Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

Get a Wife, Change Your Life

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As we hit the New Year 2015 I was reflecting back while enjoying a cold refreshing SMB as to how I’d gotten to the Philippines. I know a lot of LiP readers planned and planned some more about their decision but I really didn’t. A lot of my life I left up to Karma or fate, and just went along for the ride to see how it played out. 90% of it worked out for the best, but back in the 60’s there was that ex wife…

When I took vacations between ships I’d pick a place on the planet that I wanted to visit, (Or was on my Bucket List) and flew there and checked into a resort, rented a car and driver and spent a month or so relaxing until it was time to go back to work, for six more months.

When I bought new clothes I donated my old ones to charity or left them in the resort drawers to make sure all the rest would still fit in my suitcase. I had a storage unit in Florida with all my Navy Memorabilia and a totality rebuilt 1980 Jeep CJ-7 which I hadn’t driven in six years. (I gave it to an old friend the reason is below) My father used to tell his friends that his son Paul was a homeless man; albeit the best paid he’d ever seen. (Housing Challenged for the “PC” Crowd)

Once while flying to Kota Kinabalu the capital of the state of Sabah, on Borneo. (For the two people who didn’t know that) when I noticed how close it was to the Philippines. The ship wasn’t due in port for five more days so I stopped in Manila to visit an old shipmate in Olongapo City. While there I met his wife’s sister “Mayang” and my single days started coming to a close. No complaints from me.

Now that I knew that I was going to live in the Philippines some lifestyle changes had to be made. I was not a wild and crazy single guy anymore. Ah but those were the days my friend…But life will surprise you and inject change where you didn’t plan for it. Please don’t think I’m grousing about it, for it was a change for the best.

The subject of Christmas presents for Paul comes up every year my wife and the girls go crazy trying to figure out what to get me. Because anything I want I’ve already got. The fact that I spent so much of my life on ships and the truth of the matter is I never wanted that many processions, as when I moved to another ship I had no place to put it.

So my wife and daughters end up buying me shirts for Christmas, I like their taste so what they don’t know is; that really pleases me. Then because of old habits in January I donate a lot of my old clothes I guess I’m a minimalist.

So my mind was made up, I’m getting married and mentally decided this was my new home. I went to the Philippine Customs Office and asked what the duty would be to import my completely refurbished 1980 Jeep CJ-7 here. The shipping was a thousand dollars. The customs agents informed me that the duty would be decided when the Jeep arrived in country. Talk about a pig in a poke, that would mean on the pier in Manila a decision would be made and I have to pay whatever outrageous amount they decide on. With them hoping I’ll abandon it and walk away. I would have pushed it into Manila Bay before that would happen. So I bought an Owner Jeep, I just had to have one, but never the second one. And that friend I mentioned gave my old CJ-7 a good home.

The point I’m trying to make is, as with this New Year and the others, life will surprise you, in both good and not so good ways. I guess the trick to it is to roll with it when it arrives. Like me the perpetual single guy, who ended up with a wife, two daughters, and two grandchildren all here in the Philippines and all by a chance trip to Olongapo City low those long years ago. Who would have thunk it? As I reflect back I thank fate or karma for all that has happened to me over my years here, I didn’t know it would work out this way. But I’m happy it did.

I sit and wait to see what 2015 has in store for me, but as long as I retain my ability to see the funny side of things I know it will all workout for the best. I wish the same for all you readers, and the best to you and your families in the coming year. As we used to say in the Navy, dog down all the hatches, we could be in for some heavy rolls. Let’s hope for smooth sailing and following seas and Happy New Year to all our LiP readers and their families.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. we are from Ontario and never hadset foot in Bataan. My husband is a Retired Navy after 23 years. It will be nice to have someone for him to chitchat. Heading back on March, we are still in Cagayan de Oro and will be staying in Manila. Glad you found love and life here in the Philippines.

