I got an e-mail today from a reader of this blog. He had several questions about living here in the Philippines. One question kind of got me thinking, though. He asked – “Do you get bored?” Hmm…
Have you ever talked to a person who retired after years of work? A lot of times, what I have heard from retired people is that they don’t have much spare time – they are always busy doing things. It doesn’t make sense. For years they worked 40, 50 even 60 hours per week. Going to the office or the factory filled their lives for years on end. But, when they reached the age when they could retire, instead of having all those hours for leisure, they find that they are busier than ever! Like I said, it makes no sense – however, it happens very often!
That is sort of the way it is for me living here. No, I am not retired. When I moved to the Philippines, I was only 38 years old, so I was really too young to retire. I don’t have what many people would call a “regular” job. So, the question was – are you bored? No, not at all! The truth is, I find myself a lot like that retired guy who doesn’t have enough time to accomplish everything that he has on his mind. I am on the go all the time! I have started up a number of online businesses that put food on the table, keep my kids in school, etc. I have to earn money, because I didn’t move here with a retirement check every month, social security, etc. But, I don’t go to an office, as a matter of fact, I don’t sit down and work that much either. I have employees who work for me, and I also earn 100% of my money online. Doing things like posting on blogs and other online activities is how I earn my living.
I find time for a lot of things that I didn’t have time for when I was working. One of my favorite things to do is go swimming. I have a close friend who is in a similar type of business as I am. We swim together every weekday at a nice local swimming pool. We generally swim for an hour or up to two hours. After we swim we get out of the pool and talk for another hour or two. You know what? That time that I go swimming every day is the most productive money making time of the day for me. My friend and I bounce ideas off of each other, come up with new business strategies, etc. With these new ideas, I make money.
I do other things though, that aren’t business related (not directly anyway). Today, I went shopping at the mall with my wife for a couple of hours, after which we ate lunch at a nice restaurant. Later in the afternoon, my wife and I met some friends for coffee at a local coffee house. We sat and talked for a couple of hours, and had a nice time. During the conversation, we started talking about a beach resort that we wanted to visit. Well, the conversation about that got us going, and we made plans to visit the resort for some relaxtion and good times with friends. So, I know what I’ll do for at least part of the day tomorrow. Funny thing is that I’ve been so busy lately that I decided that I needed to spend one day this weekend just resting. Looks like that will have to wait!
So, no… I am not bored! I am busier than ever!
Hi Bob,
I have been following your blogs for quite some time now. Great job, this is clearly the best site I have found in about ten years of looking, and I appreciate all of the information in your blogs.
My situation is that I also married to a Filipina (the almost perfect woman) from Cebu about ten years ago. We have been living in the states (Maine) since getting married. I am a psychologist in private practice. We are starting to discuss my retiring to the Philippines. Right now we are looking at Davao, Batangas and Baguio (in that order of preference). My wife is concerned about my safety in Davao. She has relatives that lived in Davao in the past and left there because they did not feel safe. Her view is that as a foreigner I would not be safe in Davao because of kidnaping. I have shared with her your blogs on safety issues, she is not convinced. Then a few days ago we began getting news about bombings south of Davao. Oh well! I have convinced her that we should visit Davao to assess the area for ourselves. Hope to visit Davao and other areas next Winter, a good time to be away from Maine. We will probably set up a “base camp” in Cebu and make trips to other areas to check out housing, weather, etc.
I am an avid, but not very accomplished, golfer and have noticed several golf courses in the Davao area that look interesting. I prefer the less expensive courses and avoid “exclusive” courses, especially those with housing developments encroaching on the course, and I prefer to walk. My home course is heavily wooded and after leaving the first tee there is not one house in sight. Anyway, if you or your readers would like to share information about golf courses in and around Davao I would love to hear from you or them.
I have no entrepreneurial interests. My view of retirement is that I will spend most of my time playing golf with some time devoted to reading, beach walking and travel. If an opportunity for teaching or tutoring presents itself I might do that, more as a community service that as an occupation. I certainly do not wish to lock myself into a full time job.
So, perhaps we can meet in person next Winter. In the meantime I hope you will continue providing the service of you blogs.
Thanks, Bill
Hi Bill – nice to meet you! I am happy to hear that you have found my various blogs useful for your needs!
