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$$$ Check-Up Time

September 2, 2010 By PaulK 18 Comments
magnifying_glass

Well, dear readers, it's that time of year, again.  Time for a little health check-up of your finances, year-to-date income, and - gulp - your estimated income taxes for 2010. Readers who've kept up with my articles know that I'm a CPA and I love my work.  Helping others do "battle against the beast" is challenging but enjoyable. Around this time last year, I jotted down a few hundred words regarding what I believe to be an important mid-year review of estimated taxes and periodic payment of those taxes.  If you wish, dear readers, you can review that article here. Everything in that article remains true today - that in itself is something … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Adjustment, Business, Daily Life, Expats, Financial, Living in The Philippines, Paul Keating, Taxpayers

After 20 years and still adjusting

August 26, 2010 By Feyma 41 Comments
Bob & Feyma

Yes its been a couple of  weeks now since Bob and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary. It's been a good challenge for both of us to stay together. It's not been an easy ride the whole time. We had so many trials along the way. As everyone know its not going to be easy to be together with somebody that everything is so different. Hey can you imagine bringing 2 different culture into one?  Big challenge there. When we first got married I was in my early twenties and so naive with everything in life. When I arrived in the States everything is so new to me. For the first time I was introduced by Bob to a microwave, a big washing machine, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feyma Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Daily Life, Expats, Feyma Martin, Living in The Philippines, Relationships

49 Days in Maasin City, Part 1

August 24, 2010 By DanielH 29 Comments
I survived a taxi in Cebu!

Today we have a Guest Article, part 1 of a Guest Series from Danny Huseman.  Danny has been a long time reader of LiP, and always friendly and somebody who comments and participates a lot on the site!  Danny recently visited the Philippines for the first time, and wishes to share his great adventure with all of us.  Welcome aboard, and thank you for sharing with LiP, Danny! MindanaoBob First a little bit about why I decided to visit the Philippines. Like most men who have visited the Philippines, its for the love of a woman and I am no different. Back in January of 2008, I met my Rose online, and we have  continued that relationship to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Tagged With: Adjustment, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Transportation, Travel

Complaint? – Sorry, Next Window

August 19, 2010 By PaulK 28 Comments
m-150a_complaint_department

I've been writing about adjusting, re-adjusting, discovery and rediscovery in recent articles.  While on "vacation," I've been observing the similarities and differences between two homes - my first one and my last one. One of the reasons for vacationing was along medical lines.  My 60,000 mile maintenance was long overdo and I needed a complete inspection - body, frame, fluids:  the works.  Rather that putting up with the endless problems other military retirees face when trying to obtain medical benefits in the Philippines, I decided it best to head back to the USA and get my medical needs resolved at an MTF - a Military Treatment Facility, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Adjustment, Communication, Daily Life, Expats, Health Care, Living in The Philippines, Paul Keating

A Cultural Exchange

August 17, 2010 By Peter Bell 21 Comments
Philippines

They say that overseas travel broadens you.  I agree with this statement because world travel, albeit on a limited scale, changed me considerably.  However I will be the first to admit that the changes weren’t all positive. One of the first things I found was that, having left the comfort zone of living and working in the country of my birth, I became a different person.  In short I started to become everything I despised in world travelers, an arrogant impatient tourist with little tolerance for anything I didn’t understand and wasn’t able to cope with at the time. Meeting my wife overcame this to a great degree but only after … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Peter Tagged With: Adjustment, Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Peter Bell

Adjusting — Two-Way Style

August 12, 2010 By PaulK 13 Comments
Book Cover

Among this e-magazine's articles published over the past months and years, a particular theme always fascinated me.  Our publisher, MindanaoBob, wrote a number of thoughtful pieces connected to this theme. The lovely Feyma, Bob's better half, penned articles that provided us with a level of insight into this theme unobtainable from others.  Her first-person descriptions and examples enlightened readers.  They unveiled another facet of reality that future "expats" and "long-term visitors" could face at some future time. For me, that future is now. "You Can Never Go Home Again" Returning to one's roots requires a considerable adjustment, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Adjustment, Daily Life, Expats, Living in The Philippines, Paul Keating, Relationships, Travel

The Nuclear Option

August 6, 2010 By MindanaoBob 147 Comments
They do have pretty girls working at HDoaS though

Over my years of living in the Philippines I have adjusted to many new and different things.  Almost everything in life is a bit different here, but on almost everything, even when it's been difficult, I have made the adjustment. I've adjusted to different types of foods. I've adjusted to a totally different style of driving. I've adjusted to hot weather. I've adjusted to the fact that there are a lot of different kinds of smells here, and many of them not so good. There is, though, at least one adjustment that I just can't make, and I refuse to make.  I can't adjust to the Nuclear Option. I ain't gonna be eating them neon-red … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Business, Daily Life, Expats, Food, Living in The Philippines, Shopping

Expat Homesickness

August 5, 2010 By PaulK 43 Comments
pinakbet

Can an "expat" suffer from "Homesickness"? Anyone pondering this question -- whether Filipino, "expat," or "other" -- will have a unique answer.  Not only are the answers unique -- the points of view from which they proceed are equally diverse. Being human, we all have some sense and desire for familiarity.  Finding ourselves in new or different surroundings for a considerable period often stimulates those senses and desires.  Our reactions can be quite diverse. Some people are lightly affected.  Others take it tough to the point of extreme emotion.  It's safe to assume that the reactions we call "homesickness" are as numerous and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Adjustment, Daily Life, Expats, Health, Ilocos Norte, Living in The Philippines, Paul Keating

Vacation from a Vacation

July 29, 2010 By PaulK 23 Comments
corruption

Huh?  Whazzat you’re talking ‘bout, Paul?  Are you thrusting another mind-bender on us? Many have been wondering what I’ve been up to.  It seems as though the last, three-part article was a little bit much for some readers.  Other readers wonder if something is wrong and that I’m relying on “back-up, just in case” articles to fill the void. Rest easy, dear readers:  I’m fine, and all is well.  I am currently taking a little vacation.  As the title says, it’s a “Vacation from a Vacation.”  Let me explain. First, let's see how the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary defines the words “vacation,” "retirement," … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Adjustment, Business, Daily Life, Expats, Financial, Ilocos Norte, Living in The Philippines, Paul Keating, Retirement, Travel

One person can’t really make a difference

July 28, 2010 By MindanaoBob 69 Comments
As a foreigner, you are an Ambassador here in the Philippines, so act like one!

You hear it all the time - One person can't really make a difference. When it is election time, a lot of people don't vote, and when you ask why they say... One vote can't change anything.  Frankly, I don't think it's a good habit to get into having that kind of attitude. How does this apply to the subject of this site, living in the Philippines?  Well, just keep reading, and you will understand. The fact is that as a foreigner living in the Philippines, you are part of a very small minority.  Yes, there are tens of thousands of foreigners here in the Philippines, but on a local scale, you are often a very small part of the population, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Adjustment, Bob Martin, Communication, Daily Life, Expats, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao, Relationships, Travel
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