There is a fellow named Travis Kraft who has a very active YouTube Channel, mostly based on videos about the Philippines. I enjoy many of Travis’ videos and he has a video about just about any subject that you might think of involving the Philippines. Lots of interesting stuff.
Recently, I saw a video that Travis did about why you should not move to the Philippines. I found it interesting, and I agreed with most of what he had to say. Yep, I said I agreed with most of it! Here he is telling you why you should not move here, while I am quite the opposite, encouraging people to move to the Philippines, yet we agree? Well, I do disagree with the statement that you should not move here, but many of the reasons that he gave are very accurate, though.
One point that Travis made is that it is very difficult for a foreigner to make money here in the Philippines. That is one area where I have to disagree, although I do know that most foreigners will say that it is difficult (some will say it is impossible) to make money in the Philippines. My experience has been quite the opposite, I find it quite easy to make money here if you are an entrepreneurial type person with a creative mind. If you have those kind of qualities, I believe that you will see so much opportunity in the Philippines, it will be hard NOT to make money here!
One point that I strongly agree with is that Travis said that can’t be happy living in the Philippines if you are not happy elsewhere. For example, if you are a very unhappy person, moving to the Philippines is not going to instantly make you happy. No, it doesn’t work that way. Just listen to Travis and see if you can agree with what he has to say.
Anyway, I feel that Travis has an interesting video here, one that you should consider if you are planning to move to the Philippines. Things are different for each person. I feel that Travis is a bit too quick when he advises that moving to the Philippines is not a good idea. I do think, though, that it is a good idea to listen to both sides before making a decision about a major life change before you make the leap.
I must admit I agree also with most that he had to say on this video. I have seen over my 18 years of visits to the Philippines many foreigners relocate to the Philippines for all the wrong reasons and then turn tail and run when they found it’s not what they think it is. I have now been living here for over 8 years and loving it. The first step in retiring here is to gain all the knowledge you can first about these beautiful islands and their culture. Many foreigners just do not fit the profile for living here. The reasons for moving here are wrong. Their money is not enough for a long term stay. Their health can attack them in this hot humid climate. It takes a lot of thinking, reasoning and planning to relocate here. And yes some soul searching. And I might add, the laws here are basically the same as the USA. Many foreigners come here thinking they are above the law of this 3rd World Country and better then the people living here. WRONG!!! This thinking will get you into a world of hurt. So if you are planning to relocate here in the Philippines please do it for the right reasons. Take time to search out the area. And make sure you have a good plan to not run out of money…….Pastor Bud
I must admit I agree also with most that he had to say on this video. I have seen over my 18 years of visits to the Philippines many foreigners relocate to the Philippines for all the wrong reasons and then turn tail and run when they found it’s not what they think it is. I have now been living here for over 8 years and loving it. The first step in retiring here is to gain all the knowledge you can first about these beautiful islands and their culture. Many foreigners just do not fit the profile for living here. The reasons for moving here are wrong. Their money is not enough for a long term stay. Their health can attack them in this hot humid climate. It takes a lot of thinking, reasoning and planning to relocate here. And yes some soul searching. And I might add, the laws here are basically the same as the USA. Many foreigners come here thinking they are above the law of this 3rd World Country and better then the people living here. WRONG!!! This thinking will get you into a world of hurt. So if you are planning to relocate here in the Philippines please do it for the right reasons. Take time to search out the area. And make sure you have a good plan to not run out of money…….Pastor Bud
Hi Bud – Interesting! I think that we are two strong advocates of living in the Philippines. We are each having a good life here and enjoying it a lot. Yet, both of us agree with most of what Travis says about why a person should not move here! Kinda funny, don’t you think? I have to say, Bud, I am in full agreement with the points that you make!
Yes, Bud, me too!
After less than 5 minutes, I disagree with him. Quality of life and wealth comfort objectives for the “Western” is a subjective reality from the pros and cons he is weighting out. Everyone is different, especially in
Hi Jonathan – I find your comment a bit hard to follow, to be honest. I understand you disagree with him, and you certainly have a right to your opinion, as does he. Thanks for sharing.
comfort priorities; money flow objectives and stability thereof is not everything..
Hi Bob,
I think Travis makes a good point about if you are not happy somewhere else moving to another country is not likely to make you happy. I am happy here living in Raleigh where I have lived pretty much all my life, but my wife says she is not happy here anymore because she misses her family and her culture.