Personally, I find Davao to be a great location. I would recommend that you go check out each of the places that you are considering before making your final decision. I would be interested in hearing more about your wife's relatives move from Davao. I feel very safe here, and other ex-pats that I know here feel very safe as well. It would be my opinion that Davao is one of the safest cities in the Philippines. The Mayor here is a tough law and order type – he doesn't put up with much crime. I have never heard of a foreigner being kidnapped in Davao. I have done some searching and can find no such incident on the web either. Be sure to let me know when you are going to visit Davao, I will be happy to show you around and help you in any way I can.
There are a number of golf courses in Davao and the surrounding areas. They are pretty inexpensive too, so you should be in heaven! Guess what – I have a ton of information that I've gathered on Philippine Golf Courses and I will be starting a new website soon about golfing in the Philippines! When I start that up, I will announce it here.
I have one tip for you. You said that you are a psychologist. There are very few psychologists here in the Philippines! If you wanted to, you could take on a few clients in your spare time. You could do that without making it full time, and supplement your income that way. I know that there have been a number of times when I have had people in the family that I felt would benefit from having somebody they could talk to in order to get through rough situations. Just something to consider.
Thanks again for visiting my blog! I hope to meet you next year!
Bob,
What about travelling to the countryside around Davao ? Are there places that you would like to visit but are hesitant to ?
Bob
I find Bill's comments very typical of someone who has not been to davao and needs to come and have a look. I first came there in year 2000 and like you have found it very safe, although there was some bad things happening…….. i was going to mention them but they put people off and it is not representative of davao. I have travelled all round the area with my wife and on my own and have never had a single problem, loke i say to my wife, i either get treated the same as a local or more usual treated better, with more kindness and more respect, being a westerner. We bought a house in davao in 2003 and will retire there very soon
Golf, well i have been to 3 courses in davao, all very nice really and different, as you say Bob, very good value, and although i only played a couple of times i met some really nice people, which has not been the case when i played golf in the uk, some golfing people are snobby and off putting here
i think Bill needs to come to Davao and had a look, your blog sums it up Bob, where you review major places of expat population, certainly cebu is one of them (i didn't take to cebu, like you i found it dirty, maybe it has improved now) but i immediately liked Davao and still do……
all the very best
Hi Laurence – I have traveled to nearly every Province in Mindanao, and certainly every Province surrounding Davao. I've never had a time that I felt unsafe. And, this includes all of my trips to Muslim Mindanao. I have been to Basilan and Tawi Tawi, and felt right at home!
Hi Rick – Good advice for Bill. I hope that he will give Davao a chance and have a look! If he does, I think he will be surprised!
I'm an American living full-time in the Philippines and I enjoyed seeing some sensible answers to the "safety" question.
Although I haven't yet visited Mindanao, I certainly will, and my schedule will not be driven by the rumors, innuendo and self-styled experts who draw lines and tell people where "safety" is and isn't on the map. Each person/couple is different and they need to come and see for themselves .. the Internet and well-meaning family advice is not the real world.
I have an American acquaintance here in Bulacan who is a behavioral psychologist. He has 'acquired" several jobs, both paid and unpaid from the Provincial government. Once the governor found out about him he was offered so much work he had to learn how to say no … even to terrifically rewarding work like setting up remedial counseling for the provincial prisons to try to reduce recidivism … meaningful stuff…. a good profession to have in the Philippines from what I can see.
Hi Dave – Great to be hearing from you! I hope you are doing well. Whenever you do make it to Mindanao, be sure to let me know! I'd be happy to show you around a bit. I've been just about everywhere on the Island now (even those places where you're "not supposed to go").
I agree, a psychologist could be a very rewarding job here. I have a son who has the need for such therapy from time to time, and we had to search far and wide to find an appropriate person. Those kind of services can be very hard to find in the Philippines.
Do I ever get bored being retired in PI? Sure I do, but no more then I
do being retired back in the states. I beleve that retired is retired, I have no desire to run a business, maintain a web site, or do any thing
that puts a demand on my time. I want and have the freedom to be able
to walk into the house and tell the wife, "pack a bag and lets go to Hong Kong tomorrow", and not worry about employees robbing me blind while
I'm gone, etc.
