Is there something that you miss since you moved to the Philippines? What about those of you who have yet to move, but are planning to move to the Philippines? Do you think there will be things you miss from “back home”?
Well, I can assure you that you will certainly miss things when you move. Whether you are moving half way around the world, or half a mile down the road, you will miss some things. But, for sure, moving half way around the world, to the Philippines will certainly leave you longing for something from back home. What will it be that you will miss? Well, the only way to find out is to make the move and see what you miss. Truthfully, sometimes it is the most unexpected things that people miss when they are gone. I know, because I have moved a lot over the course of my life!
There is an old saying, though, which you should keep in mind when thinking about this issue.
Time Heals all Wounds
Well, missing something is not really a wound, per se, but it does hurt. And, I promise you, time does heal the hurt. The more time you spend away, the less that you miss those things that you have been longing for. I can assure you of that.
Listen by clicking the button just below this line!
[powerpress]
Do You Have a Question?
If you want to send a question for inclusion in a future Podcast, just use the app below, click on the button below, where it says “Start Recording”.
Questions submitted by eMail will no longer be answered, you must submit through the voice message above.
Thanks again for listening, everybody!
Bob;
If I was to return to Massachusetts my childhood home, I would have a greater list of what I’d miss not being in the Philippines then I ever had about missing back home. Like you I’ve moved and lived in many places, but this is where I’ll stay.
Exactly the same here, Paul! Boy, there are a lot of things I would miss about the Philippines if I were to move away! I have gotten to the point where there just is not much that I miss from the USA, though.
Hi Bob,
Nice to incounter such a much visited site.
My name is Helen, born in Philippines, been living in Sweden for almost 30 yrs now. I am a swedish citizen since way back 80`s. My brother who is a filipino citizen and I are planning to put up a business which requires me to invest quite a great deal of money. Now my fist question, do I have the right to put up that business together with him, since I am not anymore a filipino citizen?
Second question can my swedish husband allowed by law to put up some business with me there, or are we both allowed by law in the first place?
I don`t carry a dual citizenship, but I am not against the idea of applying one.
We had been visiting Philippines every other year enjoying the so called “balikbayan visa.”. By the way I have som properties there ( and even properties I inherited from my filipino parents) aquired before I decided to apply my swedish citizenship.
I would appreciate so much if you could give me some info about this.
I am happy to have you around so that people could get some good insight about my country! Thanks!
Cordially,
Helen
Hi Helen – In order to do the things that you are wishing to accomplish, you really do need to get your dual citizenship.
Happy birthday sir Bob Martin
Thank you, Naprey!
Bob:
There is not much that I miss, however, having moved a dozen times over the years I have come to realize that you can never really go back. Even if I were to return today, things have changed (good AND bad), and, more importantly, I have changed a considerable amount (living abroad does that).
Especially when you have lived someplace a long time, the things you miss tend to become idealized in your mind. You accentuate the good and minimize or forget the bad. Every time I have ever gone back for a visit, it always feels rather strange. I know the place, but I don’t know it.
I think that perhaps I may be thinking about it more because I received the invite for my 30th high school reunion, and was thinking about this type of thing more often. I blame Facebook for this, BTW.
Hi John, I am much like you. In my younger years I never lived anywhere longer than about 2 years. I have lived in Davao longer than any other place. Si, this is home to me.
Got to agree with you John.
I used to go home for short trips and join my friends for a beer on the usual Friday night out. During the conversations I would be sitting there and wondering what the hell they were talking about.
Like you, I just don’t feel at home in my hometown any more.
Hi Bob
Probably the only thing I miss about the UK is family.
I did once talk about missing a ploughmans lunch in an English country pub with a couple of ice cold pints of cider. That was until someone pointed out to me that, withh work commitments and crap British weather, I probably only did that one or twice a year!
Cheers
AJ UK
Hi AJ, like what you said, I think the 2 mistake missed things are people and food.
Happy Birthday Bob!
Thank you, Will N Em.
