Dear Feyma: I need a house!

Time for another edition of Dear Feyma, where I try to help readers with Philippine related issues that they may be facing.

If you have a question you wish to have featured here on my “Dear Feyma” column, please contact me through the “Contact Us” link at the top of each page here on the Live in the Philippines Web Magazine.

This week, I have heard from a number of people looking to buy or rent property here in the Philippines.  I have combined several of their e-mails into a single e-mail that will answer all of them at once.  I hope they don’t mind, it just makes it easier this way, and they will each get their answer.  Also, it makes it where they will remain more anonymous.

Dear Feyma,

“I am interested in buying a house and lot in Davao. A member of my wife’s family bought a house and lot up North. I like to be in Davao since I’ve heard a lot of good things about the place. I want a place in the city proper. Is there a 4-5 bedroom house in Davao City? Is it safe there?”

I received an email regarding buying a house here in Davao City. A guy wrote to me asking for it. Of course I told him that I saw some places here in Davao that’s for sale with the specification that he is asking for. In around Davao and in the gated area too. I told him that Davao really is the safest city right now in the Philippines. Thanks to the Mayor of Davao City, Mayor Duterte.

Somehow he has to convince his wife first before moving back here to the Philippines. One of his wife’s family members bought a house somewhere in the Northern part of the Philippines. The house that was bought there had the specifications that he wanted. So he really is itching to purchase here if only his wife will say the big yes. I think she will agree to him in buying  a house if its near to the family member that just purchased.

He had problem buying up North because the house that just bought by the family member was hit by the typhoon “Ondoy”. The house got damaged. And this guy doesn’t want to be there in Luzon after hearing from the family that the got hit and upon seeing on TV of what happened. But somehow the wife still wants to be there to be near to her family. I can’t blame her for wanting to be near the family. I am hoping that the couple can resolved their issues with the place they will retire later. I can see the point of the husband, but I can’t blame the wife for her decision too. Personally for this couple I think they should just put the moving to the Philippines on hold for a long awhile until both of them can agree a 100% where they want to stay here in the Philippines.

My advice to the couple to really decide tightly so that at the end no one will have the resentment. Moving here is not easy, the Filipina had to readjust again here with the culture and the weather.  The husband he has to adjust being here and seeing the poor people all over the place which is not easy at first. It took us like 3-4 years to really adjust being here. Culturally for me I had to relearned being in the States for 10 years, with Bob he had to rom me, the people and from his Bisaya teacher Bebe Metillo, thank God for her.  She taught me a lot too.

Good luck to you and your wife. You can email me anytime!

Credit where credit is due

Credit.  The word can mean a number of things.  It can mean that you are acknowledging what somebody else did.  It can be associated with the lending or borrowing of money.  Lots of things.  In today’s article, I’m going to talk about credit in terms of borrowing money, and also the tracking of your borrowing and pay back habits.

In the USA, and probably most of the western world, when you borrow money, make payments for money owed and such, there is a “credit reporting agency” that keeps track of your habits.  If you are a person who pays your bills late, that is noted, and can be checked on by potential creditors for a number of years down the road.  Then again, if you pay on time, or pay more than what is due, that is also noted in your records, and it shows potential creditors that you have the potential to be very responsible with debts.

In short, in the USA and other countries, it is very easy for a company to check on your payment habits, and decide if you are the type of person whom they wish to extend a loan to.  If you have a good record with borrowing and repaying money, there is a good chance that you will get additional loans.

Last week, I got an e-mail from somebody that has to do with Credit Reporting Agencies.  It’s an issue that I know about and have dealt with before.  Here is a slightly edited version (I don’t want to give the personal information of the person who inquired) of the e-mail I received:

Hi there, I am realtor in Canada and am helping a client who
moved from the Philippines to find a home. The banks are asking for a
credit bureau from the Philippines, but it seems that this is a
difficult task. What is the best way to show a credit bureau or
credit information for the past year. Where would my client request
this information and how difficult is it to get?

Well, you see… the problem this person is facing is that there is no such thing as a credit reporting agency, or credit bureau in the Philippines!  Yes, you read that right, they don’t have a way of tracking you if you don’t pay your bills, or no way of seeing your credit worthiness if you do pay your bills!

Additionally, if you have great credit in the States, there is no way that you can “transfer” that credit here, so that people know that you are honorable in paying debts that you know.  Again, if you leave the States owing a bunch of money, that also cannot get onto your “record” here, because basically there is no record!  Now, let me say, if you owe enough money there, and try to skip out on it by moving to the Philippines, that could still lead to trouble for you, because if you owe enough money, they might just track you down, and still come after you here (if the amount owed is enough to justify the cost of doing that).