But as far as being bored there is much to do here, you just have to
find your own comfort level.
Rick
Hi Bob,I feel many retiree's can be busier than ever because they are doing things they enjoy without the pressure of the rat race they have just left.I feel its important to keep active once you have retired,especially mentally,regards Chas.
Hi chas: and yes, indeed, I really agree with that. Remaining active is very important, it keeps you healthy and alert in the years ahead. Thanks for stopping by, as always.
hello bob.
the first time i came to davao i was alone and a little nervous but after awhile i got used to the culture and found it very interesting.
hello bill im also from maine state. midcoast reigon here.i have nothing but good things to say about davao and its people.mabe the only thing that bothered me sometimes is everyone treated me like i was hulkhogan hehehe.anyone for autographs hehehe just kidding.and as far as alot to do there yes alot to do and see.i allways felt safe and secure in davao.i just wish i was old enough or smart enough like bob to live full time in davao.oh well mabe someday.
salamat bob
Hi Bill,Without taking anything away from Davao,when you visit Mindanao checkout Cagayon de Oro on the north coast,an up and coming city with many subdivisions at very reasonable prices,also a few golf courses.There are many expats living there and its only a short hop from Cebu,flight time 45 mins.My sister in law is studying her Masters in Physcology in Phils and tells me most graduates tend to go into Human Resources jobs after qualifying,others go abroad.This may account for the shortage of Physcologists in Phils,regards Chas.
Hi Ron w – I can understand why coming here for the first time would make you'll nervous, maybe even scared. I think most people are like that. And I do understand what you mean about being treated like some kind of movie star, that's very common for a visiting westerner.
Hi Bob, this is so funny because I still remember Feyma wondering how I could stay here in Samal and not get bored. No supermarkets, no theaters, no malls, etc etc. I don't think I ever answered her question – so here it is.
I used to think I will never retire because I will just go brain-dead or bored to tears. But in my last 2 years of working, I realize that stress is really the thing that kills you – slowly. Little symptoms like premature grey hair, muscle twitching, losing weight, sleepless nights. It took us a lot of guts, but we called it quits. We packed as much as we can load into our sailboat, cut our lines and we sailed away to where the wind blows. People have asked us – "don't you ever get scared to death out there in the open seas?" Sure, but we also learned to not fight mother nature and to go with the flow. We've learned to be patient and to just take it easy. We've learned to deal with all sorts of people from all around the world, seen how different people live, and appreciate how much life has to give. It is no wonder we meet a lot of professionals, especially in the medical field, in our sailing community. One advise we give to those who ask – JUST DO IT!
I can go on and on, 😆 ….
Cheers,
Ellen
ps sailing is hard work too – never ending maintenance work, constant watches during passages, networking, too many potluck dinners, get togethers and happy hours 😀
Hi Ellen – yes, I can see that it took a lot of courage to do what you did. Setting off on a sailboat like that would not be an easy thing to do!
When Feyma and I first started thinking about living on Samal, I was more than will worry that Feyma would not be able to do it. She likes doing things like shopping and such too much. I talked to her about that, and she thought about it for a few days, and she feels that she can do it. I didn't realize that you two had talked about that subject when we met you. For me, I enjoy just hanging around the house, not going out to lunch, etc., so I'm sure that I'll do fine living on Samal. I think Feyma will to, it will just take a little more adjustment for her. But, Feyma has always enjoyed doing stuff around the house, she just has to adjust to that more I guess.
Hi Bob,
I was really excited to read above about your coming information on the golf courses there. In my trips to Davao, I have checked out Apo and Davao City golf, and am looking forward to learning more.
Hopefully I"ll be coming back in October, this will be my 6th visit there, and to chime in on this thread, I have to say I have never felt uncomfortable or in danger while there. I enjoy the long walks inthe evening with my wife through the village, and everywhere I have been I was treated very well. I, for one, look forward to the time I can come there and stay.
On a final note, thank you for this site, I have learned so much from reading here, and I hope you realize just what a service you, and the other writers provide for those of us in need of information.
Hi Roger Livengood – I am not a golfer, although I do intend to put together some information about golf courses around the Philippines. As a non-golfer myself, I can't say how good it will be but I'll do my best.
Thank you for sharing your feelings about Davao, and the next time you're in town will have a chance to meet each other.
