This week I have left my home in the Mindanao Island of Davao and made my way back to the Philippine capital of Manila, which I have visited many, many times before. But this time it's a special trip. This trip is to mark a very special anniversary of meeting recent LIP writer Migs Bassig from Quezon City. The anniversary? Well, as readers know from my description above, I am a gay guy now living in the Philippines, and through a set of circumstances and chance I met up with Migs in Manila a year ago and we hit it off straight away. Now he spends his time traveling between Davao and Manila in an attempt to keep going his freelance jobs as well … [Read more...]
I Was a Bote Boy — And I'd Do It Again
January 30, 2009 By 36 Comments
What the heck is a “bote boy”? Well only those who haven’t lived in the Philippines will be asking that question. From the very north of the country up around Batanes and Loag to way down in the southland where this online magazine is based the tradition of the “bote boy” is common. “Bote” (bot-ay) is a Spanish word for bottle and every day of the week you’ll hear their call as they go up and down the street crying out “Bote” or sometimes “Bakal," the Tagalog word for iron or metal in general. Trash has value, the country is poor and I really marvel at how much less actual trash my wife and I throw away here compared … [Read more...]
Things are not as easy as they seem
January 30, 2009 By 58 Comments
You know, sometimes in your life there are things that seem that they would be quite easy. Sometimes those things are easy, other times that are not so easy, regardless of how the look. Today, I want to write about hiring house help, or in other words maids. Having a maid is one thing that a lot of people tell me draws them to the Philippines (usually it is the wife who is excited for this, because us men tend to let the lady take care of the household chores anyway). Sometimes, though, it seems that having a maid, or finding a maid to hire is so difficult that you would be better off without. Over the years of living here, we have … [Read more...]
Greetings
January 29, 2009 By 32 Comments
Welcome to everyone that open themselves to try to learn Bisaya, Cebuano or Bisayan! Leksyon I Today let’s learn the greetings: Maayong buntag. Good morning. Maayong udto. Good noon time. (greet them from 11:30am to 1pm) Maayong hapon. Good afternoon. Maayong gabii. Good evening/night. Note: Some people will shortened maayong to mayong. Assignment: Please practice at least 5 people a day. The more you say the words, the more it becomes natural. Listen to the audio of these phrases below. … [Read more...]
A very special announcement
January 29, 2009 By 31 Comments
I have what I consider to be a very special announcement to share with you today. We are welcoming a new writer to LiP today, and it is a person who is very special to me. This person has had a big impact on my life, and I have been after her to join us as a writer on LiP for many months now. Last month, she agreed to join us, but she needed to wait until now to get started. It was just a few weeks ago when I was asking about what kinds of writers you would want to see on the site. One of the most sought after types of writers was another female to join the writing team, and I am happy that this new author is indeed a lady. Perhaps … [Read more...]
For safety's sake
January 28, 2009 By 14 Comments
Yesterday was the birthday of my nephew. He turns 6 years old. He lives in the farm where I grew up. This kid's parents really live in GenSan, unfortunately he is sickly, so my other sister and her hubby got him and take care of him as their own. His parents will be moving to the farm in the near future. Anyway, my oldest son Chris is vacationing right now in GenSan for a few days. We will pick him up later this week. He really wanted to go to the farm to attend the birthday celebration and visit also his aunt, uncle and cousins there. Unfortunately he can't go there right now. My sister and brother-in-law felt that its not safe for … [Read more...]
Things I miss from the States
January 28, 2009 By 82 Comments
OK, yesterday I wrote about things that I love in the Philippines. Whenever I meet with foreigners who are visiting here, one thing they always ask me is what I miss from the States. When I tell them how much I love living here, they almost always say, "Oh, come on, there must be some things you miss from the States?" Well, indeed, there are things that I miss from back home, although I consider Davao as my home now. But, honestly, these things are minor compared to the things that I love here. Let's have a look, again, in no particular order: Family. Family was also one of the things that I love in the Philippines in yesterday's article, … [Read more...]
Family Ties in the Philippines
January 27, 2009 By 21 Comments
I am a German national married to a Filipina (more then 25 years ago. My wife carries a German passport, but in many things she still feels as a Filipina. Nothing wrong with this. I like it. That's why we also enjoy living in the Philippines. One thing, which let us decided to stay here for good long time before reaching the pension age, are the family ties in the Philippines. Yes, hold on, hold on! I hear already a lot of objections. But please allow me to go on. I would say, there are also disadvantages, but the advantages far outweigh them. Up to now, I feel very comfortable living together with more than 20 in-laws of my wife. Of course, … [Read more...]
Things I love about the Philippines
January 27, 2009 By 71 Comments
A while back, John Miele wrote an article about the top 100 things he liked about the Philippines. It is something that has been on my mind ever since, because I really enjoyed the article and found it informative. I really enjoy reading a very positive account like that, and find it inspiring. Since the subject has been on my mind, I wanted to write a list of things that I love about the Philippines. Unlike John's list, this is in no particular order, because I love many of these things quite equally, and would find it hard to rank them. Some of the things that I love are the same, or similar to the things that John likes, but some are … [Read more...]
A Job in the Philippines
January 26, 2009 By 10 Comments
Today's guest column is from LiP Reader, Henry Lamkin. Henry is a School District Superintendent in snowy Wisconsin. He spends time dreaming about the warm weather in the Philippines, understandably. Thank you for submitting this article, Henry. Many is the foreigner that has dreamed of retiring in the Philippines but wanted for the income to do it. The question oft arises can I find employment in paradise to supplement my meager income to sustain me. The sages that have preceded us caution that wages and opportunities exist not for the local Filipino much less the rich Kano's who neither worked nor toiled in his homeland. After careful … [Read more...]
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