I miss my truck, dog, horse….. Oh wait, disregard…. Miss country music 🙂
Bob;
I returned to Boston in 1968 after spending a year in Europe and 4 ,months in South America, I was 21. Om a Friday night I returned to my folks house about 11PM, my dad asked what was up and I told him, that all my friends had changed. He laughed and told me that they were just as I had left them, I was the one who had changed.
So true, Paul! What is the old saying.. you can never go home?
Country music? I listen daily. Why do you miss it? Listen to internet radio, download albums, etc.
Just a joke Bob 🙂 Streaming and torrents sure make a lot available….
On the other hand, a good rib-eye or tri-tip would be nice.
Both are available here, Rease. You just gotta know the secret of getting good beef here. Here is a hint… Think Wagyu.
Wagyu is not yet available on this island. Perhaps when the new Ayala is finished. Rumor has it there will be a PureGold. No S&R here either.
Wagyu is available anywhere in the Philippines. I know how you can get it. I will write about it soon!
There is some seed wagyu stock breeding on this island now, but not yet available for consumption. If you know how to get it shipped affordably, that would be great 🙂 I know a guy who can get it sent in by air, but it was pretty pricey.
Yes, it is quite affordable. There is a ranch here in Mindanao that grows it. They have outlets in many Philippine Cities.
Do you know if Iloilo is one of those cities?
It is not. That is why I said they will ship it to you.
As you say Bob, I think “time” will be the magic word, for the things I will miss. A great deal of this trip to here now is spending much of it really looking and trying to find the things we use the most from home, and the things we cant find and we really think we must have, we will put in the container and bring with us.
Furniture is one thing I am finding is not so great here quality wise especially, so even though we have already sold most of our furniture back home in preparation for putting the house on the market and then the big move eventually, I think we should maybe re-purchase a few things like a couple Lazy Boy recliners, since so far I have only found a very few of them, and are quite pricey here. And like you and almost everyone else has said, bring your tools, because except for basic hand tools, very limited selection that I have found, and battery tools are almost non-existent I think.
The very last 2 malls we went to here were SM and G-mall, so the comment I sent you awhile back about some foods I was having trouble finding, were almost all found at those 2 malls alone, especially G-mall, they had 90% or more of everything we had on our list of foods to find, as long as the ingredients can be found we can make almost anything we may want using recipes.
I have also found that if we ask a cab driver if he knows where something we are looking for can be found, some of them are very knowledgeable, and most are very willing to help in any way they can by calling around and far more often than not have been able to take me there.
Bob, do you have any idea where 4’x8′ or larger sheets of Melamine (1/2″ or 3/4″thick,its the stuff that most of the cheap furniture is made out of, comes in many colors and woodgrains ) might be able to be found here. Have tried Wilcon and City Hardware, but they have no idea, I did find a little bit of plastic laminate sheets (Formica) at one place.
Hi Bill, it sounds like things are going well for you. Taxi drivers are indeed a great resource.
You are right about the furniture. Furniture here is generally terrible.
Sorry, I don’t have any idea about the melamine.
Is this any help on the Melamine?
http://www.olx.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/67231747/melamine+board+laminated?referralKeywords=melamine+laminate+board&event=Search+Ranking,Position,1-1,1
Hi AJ,
Yes, thats one of the materials I am looking for and Plastic laminate also, I will give them a call tomorrow and see what all they may stock, and if by any chance they have a place or know of a place closer to Davao that carries it, and hopefully thicker than 9mm also. Thanks a lot for the help AJ!
What do I miss living here in the Philippines? Just about everything. Here on Camiguin where I live there is no Burger King, steak house, Wendy’s, MsDo, KFC or Subway. Nothing but Filipino foods which I mostly cannot eat the organs and fatty meat.
Dave, I am sorry that you miss the things from the States so bad! If you move to a different area in the Philippines, a city, you can easily get McDo and KFC. Truth is you are better off to leave that stuff behind, though.
hi bob , the things i miss not much i dont miss the weather the snow the freezing cold mornings trying to start my car to go to work to look at all the gloomy people ,if you look you can find most things you want
including food etc the good thing about living in manila you have a bigger choice on your doorstep ;
do i want to live in a remote place no thank you , happy birthday bob
derek in sunny pasig .
