file tax return? or do you have to? also does worldwide income let say if a Canadian like to reside in the Philippines and do business. Will he be paying taxes also to the Canadian government?
Thank you
Hi Kier,
I am not an expert in this by any means, but here is some information.
If you want to become a non-resident Canadian citizen living abroad for tax purposes, you need to follow a number of steps to do so. Most have to do with severing ties with Canada in a number of tangible ways — no real estate unless it is a rental property, cancel provincial health insurance, etc. The CRA website will give you much of the information. You will also need to file a special form with your final tax return that you submit to CRA.
If you are unsure if your status as a non-resident will be acceptable to CRA, it is best to talk to an accountant who has filed the paperwork to CRA before. They can help you work through many of the steps that helps demonstrate you are really moving abroad to be a resident in a different country and not simply trying to avoid paying Canadian taxes.
Again, if possible, please seek the aid of a qualified accountant as it is not expensive and they really can help you navigate through the process. I am sure if you do so you will have greater confidence in your filing and know that you are doing as much as possible to make sure you have followed all the proper procedures.
I hope this is helpful.
Dear Bob!
My wife and I follow nearly every day all your very interesting comments about any matters concerning LiP. You put a lot of personal feeling and experience in it, we really believe your honest comments which come from your every day living there in the “true Philippines”.
We have also been already in contact a lot with Klaus. We would like to mention that all your LiP writers are excellent.
Excuse my English writing – in case of a mis-spelling, both of us are German nationals, my wife was Scottish by birth. We still live in South Germany but we have very serious intentions to one-of-these-days to retire for good and “depart” in Davao City.
We love the PH people/culture/behaviour/etc. and everything with it – positive or negative.
Our son is married to a Filipina since 2001 from Davao City – both of them live near us in Bavaria. However, they want to buy a house in Davao within the not too distant future, in which we very much want to retire. Our reasonable pension should do the job for a fairly good existence in Davao City, although basic commodities have gone up a lot according to our daughter-en-laws opinion.
But this will not pre-cancel our plans and dream to come to Davao.
NB; we both are quite fluent in English, presently healthy, and at an age of 64 & 61
Therefore again, we are extremely happy that we found your very useful website some time ago. All these information is very useful for us considering our plan to immigrate for good to Davao City.
(Bytheway, we lived/worked many years abroad, in West Africa & Middle East – we experienced sub-tropical climates and non-European hard living conditions).
Please keep on with your site & magazine – it is a really an excellent one
Regards to all writers of the LiP!
PS Perhaps looking forward to meet you “Mindanao Bob” in person one-of-these-days in Davao City for a cool beer
hi bob its mike agane here i just red the 13g visa has change for one year may i ask thenafter that year do have to aply for another and were i have go to aply for i planeing getthe 13g here in states out from chicago phil immigrtion so if thay change this do i have to to manila usa immigrtion or to phil immigrtion and may i ask how muc can my wife to be and i can live on monthly for she lives in one bed room and big liveing room and bath with washer and drying furnesh there she only pays $50.00 month rent and then i ask her in tottle of of all with rent and lites and water bill on an high gues what of totle it be the cost she sand with high gues it would be in al of 135.00 monthly that is dart cheap come pare liveing in the usa for all so i no the ways there are defront and cucher of things but i no and filli can fit right in with them there but only thing trubel with is an income monthly for i am 57 now and plane to retire of age 62 so that gives me another 4 some what years i can retire early age but bob i dont what to wate that lone to reside there i no at times you have to be pashut but here i am trired stugerly ever day month to make ie here things here gone up so much of all things and places going out of busnes pepple loseing there jopss by laying off and i am suer here of all this over there but pepple there seem more relax more setel and thay help one other more there for any thing but here its not like that here its dog eat est dog every man for hem self abd same famelys has change all so from a brother or sister things not like it use to be here i am sorry i seem much her etalcking about here but bob its i am tired liveing in such a fast pase here and wondering one day or not i can make it here for yes i come there its an chance but we all dont make a chnce then hwo we no it be better on the other side of the feance i no i am not to exspeck roses there but here its same way i am sorry of some of my spelling but i hope you can under stand what i am saying so any thing you can berfide me on the visa i thanck you and may i ask one other to statr a bunse there what typ visa i have to aply for so bob i thnack you and may god bles your and famely from mike t.
Hi Mike – You would not go for a 13g visa, but rather a 13a. 13g is for being married to somebody who is a former citizen, but your fiance is currently a Philippine Citizen, right? So, it would be a 13a.
After one year, you just need to go to the Bureau of Immigration to remove the conditional status of your 13a visa, after that you can stay here forever, never need to leave.
The cost of living here varies widely, Mike. We all have different preferences and desires. In general, I usually advise people that they should budget around $1,500 per month to live a nice life here. It can be done for much less, but I would not be comfortable on less than that.
Hi Justin – Thanks for your comment, and for becoming a regular reader of the site!
In reading your comment, I honestly think to myself “been there, done that” to almost every point that you make! Well, I never tried the tarzan lifestyle, but I know people who have. I wouldn’t want to live that kind of life, myself.
