You are ready to make the move and you are deciding what you should bring from your home country to make your life more comfortable in the Philippines. Right? I knew it! I was faced with that dilemma once and I remember it well. If there is something you know that you absolutely cannot live without, it may well be the deal breaker once you get to the Philippines! If you are … [Read more...]
You’ve Got A Friend
According to the US Dept of State, there are more than 300,000 American citizens actually living in the Philippines. There is the large US Embassy Complex in Manila and there is a connection with the US Social Security Administration and the VA in Manila as well. There is a small US Consulate located in the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu Cebu City. One of the best things the US … [Read more...]
Get Ready For A Family Reunion!
I've heard some foreigners complain about the large family reunions held in the Philippines, however, I really enjoy them! My Filipino family does not hold a family reunion every year, but it is part of the vibrant Filipino Culture to hold one every few years. Most families have OFWs, workers abroad, so whenever a few of them are in the Philippines on vacation at the same time, … [Read more...]
Bend Me, Shape Me, Anyway I Want Me
I remember back in the early 1970's when a cousin moved from small town Alabama to Atlanta and she told the family she was trying to 'find herself'. Some of the family, who were born and raised in that same small town in Alabama, had a good laugh about that and they thought she had lost her mind! As it turned out, she had broadened her horizon, met a man she later married, both … [Read more...]
I’m An SM Mall Rat!
Well, usually only one day per week! Like the malls in every city, the malls of Bacolod are also crowded on the weekends, so I usually go to SM Mall in the daytime one day during the first days of the week. Our son is in school, my wife is a PTA officer and she also volunteers at our son's school, so I go out one day alone. Not for hanky panky! Rather, to engage in one of my … [Read more...]
Who You Gonna Call?
I've lived outside the USA for 14 years now and during these times, I always have a cell phone with me. I am not afraid but over the years, I can think of a number of situations when I needed to call someone for assistance and I needed them ASAP! Ever hear the word "emergency?" Not all emergencies are serious but to me an emergency is when I need help right away! No, I've never … [Read more...]
Ride The Double Dutch Bus!
Concerning travel in the Province areas of Negros Occidental, if you need long distance public transportation, you basically have two choice. The Ceres Liners, which seem to number in the hundreds all over the island, and then there is the Double Tire Mini Bus. However, there are a large number of the double tire mini buses that I refer to as the Double Dutch Bus! It is really … [Read more...]
What The Hell Happened?
Brownout! Welcome to the Philippines! No matter where you live in the Islands of Paradise, you will experience a brownout from time to time. If you live in certain locations, brownouts are an everyday part of life. According to news reports and to other expats, who have retired to the Philippines, areas of Mindanao and in Metro Manila are the current hot spots for … [Read more...]
How To Have More Money For Fun!
From what I have gathered from many conversations and discussions over the last several years, many people around the world are looking for ways to save money and cut their cost of living expenses. In the Philippines, there are a number of ways you can cut the cost of living and I am not referring to just tightening belts and dropping down in your quality of lifestyle! Rather, … [Read more...]
Where’s The Beef?
One of the burning questions among foreigners who are visiting the Philippines for the first time and among those who are actually retiring to the Philippines is about food. Food is indeed an international language, as everyone has to eat to remain healthy! Most people I know, Filipinos and foreigners alike, enjoy eating delicious food. I am not an exception! Even though I … [Read more...]