That was my feeling exactly, Jay. When I lived in the States, I was happy as well. But, I still wanted to live here and saw opportunities to live here. We can certainly be happy where we live, but still have a desire to relocate. If we are miserable, it is unlikely that we will be happy in the Philippines.
Personally, with my visits to the Philippines, their are aspects found there that money just can’t buy. For example, A unique kind of hospitality is found in the Philippines to me that set it apart. I believe it is important to take a holistic look at the Philippines of which I have far from completely discovered.
I would agree with that, Johnathan. There are things more important than money. You gotta have enough to live life, but there are aspects of life that don’t involve money. Good point.
Thanks for posting, Bob. I’ve run across Travis’ videos and generally like them. I agree with you that he’s a bit off when it comes to earning a living here, but to do so does require a different mindset from what “most” aspiring expats seem to have.
I think an interesting article would center around “How to know if it’s right for you” (and maybe you’ve done that already).
Just from my perspective…
– A desire to focus my family’s life on what’s important (quality time together)
– Being “done” with the stress of chasing the Dollar and the short-term thinking and individualistic culture in the States and other western countries.
– Wanting to raise my children in a context of a more collective culture (and away from the unavoidable sense of entitlement so many kids have where we were)
– Being close to family (again, for the kids) and having them in our lives in a real way.
– Wanting to reset our cost of living and lifestyle to live more simply (and more cheaply)
– To live in this wonderful culture and learn from our relationships here (including being humble, open-minded and appreciative of the unique blessings here).
– To enjoy the affordable personal services (cheap haircuts, massages, help at home, etc) that are practically unheard of back in the west for all but the rich.
– Selfishly: To bask in the tropical weather, stay active year-round and play more golf!
– And lastly, to find happiness in the small things and in the unexpected.
I believe if these are your reasons to be here, the challenges lose their potency. So far, it’s been a successful experiment for my family. But we’ll keep an open mind over time an may chart a different course (for different reasons) again in the future.
Hi John – Thanks for stopping by, and for sharing your thoughts. The reasons for moving here, and what is important are very diverse. What one person thinks is important may not even be a concern for other people. That’s just life, I suppose.
I am glad to hear that your experiment with living here has been successful so far. Nothing wrong with thinking of taking a different path, that is what makes life interesting, after all!
Here’s to your continued success.
I suppose the lesson here is: “Do some serious and honest soul searching about what you truly want from life. Then do your research and keep an open mind.”
I think Travis was speaking to those who wish for that magic happiness bullet. I suspect he gets a lot of emails and commentary from enough such people that he felt compelled to offer up the topic in the first place. Our reasons to move here were very personal, but this site and others helped me a great deal in setting my expectations early on that the transition would be a challenging one. So far, it’s been worth it.
I think your analysis is spot on, John.
Glad to hear that the site has been of help.
Yep, I agree with most of what Travis said. No doubt you need money, $500 a month with two kids won’t cut the mustard. There are massive opportunities here to make money. Boarding houses near schools is a win win here for an investor. Buying small old properties and renovating them and selling them to fresh off the boat Kanos works.
I’m in my 8th year now and it has has been challenging. It still is in a way, more to do with people still asking for money, it’s exhausting. The heat and humidity can be taxing on your health, that’s one important thing I learn’t here and many more will learn that too.
If you do choose to live here, better be prepared.
Yep, there are a lot of people living in fantasy land about $500 per month or similar amounts, Boss. No doubt. It can be done, of course, or else millions of Filipino lives would be non-existent. However, there would be huge sacrifices.
His words will be right for many that plan/think to move here, but i can’t agree in all of what he say – or should i say the premises are not right.
Most that move here are retired and have their pension, they come here to relax and enjoy life, so why talk about work and earn money? Before they come here i hope they have made a research if the retirement pension is enough and that there’s savings in the bank for unexpected things. If not….no go.
It is cheaper to live here, even in a “western style”, even with luxury you maybe couldn’t afford before, things like housemaid, helpers and much more. Electricity and Internet are the real money consumers here, but except from that, it sure is cheaper. At least compared to where i come from (Denmark).
Sure he is right: It’s hard to earn money, but that is if you want to be an employe somewhere. If you have an amount to invest here, it’s not difficult to earn a good sum of money, just knowing the “right people” here, is important and what to invest in (research). Make sure the business you may invest in is run the way you want it, not the way a Filipino want.
About being happy here and there,,,sure, but isn’t that basic knowledge – happiness is inside you, not something outside.