Thank You Derek.
The things you’re saying about availability of things like food are also true in bigger cities like Cebu dsvao . It makes for a great life in the Philippines.
Bob what I will miss from the USA is the efficiency of the fire dept and most of the police dept. After seeing the 400 homes burned down in Pasay City, all I could do is pray for the people affected in hopes nobody was hurt.
But living in the Philippines is where I want to be. And I hope and pray that nothing like this would happen to me and especially my family.
Bob what I will miss from the USA is the efficiency of the fire dept and most of the police dept. After seeing the 400 homes burned down in Pasay City, all I could do is pray for the people affected in hopes nobody was hurt.
But living in the Philippines is where I want to be. And I hope and pray that nothing like this would happen to me and especially my family.
Bob what I will miss from the USA is the efficiency of the fire dept and most of the police dept. After seeing the 400 homes burned down in Pasay City, all I could do is pray for the people affected in hopes nobody was hurt.
But living in the Philippines is where I want to be. And I hope and pray that nothing like this would happen to me and especially my family.
Hi, Geri. You might want to subscribe to this service, Pilipinas 911. I wrote a company profile about it. Here’s the link — http://verafiles.org/a-hotline-to-a-lifeline/
Hello Bob,
I always enjoy your posts as they are direct and to the point. Yes , time does heal all wounds. All we have after is a scare which is there to remind us of a pain from yesterday.
I look forward to your posts with insight to a beautiful country called the Philippines. God bless. Ingat ka lagi.
Scott…
Thank you, Scott. I appreciate your kind words.
Hi Geri. Here in Davao we have excellent 911 services. As good as the USA.
Talaga? HHmmm, kasi my negosyo is in Maynila…. I think Manila/Makati have good ones, pero, I’m not sure about Batangas . Ay naku. 🙂
I called the police here one night at 11:30. Took them 3 hours to get here and the station is only a mile away. Good service.
It is not like that here in Davao.
Quick comment concerning the 911/emergency services – the main problem in Manila isn’t dispatch, it’s the everyday citizens that simply refuse to yield to emergency vehicles.
I kind of thought that might be the case, Floyd. Thanks for sharing that.
Heard the Davao mayor is running fro president, hope he wins!
Hi Peter, getting involved in politics is not wise or safe for an expat… so I don’t comment on that! 🙂
Ha ha ha you got that right BOB. I would not even run for dog catcher around here.
First a bit of Marine humor…. “of all the things I have lost in life….I miss my mind the most.”
Seriously though, when I lived full time in the Philippines and also to a lesser degree when I lived in Hawaii and Japan, it was not what I missed that felt strange to me.
It was going back to the mainland and feeling reverse culture shock. What I am saying is that when you leave your country or culture, and you do return, you feel like your caught in the middle. No longer comfortable around that which you used to know and live with.
I do agree with Pauls view of missing the Philippines more than other places. Even now that I live in San Francisco, I feel like an OFW! In fact when I go back on my twice a year trips to the Philippines, family and friends say I am like an OFW. I belong there, but work here in the states.
Hi Joe – Nice to hear from you. It’s funny, lately I have been hearing from a lot of foreigners who went back home and have all been telling me it is hard to deal with the reverse culture shock!
Hi Bob belated “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” and thank you for your greetings
Thank you, Fely.
Hi Bob
About the only thing I really miss is playing lawn bowls. I was an active member of my local club for 20 yrs, so yeah i miss the game and friendship of fellow bowlers. Unfortunately there is no interest in the game in Davao so i would have to fly to Manila to get a game every week end…no thanks,haha
Interesting. To be honest, I have never even heard of the game before. Hopefully a solution will come along for you.
Certainly there are many things that can be missed but on the opposite end of the scale what about so many new things that can be found ? I wonder to what degree that can offset things that are missed.
I think it does compensate. But, there are still many things that are not available, or are very expensive. But, for somebody like me who has been here for so long, it is a real blessing to see the things that are now available compared to before!