Now, even though there is no credit reporting here, there still is one way that bad (or good) credit could affect you here.  That is if you are dealing with the same company, or a sister company.  For example, Smart Telecommunications is a subsidiary of PLDT (Philippine Long Distance Telephone).  If you owe Smart a bunch of money, and skip out on it… when you go apply for a landline at PLDT, they will likely have a record of the fact that you owe money to Smart, and they will catch you that way.  But, if you owe Globe Telecom (another cell phone provider), PLDT would have no way of knowing, because they are two different companies.

OK, so if there is no credit reporting, how do you get a loan?  How do companies decide if you are worthy of the responsibility?  How do they know that they won’t be ripped off?  What they do is that they look at your employment, your salary, and they check if you have borrowed from them before, and how you were on the payments.  You will need to supply other data too, such as a statement from the Police or NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), a clearance from the Barangay Captain (sort of the “mayor” of the neighborhood where you live) that will attest what kind of record you have.  Do you have criminal convictions?  Are you currently wanted?  The Barangay will attest to your character – are you an honest person, or not?  Do you cause trouble in the neighborhood?  If so, it might indicate that you are not the type of person that they want to do business with.

Another factor is that if you are a foreigner, it will be very, very difficult to get any kind of loans here.  If your wife is from here, and has an established record here, she could probably get the loan, but not you.  If you are an immigrant, and have been here for a few years, that is when you might be able to start getting some small credit deals, and thus building a record, but only with the company in question.  For example, if you get a credit card at a certain bank, and show a good record of credit worthiness, then after a year or two, perhaps they will allow you to upgrade to a better card with a higher limit.  Your beginning card, though, even though it is a credit card (as opposed to a debit card) will likely require you to keep a deposit at that bank, as collateral for the credit.  The payments will not be drawn against the deposit, the deposit is just there in case you skip town and owe money.

I suspect that in coming years, but possibly many years down the road, credit reporting and record keeping will make it’s way to the Philippines.  I mean, it is inevitable for it to happen.  Companies can minimize the monetary risk they take with people if such reporting is done, and is centralized, as it is in other countries.  We’ll have to wait and see if it happens!

Thoughts about moving

The other day, I got an e-mail from a friend.  He is thinking of making the big move to the Philippines, and he had some questions to ask me.  His questions primarily were about the age old decision of whether you should move all your stuff with you when you come, or if you should just replace it when you get here.  And, of course, how much does it cost to move the stuff!

Well, when Feyma and I moved here back in 2000, we moved almost everything we owned.  Today, after having lived here for 10 years or so, I would do it a little differently if I had to do it all again.  I would move less stuff, I would sell much of it, or give it to family and friends.  One thing that I would certainly not move with me, which I did bring with me 10 years ago, is small appliances which require 110V power supply.  Let me say, there are a lot more appliances of this kind available in the States.  You can purchase transformers here to step the voltage down from 240V to the 110V that is required by US electrical items.  As long as you use that transformer, you have no problem.  However, it is inevitable that somebody is going to plug the thing directly into the wall, and the “magic smoke” will come out from the appliance.  It will either have to be fixed, or thrown away.  You can get it fixed, but after a few times of fixing it, it really doesn’t work like it used to.  For me, the solution on that is to just purchase such appliances with the correct voltage here, and be satisfied with what you can get here.  It’s not like you can’t live without that super duper electric slicer/dicer that is the rage in the States right now!

Anyway, here is the message that my friend sent to me a few days ago:

Hope you’re feeling better now and back to your old self.
Question:
I have a lot of personal belongings that I would like to bring with me to the Philippines but I’m finding it incredibly expensive to send even a small package. You had mentioned in your video tour of your house that you moved your furniture from the U.S. to the Philippines and I was wondering how you did that. I live in south western Pennsylvania.

Also, will a laptop made in the U.S. work on the higher voltage electric current in the Philippines? The ac adapter says input 100-240v-1500ma 90 watt, output 20v-4500ma
I appreciate your help.

And, here is the answer that I sent to my friend:

So, you are planning to make the move?  That’s great!

First, let’s start off with your laptop (or anything else with a similar type transformer).  If it says “100-240v” then indeed it will work fine for you here in the Philippines.  That is a universal voltage item, and should work just about anywhere int he world without a hitch.