Hi Wayne A. Derby – Ah shucks! I was going to ask which team he played for! 😆
Hi Bob – how very true, what you said: I got even busier here then before… . I never got bored, neither in Davao nor on Samal Island or other places in Mindanao or at home… 😉
Hi Bob,
When I look at the map of Mindanao I always have the impression that Zamboanga must be very exotic. I was told that the dialect there is something between Spanish and Cebuano, easy to learn. When will you write something about Zamboanga?
Hi Bob- Your topic is interesting from the angle that the word (bored) is a relatively new one. When I was much younger we had always something to do whether it was dark nights or light ones, sunny days or rainy days we used to adjust our leisure persuits accordingly. In todays world where leisure revolves around sitting in front of a plasma screen excercising ones thumbs its little wonder the young ones use the term bored. Now when that same term is used by a person either retired or about to retire then thats more than a little concerning.For a start when someone reaches the point of retiring generally the clock is starting to count down on their life so like me its catch up time on all the things that I missed out on due to working so hard and long in order to make a decent life for my wife and family.Your correct when you say most people are busier after they retire from a routine working life because all of a sudden they have lots of free time to do as they please and its catch up time with god only knows how much time left.As for me I'd never be bored even if I was confined to bed as I would annoy the hell out of those looking after me just for devilment lol.So lets confine the word bored to the young of today, 😛 not the vast majority of retiree's where ever they are. 😆
Hi Klaus – Indeed, there is always plenty to be done here. I know that I rarely get bored. It's a little strange, though, because while I rarely get bored, I found myself in that position today! I did find some stuff to do, though! 😆
Hi Markus – Thanks for your comment. I have actually written many, many times about Zamboanga. As a matter of fact, I just did a site search for Zamboanga, and it returned 48 different articles that included "Zamboanga" in the article. Try it – just type in "zamboanga" in the search box on the right column of this site and hit enter! Keep in mind, Zambo is pretty far from Davao where I live, so I don't write about the place as often as I do Davao, but I have written a number of articles about Zamboanga too. 😆
Hi jim – Yes, I believe you are very correct on all of your points! Thanks for sharing those!
Bob,
you make all your money online? like this blog?
Is that enough to maintain your life, or do you also use money from your savings (like interest)?
If seems like you dont really live poorly, so you must be doing very well on your online business!
Hi khaye – yes, I make all of my money on line. No, I do not live off any cut in interest or any other kind of investments or anything like that, I make 100% of the money that I live on online. I have a number of blogs, which earn money, I also have around a dozen e-commerce sites, and other online endeavors. Yes, I make plenty of money to live nicely. When I lived in the states, I had a decent job as a supervisor in a manufacturing plant. Here, making all my income online, I make more money than I did when I had a regular job. Hope that helps.
Hi Bob:
Interesting concept, can one be bored in the RP? My answer,,, yes!! When we were there last February/March my wifes family really made an issue of it is not safe to go out and about with out one of the family members. I am an outdoor person and personally I find being stuck around the house rather boring. Yes you can read, watch TV, but having to do those on a regular basis is boring.
My wifes family lives in a province that evidently has a healthy NPA population and make the point that they are not to be trusted and often abduct people for ransom. Even when in Cebu her Uncle that used to be head of the local NBA office said it was not safe for us to walk around without family members. Once again staying indoors with the family of in the Hotel gets boring.
I do have a question. Are these assessments by my wifes family correct? I find it hard to swallow because of all the foreigner's that do live in the RP and things like this are rarely mentioned.
Excuse me I meant the local NBI office. Not basket ball…
Hi Wayne A. Derby – Almost every Filipino will say these things. Don't accept it. You are a big boy, and you don't have to do what others say. As a big boy, you get to decide what you will do.
Before I lived here, everytime that I visited the Philippines, I got the same statement thrown at me. I spent every vacation sitting in the house, only going out when the family told me I could.
Before moving here, I told me wife that I will not be held hostage in the house like that. I will go where I want to go when I want to go there. I told her, and her family that I am a big boy, and they don't get to tell me where I will go, they will let me decide that. You know what? Ever since then, I have never heard a single suggestion about where I should go, what places are safe, etc.