    • Maria;
      I’m a few miles out the tollgate on Subic Free Port in Dinalupihan Bataan. I’ve sailed in groups with the RC Navy. A great bunch of guys. Give a shout when your in the Subic Area.

  4. Happy New Year Paul, and all your readers too. That Karma worked for me too as I got to meet you in Olongapo and share some SMB’s as well as some BS. Lord willing and the Chinese don’t attack I will be back in November to help you empty the SMB shelves.

  5. Paul,
    I have a feeling 2015 is going to be a good year, no matter what Obama might do to ruin it. Hope You and Mayang and Family have a Great New Year.

  7. Get a wife — change your life? I did that a few years back and one year later my net worth dropped about $20,000 USD!!! Divorced that one and now I am planning to do it again… Only this time I will try to do it a little differently. Maybe try thinking with my other head. Rule #1: don’t let her talk me into bringing her to America!!
    —Excellent article Sir Paul.

  8. Richard;
    As I said, then there was my Ex-wife, from whom I learned so very, very much. You can learn from negative experiences also. (lol) One of the first question I asked before we married was that stateside question, and she had no desire to ever go. As a seaman I could see the danger of putting her in the land of the big PX and then leaving for six months on a ship. Instead, I kept her close to her family, and all turned out for the good.
    The best of luck, as sometimes the second try is the charm. The best to both of you.

  11. Great article and It seems close to what happened to me. I wanted to come back to the Philippines after my Divorce, a friend from my Navy days had invited me, plus I want to see the beauty that I saw back in the 70’s when I was stationed here for 3 yrs. Met Katleen face to face, heart to heart and the rest is history and filled with happiness and lots of laughter. Life can be a beautiful ride if you do not buck it to hard. Thanks Paul good reading ur posts.

  12. Great article and It seems close to what happened to me. I wanted to come back to the Philippines after my Divorce, a friend from my Navy days had invited me, plus I want to see the beauty that I saw back in the 70’s when I was stationed here for 3 yrs. Met Katleen face to face, heart to heart and the rest is history and filled with happiness and lots of laughter. Life can be a beautiful ride if you do not buck it to hard. Thanks Paul good reading ur posts.

  14. By all means overturn everything Obama has ever done so America won’t be ruined anymore. So what if in America right now, corporate profits are at record highs, the country’s adding 200,000 jobs per month, unemployment is below 6%, U.S. gross national product growth is the best of all the 1st world countries, the dollar is at its strongest levels in years, the stock market is near record highs, gasoline prices are falling, there’s no inflation, interest rates are the lowest in 30 years, U.S. oil imports are declining, U.S. oil production is rapidly increasing, the deficit is rapidly declining, the wealthy are still making astonishing amounts of money, and Obama brought most of the soldiers home from Iraq and killed Osama bin Laden. Yea, Obama’s policies have just ruined America.

    • Den;
      if you feel that strongly about the outstanding job he has done then good for you. OPEC lowered the gas prices it had nothing to do with the president. The US Navy Seals killed Osama. Wall Street is doing fantastic, but how is the average American doing who doesn’t have a few million invested in stocks? Why is the entire administration, key unions and both houses of congress exempt from that super Affordable Health Care?
      The dollar is strong because Europe is in an economic tailspin. Unemployment is raising in the service sector not the manufacturing sector. But I guess low paying service jobs are better than the highest number of people on welfare in the history of the United States. Drinking Kool-Aid, herding Unicorns and singing Cum-By Yeah under rainbows I guess is a good way to live.
      I only feel sad that you can’t vote for him again.
      Thank you for that most thought provoking comment.

      • Hey Paul…. Best wishes for the new year!

        Did I miss something? What on Earth did your article have to do with Obama?

        Sometimes I wonder if people even read the article before spouting nonsense.

        BTW… I don’t herd unicorns, but I have been known to fart a rainbow on occasion.