Back in 2000 when we moved here, we brought basically everything we owned.  It filled two containers – one 40 foot container and one 20 footer.  It was a lot of stuff!  In retrospect, there was some of that stuff that I would not bring with me if I were doing it all over again.  Basically, decide what you really, really need, and cannot replace when you are here in the Philippines.  Family heirlooms that you want to keep in your life.  Things that you want or need, and use regularly, and are not available here.  That kind of stuff, you should bring with you.  Other stuff that can be replaced here, or is not used anyway… well, sell it, give it away, or whatever works best for you.  Just don’t pay to move it here.

By the way, moving those two containers of stuff that we moved cost us $10,000 in 2000.  I can’t say what it would cost today, but it would likely cost more now than it did a decade ago.

There is, though, another solution that you might consider.  If you can narrow your items down to smaller stuff (not like furniture and such), you could ship the stuff in a bunch of Balikbayan Boxes.  A Balikbayan Box can be shipped here for $75 to $100 or so, and the weight of the box doesn’t matter.  For the price of $10,000 that it might cost to ship your stuff in a sea container, you could ship 100 Balikbayan Boxes, and I just don’t see any way that you would ship that much!  If you don’t know what a balikbayan box is, check here.

I hope this helps, my friend.  If you have other questions about making the move, please let me know, and I will gladly answer if I can.

So you are thinking of moving to the Philippines?

Today’s Guest Post is from Lloyd Cromer.  Lloyd is a long time reader of the LiP Web Magazine, and has contributed this article about getting everything lined up for a move to the Philippines.  Thank you for your contribution, Lloyd!

I do not have hard statistics, but I would guess that many that make the move  to the Philippines abandon their idea and move back to their home country within a few years.  Between Louis and Bob here on the LiP site, the consensus opinion is that 50 to 66% of foreigners who move to the Philippines end up going home within a relatively short time. There are many reasons, but I would guess the top 2 are: lack of income or funds, and not being able to adjust to the Philippine culture.

I have put together some of the important things to consider prior to making the move.

These may appear as common sense things to consider but in the excitement many people overlook the obvious.

1.  Are you ready to make the move?
•  Are loose ends all tended to and all potential problems solved prior to your move?
•  Do you have a firm grasp on what living in the Philippines entails?
•  Can you make the adjustments of living in the Philippines?
•  Remember, a vacation in the Philippines is NOT the same as living there.
•  Have you done your homework, and feel secure that you have all your important q uestions answered?
•  Do you have the complete support of your family that you will leave behind in your native country.
•  If you are having a difficult time living in your native country, don’t expect living in the Philippines to be any better.

2.  Have a clear cut reason why you want to live in the Philippines.
•  Saying “I want to retire in the Philippines” sounds great, but what does that really mean?
•  Once the primary reason is determined, all your decisions should support that reason.

3.  Have a plan, but don’t micro plan.
•  You know the old saying, “People don’t plan to fail… they fail to plan.”
•  Have an overall plan, a back-up plan, and finally an exit plan with a “threshold”
that will tell you when to abandon your thoughts of living in the Philippines.
•  Do not get so involved in planning, that you have made decisions that cannot possibly be attained.
•  You must be flexible. Things can and do change, you must be able to take it in stride.

4. It can’t be emphasized enough, Homework, Homework, Homework do it before you go anywhere.
•  Read and research as much as you can. Take the time to learn. Be informed.
•  Stop and learn why things are done the way they are.
•  Don’t make decisions in haste.
•  Remember “You can read everything written, but until you experience it, you will not fully understand.”

5.  Income
•  To live in the Philippines it requires money, do NOT ever think otherwise.
•  Have a budget and be realistic. You will usually spend more than anticipated.
•  Where will your income be derived? A secure, predictable income is a must.
•  Have a large enough reserve for emergencies, and only use it for emergencies.

6.  Medical issues
•   If you do not have medical insurance, you must have adequate money to cover medical expenses.
•  Only the major cities have hospitals capable of handling extreme emergencies.
•  There is no such thing as 911 (emergency) in the out-lying areas.

7.  Family issues
•  If you have children, schooling is the #1 issue. Have this worked out prior to your move.
•  Usually a filipina wife that has lived overseas will have a harder time re-adjusting to Philippine living.

8.  Don’t start a business you know absolutely nothing about, and don’t pretend to be something you are not.
•  Unless your visa allows you to work, it is illegal for you to own and run a business.
•  If you are able to operate a business, don’t expect to make a living wage.
•  If you plan to start a business, proceed slowly with your eyes wide open. Businesses are probably the number one reason for foreigners to lose most of their money.