A lot of other aspects isn’t mentioned: The way you interact with family (Filipino family), that’s a hard thing for many expats as i read it. Culture difference, the way things work (or don’t work) here – i could go on…
If someone think about moving here I think it’s important to do a proper research: Is my retirement enough, also for unexpected things. Be sure that unexpected things will happen. Can i live in a way that is very different from the way i use to live, it is not adviseable or i say possible, to live like you did in a western country. Can i adapt to the filipino way of family life – and so on.
As Bob has said somewhere, long time ago: If you want to move, come here, set a couple of years for a test and when that period is over, make your decision.
I don’t think it’s possible to know what will happen when you move, before you take the step, but just don’t make it a ultimate decision before you have tried it. Open a door for a “homecoming”.
I am happy here, I guess i could be happy in many places, i can make money here and i guess i could do that in other places too. I love my family (Filipino family) even i do sometimes shake my head, why things are done the way they do – but i do it quiet and not visible 😀 It’s their way and life. Show respect and have an open, positive attitude, that’s what it takes to live in a nother culture, no matter where it may be. I think i could go on, but enough for now…have a great day out there.
A couple thoughts on this.
Firstly, Travis is a younger person, so retired life is not really his consideration at this point. I moved here at 38 years of age, and I had to be able to earn money to support my family.
Second thought, there is nothing wrong or shameful about earning money, and it is certainly a consideration for those who ate not retirement age.
Personally, I enjoy seeing younger foreigners moving here.
Yes I know Travis is younger, but as I say: most that come here are retired from work/duty.
No no..it’s not a shame wanting to earn money, i guess most of us like to do that 🙂
When i go around places here, maybe 95% expats are retired people, very few younger people. I agree with you, it would be nice to see younger people coming here.
It is a minority that come here for work, since the salary is way to low.
I think very few, if any, people come here to work. There are more and more young people coming here for an enjoyable life and work is part of the equation.
What the salary us here is irrelevant. If you are an entrepreneurial type there is a lot of money to be made here and salary in involved in no way.
Bob, you may be mistaken about people not coming here to work. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised to see a lot of young foreign faces during a lunch hour in Fort Bonafacio Global City a while back. Clearly, they were working and living there and I suspect many are employed by the BPO organizations that are growing in number by the day. I’m not sure if that’s all there is, but something’s up for sure – at least in Manila and the Clark areas.
Oh, there are getting to be lots of foreigners working here. What I meant to day was that I don’t think many, if any people come here simply for a job. They come here because they want to live here, and finding a job us secondary.
Dunno, Bob – It’s a difficult topic to discuss, and the video doesn’t help that much IMHO.
My being in the Philippines isn’t really related to anything mentioned. I find life in the Philippines to be therapeutic. The people and the pace of life where I live are what drive my ambition to live there.
My annual “vacations” to the USA are more easily tolerated after a 7 month stay back home than if I went back “cold turkey”! After all, even my doctor recommended living in the Philippines as part of my therapy.
If I could only get that on a written prescription, I could have my health care plan pay for it. 😆
We each have our own unique reasons, Paul, that is certain.
I have recently come across videos such as this and I think the point many of them are trying to make is not to assume that moving to The Philippines is going to be like it is wherever you are moving from. From my own observations both online and from my visits, it is not the ” Bargain ” that some might think it is. Sure you could get an ” apartment ” for a couple of thousand peso per month ( about 50 USD ) but the Filipino definition of an apartment may differ quite a bit than what comes into your mind when you think ” apartment “. I know I would not desire to live in one from the ones I have visited myself.
I think the reference to not being able to make money is in the sense of not being able to just go out, answer a few help wanted adds and get a traditional job as if we were in our home country. My own thought is, do not go there expecting to earn a living without having enough of your own money to survive on first. In a way, I made money there without even trying. I bought something more as a souvenier than anything else and at the time I bought it, it really did look like a bargain to me. The value of it multiplied to what some of us might refer to as a ” nice chunk of change ” if, I wanted to sell it.
It would appear that many who move to The Philippines have or are planning on having a Philippine spouse. To me, that kind of gives the foreigner an ” in ” to many opportunities such as being able to start up a business under their spouses name where a foreigner that moves there as a single entity may not be able to.
I think the point a lot of these videos, articles on web pages etc. are trying to make are advisories that people should be aware of many things that they might not already be aware of and to look into further before making a decision to move there.