Hi Justin – I had not heard about the “Pooreigners” show (I love that title, btw, it really plays into the way that Filipinos use the language), it certainly is sad to hear about such people, especially the guy living off of ketchup soup.
Hi Justin – It’s funny, because I rarely have trouble coming up with things to write about. In fact, usually I have too many things in mind, and it is hard to decide which one to write about that day. Generally, I use day to day incidents in my life, items in the news, etc. to come up with stories for the site. It is something that I enjoy, because I know that the site helps a lot of people who wish to move here.
You are very right, I am certainly not bored living here.
Hi Tom – I think that your question is very tricky, and answering it can lead one down a road that is very rocky. What I believe is that the financial “excuse” is used by many for leaving. However, the way I think it works is this:
Many people have a very hard time adjusting to the culture. Because they can’t adjust to the culture, they have trouble making money here. Because they can’t make money, they decide to leave. So, I really believe that the two issues are closely related, even intertwined.
There is something about the Philippines, though, that draws people. I know a number of people who leave to return “home” and say they hate it here. Two or three years later, they are wanting to come back and try again. It’s something that I find amazing.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Tom!
Hi Dave – I am sure you can stick it out, since you already are going into it knowing that everything is not all peaches and cream. For me, living in the Philippines is great, but it takes some sacrifice and adjustment.
Thank you for your greeting, Dave. All of my family would also like to wish you, and also Jessica a very Merry Christmas!
Hi Paul – Sounds like your plans are on track! I wish you the best of luck with your move!
Hi Jim Cunningham – Nice to hear from you, and I hope that you and Marilou had a wonderful Christmas. You have been coming here for many years, and I think you will make a smooth adjustment.
Hi Rusty – Nah, I didn’t, and don’t have any pension. When I moved to the Philippines, I was 38 years old, I am now nearly 47. I did have a wad of money when I came here, but I blew through that in only 2 years because of my own stupidity. We all live and learn, though.
For me, I don’t have any desire to go back to the States – been there, done that. I don’t think you should worry too much about deportation, just try to control your temper. I still have a problem with that from time to time, but not nearly like before.
Yep, I used to have more than 200 sites, but I’ve cut way down now!
Hi Phil R – When will you be making the permanent move?
Hi Andy – Good luck with your plans, I hope that everything works out for you just the way you are planning it. It probably won’t, though, as it rarely does. Still, it can turn out good for you, probably just different than you expected. I know that my life here turned out much different than I thought it would.
Thanks for becoming a regular reader! I enjoy your input!
Hi Andy Wooldridge – I hear you! I understand perfectly.
Hi Andy Wooldridge – Thank you, I’ll look forward to meeting you next time you are in town!
Hi Andy – See you soon!
Hi Hill Roberts – Sorry to hear about your husbands problem with long travel! I too hope that you and he could travel the Philippines and appreciate the beauty of the place!
Hi Guy Fennell – Getting a bank account here in the Philippines is not hard at all, as long as you are here legally. I have several Philippine Bank Accounts, and all I’ve ever had to do to get one is to walk into the bank, as to open an account and fill out some papers. Very easy, no hassles.
If you need an ID, you can use your passport. Or, if you are living here, you will be issued an ACR I-Card, which is a photo ID (similar to a green card in the USA). Alternatively, you can get a driver’s license or go to the Post Office and apply for a Postal ID. All of these are very easy to get, and there should be no problem at all getting an ID.
I understand that moving to a differenc country can be a scary thing, but these issues are simply nothing for you to worry about.
Good luck!
Hi Phil n Jess R. – I’m expecting to see you next year, then!
Hi Michael – Don’t be too quick to applaud me! I’ve been there, and there have been plenty of times when I lost my temper, only to regret it later. If Feyma read you saying that you “applaud” me, she would have a good laugh!
Seriously, I am not nearly as bad as I used to be, but from time to time I still lose my temper, and say things that I should keep to myself.
Learning to live with it, and let it roll off your back is just part of learning to live here. It is much different than your culture or mine, and it takes time and effort to change your habits.
Hi markus – there are a lot of good Filipino foods though. In my opinion, a lot of Filipinos overcook food to the point that is is dry and tasteless. But, maybe you can train your girlfriend to cook things the way that you enjoy them. It’s worth a try!
Hi Alvin – Thanks for stopping by and for commenting too! I’m glad that you have enjoyed the site!
Hi Alvin – I have a 13g Resident Visa. From the day it was issued to me (May 2000) it ws good for the rest of my life. Now, they have changed that, new resident visas have a one year probationary period. This visa makes it easy to get a work permit, but you cannot own a business as a foreigner. Since you can get dual citizenship, I’d recommend that highly, because then you have the best of both worlds.
Hi Alvin – Yes, any type of resident visa in the 13 series has a 1 year probationary period now, regardless of where it is issued.
Regarding the birth of a child in the Philippines, it will be a Philippine citizenship due to birth, and also you can file some papers with the US embassy to get US Citizenship for the child as well. It is all very easy to do.
Hi Rudy and Ivy – Nice to meet you, my new friends! Thank you for your very kind comment. Whenever you are in Davao City, we can all get together – you and Ivy, Klaus and Rosanna and Feyma and I! It will be a great visit! I’m looking forward to it. Maybe your son and his wife can be around to join us too!