9.  Leave your western mentality at the departure gate on your way over.
•  The Philippines is a different country with a different culture. Your way, may not be their way.
•   If you insist on “doing it your way”, you soon will become very frustrated and disillusioned.

10.  Don’t burn your bridges.
•  You may need support eventually. Make contacts and friends to have a support network.

11. Once you have made the move, set goals, and assess those goals every few months.
•  This can be therapeutic and prevent boredom. You must have a purpose for getting up each morning.

12. The Philippines is NOT the “Wild West”.
•  The laws of the universe still apply here. You will be quite conspicuous and under greater scrutiny.

13. Learn the language. Much can be gained by actually knowing what is going on.
•  When you get settled and have time, learn the language, it will be an education in itself.

14.  Finally, we all have common sense. Don’t leave home without it.
•  If you wouldn’t do something back home, then please don’t do it while in the Philippines.

I must credit Bob Martin for providing many of the above tips and considerations. Bob’s blog should be a daily read for those considering moving or even those already living in the Philippines. He doesn’t hold back on “telling it like it is”, and every article he writes is entertaining while being very informative.

I am sure every person that has made the move, successfully or not, has a story to tell.  I invite you to share your experiences, good or bad, so that others may have a better insight on what it takes to move to the Philippines.

A Job done

A few weeks ago I was hired by an individual to help him get familiar with Davao City and the places here. Before coming to Davao he was emailing me and asking some questions about Davao. He told me that he was  intending to live here, and it might be for good. He emailed me that he would compensate me for my time and such. He told me what day he was arriving here in the city.

The day he arrived, he emailed me right away that he was  in town already and that he couldn’t text me since his phone from the States didn’t work at the moment. So I told him to just call me at my house so that we can talk a little bit. Later that afternoon he called me up just to be acquainted a little bit and, for him to know what was the plan I had for him for the next few days. Easy:  House hunting.

Before he came here I was already looking for a house for him. He told me what house he was looking for and especially that it should have an internet connection. I already had an idea where to look for the house. I found over a dozen of houses for the 2 weeks time before his arrival. Then few days before his arrival I went and wanted to see a lot of those houses again, a lot of them were already rented out, though. Wow, I was in shock and a bit worried. One of the houses that I wanted him to see was already rented out. Not far from that house was another rental house its just a few meters away from the water. This was really the house I was eying for this individual I was helping. So I called the owner of the house if it would be possible for me to see the house that day? The owner told me that she can show me in 2 hours. When I saw the inside of the house I was happy because all the stuff that this individual wanted was all in the house. The internet connection was  no problem at all, the former renter had SmarBro there, I saw the bill on the kitchen counter! So I told the owner to hold this house for me until the person I am intending to show the house will see it. I told the lady what day the guy will be in town and I told her that we will be at the rental place the next day. She agreed and she really did wait for me and the guy that was wanting to rent. The first time I saw the owner I immediately asked her how much was she renting the house for? When she told me the price I negotiated for her to lower the price. I’m happy that she did because the guy saved 5 thousand per month on the rent due to my negotiation!

When it was time for the individual to arrive, I took him to see the house the next day. Of course I let him see that house first because all of the stuff he wrote me that he wanted were all on that house. Well, we didn’t even waste time in showing him other houses, he likes the house so much that he rented it out right away. When time for signing the contract I was there, I also help him asked the owner for a lower rent increase on lease renewals.

Next,I tried helping him buying lots of his stuff for inside the house with some bargaining too. I am also helping him find people to help him clean the house and do some painting. The owner just didn’t have people at that moment to do all the work to be done there. I asked the owner to pay back the renter of all the expenses that the renter spent. They agreed.

I think this individual was happy with the job I did for him. He seems pleased with all the worked I did for him. At least he told me that he was happy with my assistance.  And, the amount of money that I helped him save on rent and other things was more than he paid me, so it’s hard to go wrong!

I found that I really enjoyed doing this kind of work, it was very rewarding to me.  Not only did I help this fellow, but I got to do something that I really enjoyed.

To You (my new friend), thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to work with you. I really appreciate the trust you gave me. Really thank you for everything.

Cheers!

We Have Returned!

The other day, I re-read Bob’s column reporting that Live in the Philippines readers are moving to the Philippines. Bob was not expecting this migration, regardless of its size and scope. Like many of us who follow his columns, Bob views it as a good thing.