  17. Hi Paul , enjoyd reading this had me thinking about my own life here, I was married to Emma
    Back in 1987 in Manila , best thing I have ever done I retired when I was 52 nearly 7years ago,
    Moved to the Philippines in 2008 never looked back I love It here.could not put her through
    Another winter ,looking forward to meeting you soon ,ps had a burger and fries in that meat plus
    Place in Subic not a patch on Texas joe,s Derek in pasig.

    • Derek;
      I’ve been keeping those Meat Plus burgers on the “QT” I told the manager to stock beer and there would be a run on the joint. Not a Bubba Burger, but good just the same.

  19. Yes, Paul Thompson wrote it. It says that at the article link. Not sure I understand, nowhere does it imply that anybody other than Paul wrote the article.

  20. Simple life here in the P.I., as is the article. . . Like the Beatles sang “Let it Be”……………….Nice story Paul, hope to see you one of these days down at the Bull

  22. Happy new year, Paul! I’ve always enjoyed your stories. I remember visiting Subic in the 1980s when it was still a US navy base. Ah, those were the days.

    Greetings likewise to everyone. It’s back to normal.

  23. Paul… Good article…again…:)
    Could you check your FB page’s “other” folder?…I sent you a msg there.
    Richard

  24. With Billy Smyth & (Tommy too) being there in March the SMB shelves should just about be stocked back up by the time I get there in October. Would very much like to enjoy all of your company but then I would not be enjoying this coldest winter we have had in years, all brought on by global warming.

    • Big “P”
      Global Warming and yet the winter is cold? Do you see where people have trouble understanding this? But in Colorado you can crank up the heat, smoke a dobby, munch out on Cheetos and pretend you’re in Florida. We’ll miss you and Mercy, but we’ll wait until October. Stay well my friend.

    • Richard;
      At the top of the LiP home page you will see a list of commands white within a solid black bar. The one of the far right says CONTACT US, click it open and fill in the blocks, Sir Bob will get it and forward it to me. BTW I’m the champion inter-net Dumb-ass. .(LOL)

  28. Hi Paul,
    As usual a great tale, all the very best to you and yours for 2015.
    Best wishes.
    Jim.

  29. I am giving myself 9 more years in New Zealand to “make it or break it”…then I am thinking of moving to the Fils. I am Ex British Army (25 years Service), a Gunsmith & Locksmith by Trade. It is not definite that I will move…but I would like to look into it. I would probably want to set up a small Locksmith / Gunsmith business. Like I say it might not happen but I need to look into it. Please….anyone got any bright ideas on where I should start ?

    • John Schultz Chester;
      You didn’t say, so I’ll assume you’ve spent a lot of time here? If not then vacation here ever year in a different area until you find the one for you. You can also research your business ideas, and get straight answers in person. Best of luck to you. I‘ve spent a lot of time with the Royal Navy, so we need more Army guys here. Note Bob’s comment.

  30. Hi John – Hard to know where to start, but I would question whether you can legally get into the gunsmith business, since foreigners are forbidden fro owning guns here. I am not saying you can’t do it, I am just unsure of it.

  31. Hi Paul,

    Meeting and marrying my wife definitely changed my life. I changed from the man I had become back into the man my parents raised me to be. I guess it is debatable whether the change is for the better or not. I personally feel better about the way I am now and I am much happier with her than I felt before.

    Happy New Year!

  32. Happy New Year to you and the family!
    I took my wife to the US thinking we’d move back to the Philippines when I retired. Well, I retired and she changed her mind, and mine (without me knowing). Still stuck here in the US, but I’m still trying to talk her into moving back.

    • Bill Max;
      You’re not the first to tell me that story, “How are you gonna get them back on the farm after they’ve seen Broadway?” (LOL) But the difference was you were home with her in the beginning to guide her through the transition to US life. Whereas I would have had to abandon mine to fend for herself in a new and strange land, as I went back to sea to earn my pay.
      Keep trying and hope for the best, play up her family angle, my friends say that works the best. (lol) Good luck.