For me, it has never been my intention to move or retire to another country. I did a lot of research on The Philippines just to take a vacation there in a place I learned about here on the internet. It was after that when I found out that it seems more and more people are retiring in in different parts of the world. I must say though that my vacation experiences in The Philippines have been the best of anyplace else I have been to but to leave what I have here in the USA ( and it is nothing extravagant by USA standards ) I think I’d feel more secure about it if I had a significant win in the lottery. If that ever happens , I’d be on the first plane to The Philippines LOL.
Good points, Bob.
Hi Bob – Good topic. I love the Philippines because I love learning different culture, language and thinking. Therefore I might possibly love any country for similar reasons. I always did have a love for sociology at school, my favourite subject. As for making money, there are opportunities in abundance. You are a creative thinker and so am I, so it’s a tad easier, but there are many people lacking creativity to find the opportunities. I guess they can buy your books for more ideas. He he.
Hi Brenton, here is something to keep in mind… You mentioned that some people are not creative thinkers and thus could have trouble making money. Very true, but it is important to remember that they would be saddled with the same limitation in any country in the world.
Hi Bob – You are correct, people are limited in any country if they don’t have creativity of initiative.
Yep, lack of creativity is a show stopper no matter what country you live in! 🙂
I disagree with the statement, “unhappy elsewhere, can’t be happy in Philippines”. I was not so happy in a previous country I stayed in, due to the culture and mindsets of the place and there was a lot of incompatibility. Here, in the Philippines, I have been very happy, and Filipinos to a large extent have been the cause of that joy and i been here for nearly 6 years now. So, change in environment matters. But I do agree, if someone is an obnoxious person, they are going to get conflict no matter where.
Hi Adrian, I am glad that you are so happy in the Philippines, I am too. I still agree with the statement in the video, of course there can be exceptions such as you.
Thanks Bob, but sadly, a lot of people are not open to admit, that they were unhappy in the United States, even I met Filipinos who went there to work and said so, and they decided to return to Philippines. happy and sad are “emotions” that come and go in life, the right word should be “contentment”. I am contended and at peace with Philippines, than I was in any other country or culture so far. And I directly put a lot of focus to the Filipino mindset and culture to some extend and their polite and warm hospitality. It matters. Enviornment and people matter.
You know I would go a step further. You can be unhappy where you are living at but still be a happy pleasant person.
But if you are a unhappy person dont matter where you live.
Ha ha.. yeah, you can be unhappy with where you live, but still be a generally happy person, I agree with that.
If an Iraqi Christian heard his speech, he would laugh. “Happiness” is a factor of many things, including the culture and environment around you. If someone thinks Americans are same as Filipinos or Afghans are same as Filipinos or Iraq is same as Philippines, perhaps they should go and ask an Iraqi woman if she is happy living in Iraq, or she would be better treated as a woman in Philippines. Simple. I am happy in the Philippines and I was not so, in my previous country. To me, that matters I am happy. That is where the discussion ends completely.
If your values, your beliefs, your religion , your culture is INCOMPATIBLE with the people around you, no matter what you do , you will be made to feel unhappy and suffer in that society. This is a fact. It all depends on your mindsets and values and how compatible it is with the larger Philippine society. People often overlook this important thing, no two countries are the same, no two cultures are the same.
I go to a church with an Iraqi Christian and his family here in Philippines. He is a student. He feels happy and safer in this country, and considers Philippines a paradise, where in Iraq, he lived daily in fear of being killed for being a Christian. Please don’t ever say “happiness can be found anywhere”, he has peace here, and not in Iraq. And his wife is well treated in Philippines, by Filipino men and women, than his wife was treated in Iraq as a woman. This is a fact, most people simply ignore. the culture matters.
Adrian – I think that Travis was speaking in a general way and you are applying his statement to a lot of specifics. The things you are talking about are not what Travis was talking about.
I met many Koreans who tell me, how happy they feel in Philippines because of its people largely, unlike in Korea, where the strict confusion culture and expectations make some people who have a free spirit, difficult to live. Philippines is a paradise BECAUSE of its people. Its people are unique, special and they have a culture deeply rooted in Christianity, values, and above all old Malayan hospitality.
Adrian,
I think those Koreans you’ve met are happy in The Philippines because they can drink cheaply and get laid every night.Manila is the one of the best places in the world to be a “free spirit”
If a person who cannot love Filipino people or their culture , then that person will never be happy in the Philippines. If you DISLIKE Afghan, Iraqi, middle Eastern or American culture or any other place on earth, but YOU LOVE Philippines and Filipino culture, then YOU WILL BE HAPPY in Philippines. This is a truth. Because your destination matters in the end, not what you leave behind or why you left it behind. Contentment and peace matters, not “emotions” that change with life. Contentment and compatibility among its people.