My wife Emy and I viewed it as a good thing, too. We thought it is such a good thing that we are participating in the “flood of humanity” to the Philippines. Our move, however, is more of a “MacArthur-like” return than just a simple “Gee, that’s a beautiful place” move. Do not get me wrong. Any reason to move could be a good reason in our eyes. We are returning to our friends and family after defeating the soul-sapping invader: uncertainty. While not being totally dispatched, retreat on all fronts is uncertainty’s order of the day. We are able to “land and move inland,” exclaiming that we have returned.

This PAL baggage handler “Ping”, an Ilocano, was one of the first to greet us at the Centennial Terminal’s baggage claim at NAIA. Every time we transit baggage claim, he is the handler who takes care of us. He knows that we will seek him out whenever we are there. He always makes sure that our bags clear customs and find their way to our Laoag flight. All transits are successful meetings and each with that, “Welcome back!” ever-present smile.

We took his picture on our last visit when we asked him to watch for our son who would be transiting baggage claim in two weeks time. We emailed his picture to our son with instructions to seek him out. When our son finally made his trip, he was surprised that “Ping” was calling him by name while eying the passengers from our son’s flight. He made sure our son’s baggage cleared customs and found their way to that Laoag flight – another successful transit!

Our porter (baggage handler) at Laoag International Airport is a cousin who, likewise, greeted us grandly and quickly had our bags in tow. While it is the northernmost international airport in the Philippines, it is small. So is the baggage claim area. I counted eight porters working our flight. The flight was nearly full, so there were about one hundred and thirty passengers. The porters really hustled – our flight’s baggage was deplaned, transported, and “out the door” in just over thirty minutes. Larger airports cannot match that! Though the airport has just installed a baggage carousel, it awaits power hook-up and certification. I wonder how the porters will handle working side-by-side the carousel.

It is about a half-hour ride from the airport to our home. That half-hour tried to fly by as we pass the all too familiar sites, but it seemed to drag on whenever we thought of our destination.

Home always looks good. Such a nice, tranquil place that is soothing in the shade. While the katulangs and our driver took care of the baggage, I found time to visit the nipa hut. What a wonderful place to sit and enjoy one’s surroundings. I just had to go in, sit down, and convince myself that we were actually here. We did it – we made the move (well, the traveling part any way).

When I had fully convinced myself that, yes, we were home; it was time for a personal ritual that I do not fail to perform whenever I come home. I visit Auntie Lydia’s “tiangi” or sari-sari store, across the highway from our house. This visit has a two-fold purpose: to greet Auntie, who has always been supportive and friendly, and to buy two cold bottles of San Miguel Beer. I always offer the first bottle to Auntie. She traditionally declines it.

There will be other San Miguel’s in my life, but those first two cold ones, ritually imbibed upon my return to Pasuquin, are always among the best.

Rituals completed, it is time to head to the house, help unpack, and get a little naptime. The house is new and is my part of a bargain. Emy once told me that the only way we could retire in the Philippines would be to build a new, American style house there. Well, I upheld my part!

The outside has the “island flair,” but the inside has quite a few western amenities. This, indeed, is Emy’s dream house and it makes her happy. I’m happy, too, that we both held up our parts of the bargain.

Like most houses in the Philippines, construction is never 100% complete. There are always little touches and personal tweaks that occur over the years. We had the house wired for both 220VAC and 110VAC, but we have yet to purchase and install a pole transformer that will provide such western magic. We will also purchase and install an outdoor chandelier at the front doorway. Finding just the right one is difficult. I am sure we will find more home improvements as time goes on. For now, however, it is time to enjoy being home.

Philippine Expectations

The other day, my wife Emy said something that I found a bit disturbing.  Here we are, just days before returning home to Pasuquin, and her words shocked me like a tossed bucket of ice water.  The final Balikbayan box has already started its journey home.  Our bags have been packed and re-packed numerous times.  We’ve received confirmation of our flight status and our strategies for handling carry-on baggage are set.  All systems are “GO!” – and then, Sploosh!

Paraphrasing the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition:

Expectation:  noun.  1. the act or state of expecting; anticipation.  2. something expected.

Why did I zero-in on the word expectation?  Well, it’s part of what Emy said.  We were discussing our upcoming adventure and all of the possibilities it held.  Then, out of the blue, came, “Don’t have too high expectations; you may be disappointed.”  Brrrr, I can still feel that icy sting.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any expectations for this adventure.  They don’t seem too high to me, but maybe it’s time for a little reality check.  Just as every dark cloud has a silver lining, so too some silver linings have big dark clouds covering them.  Was I focusing too much on the shiny silver and ignoring the darkness it surrounded?  I hope not.