The truth is that the NPA rarely messes with foreigners. They go after the Philippine Government and it's agents. Honestly, in the past 20 years I have never heard of the NPA going after a foreigner. I have never heard of the NPA kidnapping a foreigner before. Search the Philippine news services and see if you can find any such report. If such an event happened, it would surely be reported in the media.
A golf site-interesting and I will look forward to it. Being a person that enjoys golf as much as breathing I have played all of the courses in Davao. Langang is closing-it should due to its lack of maintenance. Apo is a nice course but the Koreans in Davao seem to control it. I don't mean that as a negative towards Koreans-its just reality that they have made Apo their course and its difficult (or was for me) to get on. Palos Verdes for me is the best. Its not the cheapest but they do say you get what you pay for. However for an expat Palos Verdes is a very good deal compared to greens fees in most countries. Let us know when we can expect that new site-that is something I am looking forward to. Ron
Hi Bob:
A couple of things. A bit more than a year ago an American woman, I believe a seminary was hiking in the mountains some where north of Manila and was abducted by what was speculated was NPA members. Even though she had had personal dealing with some NPA in the past. I am not sure, but I think she turned up dead. I may have some of the fact incorrect, however I do remember the the kidnapping and the part about the NPA speculation.
Second, after this visit I basically told my wife that I was not going to be held "prisoner" in the house like that again. I like to go about and see the culture, take picture of flowers etc. It caused just a bit of an argument as she maintained that it was for my own good and if I did what I wanted that I would get hurt and not to blame her family for it. With her Papa being a Fiscal I/we were exposed to a number or gruesome acts and murders while we were there. Not first hand just the authorities coming to him with details. In my discussion with my wife I did mention that I keep track of things on your site and others and did not see what they were telling me.
Do you know why or have an idea why you and I (perhaps others) received this kind of treatment?
Thanks for the insite.
Hi Bob
Need advice again, thank heavens you are there. Been searching the internet for yoga classes here in Davao, pref in or around Bajada. Thinking that some excercise would be a really good idea and aircon even more improtant than anything. Can't find any info on the internet. Do you know of any?
Keep well
Carolynn
Hi Bob,
I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. I'm retired Navy and have been to most of the big cities in the world. I've been to Manila more than a dozen time alone and with my wife. I've never been worried there or afraid, in fact the only city that I have ever really felt afraid of while I was there was New York City, go figure.
hi bob, what about the "Burnhams" missionary abducted in Palawan? They were abducted for about a year. Wife got out alive. Husband died during the rescue apparently shot.
Hi Bob,
I don't mean to butt in on Jan's questions but, I think that's relatively rare and you could always cite something that's going on in any country, look at all the things that are going on in South America and all the stuff that's going on at the border between Mexico and the US??? Sounds like PI would be safer to me.
Hi Wayne A. Derby – The person you are referring to is Julie Campbell. She was a Peace Corp volunteer. She was never kidnapped, she was murdered while hiking in north central Luzon in April 2007. This had nothing to do with the NPA. Yes, people speculated that there was NPA involvement, but there was not. Her killer was just convicted earlier this week, and he is not NPA.
Again, I don't think you will be able to find anything in the past 20 years of the NPA harming a foreigner.
Hi Ron LaFleur – I can't say for certain what I'll do the golf site, but it's something that's been on my mind. No doubt Rancho Palos Verdes is a wonderful place, I love to just go out there and roam around even though I'm not a golfer.
Hi Ed – I hear a lot of Americans say that they feel safer here than they did back in the states. Quite amazing!
Hi jan – the Burnham's were not kidnapped by the NPA, they were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf. In my comment, I specifically was talking about the NPA. The Abu Sayyaf does not operate in the area where Wayne's family lives. These days, the Abu Sayyaf is pretty much limited to the Sulu Archipelago. Although I have traveled in that area myself, I recommend that most foreigners avoid it. But, with regards to the NPA, I do not feel that they pose a threat to foreigners. That's my opinion.
Hi Ed – thank you for your comment. The Abu Sayyaf group does pose a threat, if you venture into their territory. However, the territory that they control has become smaller and smaller, and there's really not much reason to go there anyway. So protecting yourself from their threat is an easy thing to do.
I stand corrected!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Bob.
Hi Wayne A. Derby – no problem, with happy to help.