Hi Adrian – You said you go to church with an Iraq Christian. Paul the guy that scribed two thirds of the New Testament, was jailed for circa 6 years of his life. Paul claimed to be content in all situations. Happiness exists in people by choice, and is not by culture or circumstance!.
I would RATHER live in Philippines, than live in an United States run by Obama or some Muslim ISIS run hell hole like Iraq or Saudi Arabia or North Korea or Myanmar where Buddhists are busy slaughtering Christians and minorities. PHILIPPINES is a paradise on earth because of its people. ITS PEOPLE. They make the difference to any human being who really wants to see that. Happiness cannot simply grow inside, environment matters. New agers keep saying, “you can become happy inside you by yourself, god inside yourself” etc etc, no. Happiness and environment are inter-connected to each other. If you live among good people, a good culture, you will be happy, and if you are still unhappy then the problem is with you.
What this youtube video should have said was, “if you are an obnoxious person wanting to pick fights” then you won’t be happy anywhere. NOT saying, “if you were NOT happy in your previous place, then you won’t be happy in Philippines. That is a load of rubbish. This young man has not even been to any of the other countries by the way he talks, perhaps he should go to Iraq or Saudi Arabia for 1 year then let me see if he is happy there or not.
If you take the time to do a little searching you will find that Travis has been to a number of countries. He features similar videos for several countries. Really, your comments that you have been posting make me wonder just how happy you really are. You do not seem so happy.
Bob! You are right about Travis as Adrian too! It is country and another country to visit….and Philippines is one of the best countries to be a happy one person! I also understand what Adrian is speaking as what we can see happening those countries where IS ( ISIS ) is going to rule by it`s so called Sharia laws and terror! In parts of Syria, Iraq and Lebanon with it`s idea about a muslim territory… The only people who can be “happy” there are those who really are NOT living with any civilized norms of human life at all. If a person ( Adrian?) knows what is happening unto the people living under such a terror…how can he be happy about knowing as people`s suffering in these countries, I mean. We are so lucky that we can move in and out of the country as how and where we want….but how about those who just have to wait there for their “destiny” to die when it comes if you are not going to obey the “standards” of let`s say those sick and mad ISIS terrorists. Your home is where you “hang your hat”, but how about if you even don`t have a one and any place to hang it…. This “Superman” Travis, you, me…we have all the opportunities to choose the place where to stay and “no worry, be happy!”
I just received my car license window decal and plate stickers that i paid for 6 months ago for 2014, that expired in March 🙂
OK… Congrats on that.
Yea just got mine for my motorcycle. They were out of stickers for a while.
I agree with you Bob without dimissing his points he makes.
Bob:
I agree 100% with you and Adrian.
I think a lot of people who end up here because they are running away from something. Not necessarily in the legal sense, but in the sense that they are searching for change.
The problem with using a move to change is that you are changing your surroundings, but the root causes of unhappiness still remain. Moving merely alters the superficial circumstances… But no real change comes.
So many people write about relationships, but if you are having relationship problems where you live, and YOU do not change, why should things be different here? How many sob stories do you read online about failed relationships and “she only wanted me for my money”? How many times do you do a palm slap when you read some posting, written in flowery, “in love” language and you think, “OK, I’ll read about them again in a year, crying about how unfair Filipinos are or about how they are now alone”?
So many write that they are having job problems in their current location, but they seem to think that their foreign knowledge puts them in demand here.
So many write that they are struggling to make ends meet where they live now, so they obsess over exchange rates and cost of living, but how many have you known who come to the other side of the world and struggle, get sick, or are miserable here? With zero support networks, government or personal.
So many write that they want to start a business here, but they seem to think that they can be successful with zero business experience and zero knowledge about the market.
It is my belief that most of the people who are here a long time, like you, truly moved for the right reasons, whatever they were.
Many who dream of moving should really try to understand “WHY” they want to move. Introspection is the key. Change for the sake of change never makes things better, and usually ends up making things worse.
We all have our reasons for moving here. Sure, there are those who end up here who are running from things in the legal sense. It is usually pretty easy to tell who they are. However, those who are here long term, and lead happy lives, were usually those who look first at themselves before coming.