Here are ten expectations I have – do you think they are too lofty?

1. Enjoying much warmer weather year-round than any other location where I’ve lived (save Guam).
2. Living a slower pace of life where one can enjoy (or hate) every minute of a day, separately.
3. Seeing the many friends and relatives who I’ve missed since we last met.
4. Receiving smiles each morning from people to whom I raise my eyebrows, upwardly nod and greet.
5. Preventing a swindle attempt early enough to spare anyone’s embarrassment.
6. Playing with my Australian Shepherd Barto, who I admit I’ve missed over the past seven months.
7. Partaking of Mountain Province coffee, “Manila” cigars using Isabella tobacco, and San Miguel beer, all of which I enjoy.
8. “Enjoying” a good typhoon every now and then and helping with clean-up activities in the barangay.
9. Spending the morning browsing and bartering at the tienda (palengke) [market]* on market day.
10. Looking into a couple of entrepreneurial endeavors – possibly using up some of my “spare time.”

* Where possible, I like to use Ilocano words.  When I do, they’ll appear as Ilocano (Filipino) [English].  In this case, I use the word tienda (pronounced “chenda”) for market.

Now, in my humble opinion, if any of those expectations are too high, then I am definitely in for some sour experiences.  (Ooo – that sting of the icy water, again!)  I’m quite sure, however, that all are attainable and I’ll enjoy them all during our adventure.  Additional expectations will pop up while I’m there, too.  I try not to have expectations; I’d rather have pleasant or unpleasant experiences in real time and not happily or anxiously await something that may or may not happen.

How about you – Any lofty expectations about the Philippines?

What Lolo Jim Taught Me About Moving to the Philippines

James Young Duncan II was my mother’s grandfather. He was born in Scotland back around 1890.  Of course we didn’t call him “Lolo,” that’s Tagalog for “Grandpa.” I don’t even know if my grandpa ever met anyone from the Philippines, or even had any interest in the Philippines, but he was an international traveler in his own small way, something a remarkable number of Americans can’t figure out how to do.

I know little of Lolo Jim’s actual background in Scotland, I believe he was from a working class or perhaps what was then service class background.  I’ve seen an old family picture of him on the seat of a two-wheel pony cart, with an older man, and from their dress I think thy might have been grooms or stablemen.

Things weren’t good in Scotland at all as my grandpa neared adulthood.  Money and jobs were tight, the nation (Great Britain, which Scotland only grudgingly [as in force and occupation] was apart of) was engaged in an horrific war in France, the world was poised on the brink of a flu epidemic that was to kill people in mammoth numbers, and jobs were certainly hard to find.  (Hmm, sounds a bit like today in some respects).

But Lolo Jim didn’t hunker down in little government-provided shelter somewhere and wait for King George to solve his problems.  He heard of this land called the USA where one could ‘live his dream’.  Without a lot of forethought he gathered up a substantial pot of money for those times, journeyed to Liverpool, England, and hopped on a ship bound for the ‘promised land.’  I don’t know where the money came from, but after paying his passage he still landed in the USA with $100 cash money, which was a pretty tidy sum in those days.  According to his immigration record, Lolo Jim went directly to a “boarding house” in Kearny, New Jersey where thousands upon thousands of other Scottish immigrants settled.  Many found work in several of the large Scottish companies which flourished there … American Nairn Linoleum Company, later the Congoleum Nairn Company, (if you have any sheet vinyl

or vinyl tiles in your home, chances are they made them) or Clark’s Thread, also still in business today, the major manufacturer of thread for 165 countries).

But mill life wasn’t for Jim.  I’m not clear on what he did for the short time he was in the US, but it’s very clear he suffered greatly from ‘Culture Shock,”  among other things, language difficulties,  even though both countries allegedly spoke English, if you ever tried to have a conversation with my Lolo Jim you might well have tried Tagalog instead of English. Chances of understanding each other were about the same for most people. (Tis a braw brict moonlit nicht the nicht).

Most of his money gone and all of his enthusiasm, my grandfather packed up what he had left and boarded a ship back to Scotland.  The ‘promised land’ having failed miserably to live up to its ‘promise’.  Unlike many seem to think, even today, making a trip from one country to another to ‘try the waters’ is not an all or nothing affair.  I can just imagine how many friends and family back in Scotland laughed at this young man, who had left with great hopes and then returned, obviously disenchanted with the country he thought would be a better place.