"law and order" type I think is an understatement given his involvement with the Death Squads and related human rights abuses
Hi H.R. Supporter – most people in Davao are quite happy with the mayor. He keeps the city safe, virtually free of crime, and very livable.
well isn't it a basic human right to be given a trial before being convicted? But I guess the US doesn't really have a good track record on this either in recent times…
Hi H.R. Supporter – I guess that I fail to understand what this issue has to do with whether or not there is anything to do here. Frankly, since you say that people are entitled to a trial, what about Mayor Duterte? You seem to be quite accusatory of him, yet there is no evidence of his involvement in any kinds of abuses. There is talk, but he has not stood trial. Are you not willing to offer him the same that you wish for others? ❓
I spent two years researching and websurfing Iligan City and Cagayan De Oro before actually going there on a recent vacation. I kept up to date with news websites, Bob Martins websites and many other websites as well. There is a lot of conflicting information about Mindanao and a lot of it seems to surface from people that have never been there including Filipinos. I don't consider myself a " city " person although I have lived all my life in the suburbs of New York City and try to avoid going there if I possibly can.
In hearing what would first appear to be so much bad news about Mindanao, I finally started keeping track of things like people getting killed there for any possible reason. Almost every day on the news here, someone is getting killed in New York City yet millions of visitors and tourists go there every year. Compare any news of Mindanao to that of New York City.
During the two years I spent researching Iligan City and Cagayan De Oro I did cross paths on the internet with some reliable people there. When I arrived at Lumbia Airport in CDO, I had an Entourage of friends waiting for me and a hired van for the last part of the journey to Iligan City. They truly wanted to show me their city and ensure I would have a great time, which I certainly did which shows in some of the pics, video and text I have submitted to some of Bob Martins websites since I have returned home from my first visit to Mindanao.
The only mishap out of the entire trip from the time I left my house until the time I returned was the airline lost my luggage and it took them 3 days to get it to me at my hotel, but it finally did arrive there and in un-tampered condition as well. Even the Management at the Elena Towers Hotel was concerned about my lost luggage and contacted the airline office in Manila several times for me to trace its whereabouts.
With the airline industry being turned upside down ( along with just about everyoone and everything else ) by the cost of fuel now, who knows what it is going to cost me to fly half way around the world next year. I am saving my money for a return visit to Mindanao and this time I am going to try to plan for a longer stay to include a side trip to Davao to meet Bob Martin. Out of all the information I spent more than 2 years acquiring from many sources, the one information source that had the highest degree of accuracy was Bob Martin and I can not emphasize that enough.
As I mentioned in another comment on this website, I felt safer in Iligan City than I ever have in New York City, especially on a New York City Subway !
I can only vouch for my own personal experiences but they were all favorable. In fact, this was the best vacation I ever had !
Hi Bob New York – Thanks for your kind words. I look forward to meeting you!
How can one be bored in the Philippines? 🙂 There's so much action there!
It's inspiring to read that you've managed to put food on the table and pay the bills through your online ventures. Wish my Swiss husband and I could do that someday when we finally decide to "retire" in the Philippines.
Hi Jayred – you absolutely can make a living online, I know because I've done it. And it's not only a matter of being able to pay the bills, I make a lot more money online from here than I ever made when I lived in the states. I have no doubt that you can do it too, if you're committed.
The word "bored" do not exists in my vocabulary during the six months that my wife and I spent every year in our beach resort in Boac, Marinduque. Besides, our little business, there is so much to do to, getting involved in the community (medical missions, volunteer teacher, etc). or just relaxing in the beach, snorkeling, hiking and of course visiting relatives. With regards to Davao, my sister-in-law lives there, but I have never been there. I heard it is peaceful.
To Bill, before you decide residing in Davao, please visit Marinduque. There is large contingent;of foreign residents here; majority are Europeans, with a few of us Americans, both pure Caucasian and filipino-americans balikbayan like me. We have mahjong parties if you get bored ( voluntary) and you could have fresh seafood and vegetables every day if you wish. I live like a King with a maid, personal driver, gardener and cook for less than $1200 per month.Bill, If you decide to visit Marinduque this December, I will be glad to show around. Just give a month notice to be sure we are there not in the US(California).
Hi David B Katague – Good luck with your resort, I hope that you have great success.