Meant you and Travis…. Gonna be a long day.
Understood, John.
Hi John – Everything you say mirrors things I see every day. No arguments from me. 🙂
Absolutely agree Bob. My income has definitely increased after moving here 7 years ago. It’s very easy to make money here provided that you have the drive and creativity.
Hi Brian – Thanks for stopping by and commenting. It is refreshing, because I don’t often hear from other expats who agree with me on that issue! I just know it is easy for me to make money here, and at least I have found one more vote! 🙂
Do you pay taxes on it bob?
Of course, everybody has to pay taxes. Do you, Joad?
Bob,
I agree that you can make good money in the Philippines.So you got my vote too ! Although, I would not say it’s easy.
We’ve been involved in the garment manufacturing industry for 20+ years.in Metro Manila.Profit margins are razor thin and it’s a dog eat dog world down in Baclaran,which is the wholesale clothing capital of The Philippines.It’s a tough business but one that has provided a very nice income and lifestyle for many people.
Another industry worth looking at is agriculture.Like clothing it’s something everyone needs.I believe there is a growing demand for organic fruits and vegetables in The Philippines.Exotic fruits like the Dragon fruit are very profitable to grow and there is a huge demand from China.
Bob,maybe you can share with the readers some of the types of businesses you are involved with in The Philippines.Information appears to be you main business, but you probably have some others as well.
I would love to hear some of the readers chime in with their own experiences of successful business ventures in The Philippines.The more the better !
Hi Bobby – Nice to hear from you, it’s been a while since I saw your face here on LiP! 🙂
Actually, maybe you are not aware of it, but I have an entire blog about my various businesses, and about how to make a living in the Philippines! You can find it here:
http://waystomakealiving.com
Hi Bob,
On the happiness issue, my wife and I visited a classmate of her’s and the lady said that she, her husband and their 10 year old son lived happily on 14,000 pesos a month. To be honest my wife has 4 brothers and 4 sisters and they all have families except for one brother who has stayed single. I doubt that any of my wife’s sibling make more than this lady and her husband, but they all seem to be happy. I am not saying I could do the same, but the answer to why they are happy is simple. They get joy from things that cost little or no money. As I said earlier I am happy here in Raleigh and I am happy when I visit Bohol all though it is very different being there.
Take care!
Jay
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jay.
Jay,
Hi, I’m Alexander and live in Cary, NC
I was wondering if we could grab a coffee?
I will be heading to RP in late September 2014
Thanks…
Bob does your ebook book about making money in the Philippines, what is the average income it covers ? or is it just starting any sort of business in the Philippines?
Hi Aura – I have a number of different books about making an income. My most popular book on that topic, 49 Ways to Make a Living, is probably the one you are asking about. It is not set up in a way that you will make a certain amount of dollars. However, doing some of the things in that book, my income has been has high as $30,000 per month. So, you can certainly make some real money, a very good income, by implementing what you find in the book.
I moved here permanently in 2008 for work, BPO. I am still too young to retire (38 now and she is 34) but have followed this page as there is a lot of information here that still helps me. I met my wife at work in 2009 and we have now been married for 4 years with one daughter and another on the way. I first came to Philippines in 2006 for 6 weeks then again in 2007 for 7 months and knew I wanted to live here?
I agree with this video but I have looked at it differently as I probably should given my circumstances. We didn’t stay because of cost of living, we stayed because this where we want to be for now. I’m knew I was going to pay the same somehow the same here as I would back in AZ, which was fine by me.
It is difficult being away from family and friends but one of us would of had to be, so that will always be there. Any ways live the site, a lot of good useful information found here.
Hi Joe D – Thanks for stopping by my site, nice to have you here.
No place is perfect, but it sounds like you are doing well and making the most of the Philippines! Congrats on that.
Did the ESL thing and same story, poor pay, late pay checks, unreliable mess. Had same experiences as other friends from outside Philippines. Traffic nightmare, people begging for money, women hitting on you even when they know you are married, corruption, noise, rude people, stealing… If you do come here to live, don’t stay in Metro Manila. Keep in mind that you MUST pay Social Security taxes on ALL income. There is no exception like there is for Federal taxes if you meet certain guidelines. Social Security is worldwide, no exceptions if you earn over a certain amount (maybe $300?) or more. If you are retirement age no Medicare here either. If you are a Veteran, only service connected coverage and reimbursement from US. Been here over 8 years and can’t wait to leave!