But Lolo Jim didn’t let the laughter and derision worry him much. Unlike a lot of people, he tried, rather than endlessly ‘think about trying,’ and for that he knew his life would forever be richer.  Even on its own that little vignette night be worth some thought and consideration, but of course the story didn’t end there.

As young men sometimes do, Lolo Jim met a woman who caught his eye, fell in love and married.  Pretty soon it came to pass that a baby was on it’s way.  Lolo Jim and my Lola Kate talked things over, weighed their options, and the options for their still to be born baby, and decided to try the USA one more time.

Bad economic times, war, epidemics, world in turmoil, uncertain economic times … wouldn’t it be a good time to wait and see?  I’m sure my grandfather received lots of advice along those lines, but he and his Kate made up their minds and once again left home and hearth to travel to Liverpool and thence Ellis Island.

They almost waited too long.  My grandmother was so far along in her pregnancy that the steamship company gave them a hard time about boarding her (according to family legend, anyway), but somehow they were convinced that she would wait until after the ship docked to deliver, and they set sail.

This time Lolo Jim had substantially less money to his name, but the couple still went to the same location, Kearny, New Jersey.  About a month after their arrival, a little girl named Elizabeth was born, my Mom.  She was always known by family and friends as Betty, in another little Scottish – Filipino parallel, her first name was actually Mary. Had she been born in the Philippines her birth certificate probably would have read Ma. Elizabeth, and that second and final trip of Lolo Jim’s is probably the reason I am as US citizen rather than a British Subject. The couple had plenty of ups and down over the years, they even ran a hot dog stand for a couple summers on the boardwalk in Asbury Park,  reminiscent of couples thinking of moving to the Philippines and supporting themselves with a little restaurant, but eventually all was well, they eked out a satisfactory middle class existence and by the time they passed away had the greatest of treasures one can hope for, a family of successful children, with children of their own, making their way in the world.

My mother relayed to me a story which makes this even more ‘moving to the Philippines’ related.  At his funeral, after more than 55 years in the USA, relatives from the ‘old country’ sent messages of condolence and hope.  Several people mentioned how they wish they had followed Lolo Jim’s lead and made the move back when they could have, and several clearly indicated they were glad they had stayed in the homeland and wished that Lolo Jim had too.  She brought this up during a conversation about pleasing relatives as an illustration of why that goal is impossible: you can’t please them all.

So, if you read this far, thanks for following along.  My only message or advice is not to convince you to move to the Philippines, it’s not for everyone, and the decision can only be yours and yours alone.  The message is, though, don’t let it be a decision of the magnitude some make of it. It is not a once in lifetime thing or an irrevocable decision, planes fly both ways. And remember, “More is lost by indecision than by wrong decision.”  Or so Dave (and Carmella Soprano) opines.

Something that's good to see!

Something has been happening in recent months.  Something kind of unexpected, for me at least.  It is certainly something good in my view, though.

So, what’s been happening?

A number of people who read this site have actually been moving here to actually Live in the Philippines!  It’s kind of rewarding to me to see this happen too.  While I don’t think, nor will I claim that I am responsible for them moving here, but I would like to think that I played a small role in helping them make the decision.

Too many people think that they just can’t do it.  They dream about it.  Everyday they think about it.  They read about it here and on other sites about the Philippines.  But, in the back of their minds, most people are silently thinking that it’s a wish, but very difficult to do.  It’s too scary for some to do.  It’s like venturing out into an unknown world.

Why are people scared?  Well, maybe one of the big reasons is because it’s not a normal thing to do.  What percentage of people leave their country of birth and move overseas to another country?  Well, I don’t know the answer to that question, and it’s more of a rhetorical question anyway.  But, what I do know is that the number of people who do it is a very small number.  When you make the choice to move abroad, you get all kinds of strange looks from people.  So many people think that you have absolutely gone insane.  “What is he thinking,” they seem to say.

As I say, when you move abroad, people think that it’s crazy.  They think that if you move from the USA to France or Britain.  When they hear you say you are going to move to the Philippines they think that you are a certifiable nut job.  I mean, it’s a poor country, the third world, corruption, crime, terrorism… these are the thoughts that they have, and many people even voice this to you!  I know, I’ve been there myself!

Over the past few months several regular readers have moved here to the Philippines.  Also, I am aware of several other readers who are in the stages of packing and preparing for the move as I type this.  Still others have told me that they plan to make the move later this year.  I am seeing increased momentum in people actually making the move instead of just thinking or dreaming about doing it.

