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Heeeelpp, Where is the nearest Toilet?

August 27, 2010 By GenSan Chris 66 Comments
Know the Feeling.

I am sure that at some time in your traveling career, all of you have had the miss fortune of being caught short and in desperate need of a toilet in a place where public toilets are few and far between, I know I have. Always carry Toilet Paper with you as it can get expensive if you have no small denomination bills on you at the time you are caught short. Usually, when people travel to different areas of a Country, Continent, World, they usually notice a difference in hygiene standards and in many cases they also notice the health problems which are caused by these different standards. The problem can even start on the plane to your destination … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chris Tagged With: Chris Dearne, Daily Life, Health, Living in The Philippines, Travel

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

Better Tooth, Age of 19, & Student Visa

August 4, 2010 By Jawz 15 Comments
bdayftr

Well, to wrap up July, my root canal was finished. I feel fresh, as in, free from pain, so I am glad about that. I had a fun time walking back and forth from the dentist to my dorm. There was a place to the side that sold street foods such as banana-cue and varieties of turon. I enjoyed the ube turon. Turon is a fruit or something on a stick, wrapped in a spring roll shell. I'm planning to satisfy myself with more street foods. They're cheap & good. I was paranoid at first though, since some people made mention about getting sick, but I took the dive. Also, wrapping up July 2010, my 19th birthday came on July 30th. I was gonna take … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Jawz Tagged With: Daily Life, Expats, Health, Immigration, Jonathan Watson, Living in The Philippines

I am Denguephobic

July 23, 2010 By MindanaoBob 131 Comments
Mesh wire with big holes

I'm not sure if there is such a word as "denguephobic" but if there is not there should be.  I'm sure that most of you know what I mean when I use the "word" - I have a fear of dengue. Dengue Fever is a tropical disease that is caused by mosquito bites.  It takes a bite from a certain kind of mosquito, and those mosquitoes only bite during the day, so at night you should be safe.  There are four different strains of "regular dengue" fever, and there is another very serious dengue called hemorrhagic dengue, which is the most deadly.  If you get hemorrhagic dengue, it is very likely that you will die, and not a pretty death.  The other four … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Expats, Health, Living in The Philippines, Schools

Hey Joe – Ramblings from General Santos City

June 23, 2010 By Gary Ames 20 Comments
Orange Garden venue, under the canopy at dusk, before the guests arrive.

I don’t really have a specific topic for this article – but I’d like to give props to Paul K for showing it’s ok to ramble about a few things. I’ve recently incorporated some early morning jogs into my routine, which take me right through the heart of Gensan. I enjoy it, the city’s waking and there are other joggers, walkers, and morning workers, most just starting their day. I’ve commented on a couple articles that I haven’t heard as many “Hey Joe’s” around town as when we lived here back in the late nineties. However, my morning jogs are increasingly filled with that familiar greeting. Do the “Hey Joe’s” bother … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Tagged With: Adjustment, Communication, Daily Life, Entertainment, Expats, Filipino Culture, Gary Ames, Health, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao, Shopping

The Gen San City Water District!

June 18, 2010 By GenSan Chris 10 Comments
water-meter

Over the years here in General Santos City, all water was pumped from shallow boreholes usually ranging from 20 to 100 feet deep. In the area we are very lucky indeed as the water table is really very shallow, only 10 feet to the water in some areas so even Hand Pumps work very well. Not only is the water shallow but also the actual under ground water shed from the Mount Matutum Range has a huge underground run off so the water stays safe and drinkable even though all buildings have Septic Tanks as there is also no Sewerage System in Gen San! It is not unusual to see a Electric Water Pump mounted on the concrete cover of the Septic Tank and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chris Tagged With: Chris Dearne, Daily Life, Health, Living in The Philippines

Claustrophobia

June 15, 2010 By JohnM 42 Comments
Trinoma Mall

OK, I'll reveal a bit of personal information about myself that most people don't know: I'm claustrophobic. Why? I have absolutely no idea. It's not so much about being locked in a closet or something similar. That really doesn't bother me so much. In my job, I've had to climb around in confined spaces on ships, such as in a lazzarette, or a vent, or a funnel, or under a helm. My worst nightmare is the old standard "buried alive" routine. I've told Rebecca that when I croak, burn me, feed me to the sharks, anything... But don't put me underground. Illogical? Certainly. Will she do the traditional Filipino custom when I'm gone? (Above ground … [Read more...]

Filed Under: John Miele Tagged With: Business, Daily Life, Expats, Health, John Miele, Living in The Philippines

It’s A Dogs Life

June 7, 2010 By Paul Thompson 56 Comments
Bruno and my Neice

I’m drowning in Shih-Tzu, Dachshunds, Spitz and some Heinz 57 type dogs. It all started when I was a wee lad in Boston, My Aunt Helen showed up at our house one day with three French Poodles and said she was being transferred to Panama, and couldn’t take the dogs. My four brothers and I had for years requested a dog, and were turned down, but my Father’s younger sister shows up and the rules change. We now have three dogs. Me and my four brothers look at each other and all at once say “POODLES”, but, Dad we wanted a real dog!”” It took time, but five boys can change prissy little sissy dogs into real dogs quickly. The three dogs … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul T Tagged With: Daily Life, Expats, Health, Living in The Philippines, Paul Thompson, Relationships

Patience is a virtue

June 1, 2010 By John 19 Comments
Standing in line

Coming from the West, where we look at our watches so many times during an hour, we find time is so precious, so that we try and fill up every minute  with a task or a plan. So, because of that obsession, we in the West, find any deviation of our plans to be very frustrating, and as all our fellow westerners feel the same, we get things done very quickly, and normally, that allows us to go on to our next task , so we actually feel like we get things done everyday. Here in the Philippines, time stops, frustration grows, and unless we become Filipino, we will makes ourselves so ill. Why you ask? There is just NOT the same understanding here, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: John G Tagged With: Adjustment, Communication, Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Health, John Grant, Living in The Philippines

Talk to your family

May 17, 2010 By MindanaoBob 58 Comments
Have a talk with your family

Lately, I have been burdened with a lot of bad news.  I'm talking deaths of friends.  As I told you a few weeks ago, I had one friend who recently killed himself.  I have known several other expats here in the Philippines who have died of late, unfortunately.  It seems that nearly ever week for the last couple of months, I have gotten e-mails from people informing me of deaths of friends or acquaintances.   Some of these people were close to me, others, actually most, were only people that I had met, or had e-mail contact with.  Still, though, you hate to see people that you know die. Last week, I got a "friend request" from somebody … [Read more...]

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