Over the years of writing this site, there have been a number of times that Feyma and I have talked on this subject.  The conversation has gone something like this:

Bob:  You know, there are a lot of readers on that LiP site.

Feyma:  Yeah, I know.  A lot of them seem interested to move to the Philippines too!

Bob:  Yeah, they are interested, but the vast majority will never make the move.

Feyma:  Very true, probably just a couple of readers will actually do it.

Well, it’s true that only a small percentage will actually move to the Philippines.  But, to be honest, I am pleasantly surprised at the numbers who are now going through with the dream.  It’s satifsying to me also to see it happen.

Now, on the other end of this “rainbow” is that I have known a couple of people who moved here and hated the place, stayed 6 months or a year and went back home to the USA.  Mostly, these people could not handle the Culture here, and instead of giving themselves a chance to adjust, they just left with a good degree of hatred in their hearts.  Hey, we all have our own freedom of choice, and some of us choose paths that are different than others.

Anyway, the thing is, it is just really satisfying for me to see some people making the move.  Making a move to a life that they feel will make them happier.  Chasing after their dreams.  These are all great things, and something that I am very happy to see!

How about you?  Will you be joining us soon?

See you in the Philippines!

photo credit: LFL16

Get Movin'…

No, I am not in a traffic jam caused by “Lookie Lou’s” and “Rubber-Neckers” who are slowly and ghoulishly passing the scene of a recent accident, and are being cajoled by the local constabulary to maintain a quicker flow of traffic.  Nor am I helplessly being bombarded by radio or television ads that are stressing my need to purchase the latest in spot removers or laundry detergents (or, perhaps, some health-related product).  I definitely do hear that voice, though, insisting that I need to “Get movin’.”  Finally, the trance entwining my eyes, fingers, computer video screen and keyboard is broken.  I gaze about me and see belongings, boxes and suitcases in various stages of disarray.   It is time to “Get Movin’,” literally.

The first eight or nine waves of balikbayan boxes had been launched over this past year, and the final box is ready for pick-up.  All of the possessions that my wife, Emy, and I want with us in the Philippines were shipped via the old, reliable door-to-door method.  We didn’t want to ship any major possessions, furniture, etc.  They just wouldn’t “fit in” to the décor of our retirement haven.  The balikbayan boxes contained the little, important things as well as gifts.

In a stroke of good timing, our eldest son, who lives about 2,000 miles east of us, is building a new house.  He will need furniture and other knick-knacks to fill it.  It will be a far more efficient use of our belongings (and a cheaper choice) to ship all of it to him, rather than shipping it all to the Philippines or put it all up in storage.  Yes, a much better use…if I could just “Get Movin’.”

Retirement in the Philippines has been a dream of mine for quite some time.  Emy, a former OFW who never wanted to return to life in the islands, finally signed onto the idea a couple of years ago.  She said the only way that she would retire there would be if she had a brand-new, custom built, American-style house to live in.  Long story short:  Dreams do come true.  She now has her dream house and I’ll have my island retirement…if I could just “Get Movin’.”

So, it’s crunch time – “planning” shifts to the side burner and “action” moves to the front.  Segregating items to be shipped east from those that will fly with us and those that will be distributed among family members living nearby seems to be the major hassle of the moment.  We’ll pack some items for shipment; the shippers will handle the majority of our belongings, especially those big, bulky and heavy items.  We’ll magically pack our suitcases to conform to airline weight limits while keeping their bulging appearance.  (Did someone mention carry-ons?)  We’ll gather up the leftovers, pack the car, and drive them over to the family members…if I could just “Get Movin’.”

Within the next few weeks, while the final steps of the grand master plan come to fruition, my connectivity to the internet will be spotty.  Emy and I will drive cross-country those 2,000 miles (spotty internet courtesy  of Wi-Fi hotspots) for a two week session of final hugs and kisses, instructions, reassurances, etc. (and solid internet at our son’s apartment).  Then, in mid-July, we’ll fly to our new home and begin life anew (while being at the mercy of spotty Wi-Fi, etc.).  I’m pretty sure that I’ll write more about life there – we’ll be living on the far northwestern tip of Luzon, and Bob is looking for an article or two from “up north.”  So, one of my top priorities is to establish solid, high-speed internet connectivity (I’ve been “assured” that it’s available) while searching out Wi-Fi hotspots.  Yes, life will be sweet…if I could just “Get Movin’”!

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