I have learned over the past 28 years that expats living in the Philippines all have different agendas and needs. We cannot all be put together in one painting and be painted with the same wide brush! We are all unique individuals and I never met anyone exactly like me. Some expats have the need to get together with other expats several times every week to be happy living in … [Read more...]
Some People Call It Third World
It is always funny to me and some of my expat amigos when we hear other foreigners referring to the entire Philippines as Third World! We agree that some areas in the Philippines can very well be referred to as third world but Bacolod City is certainly not Third World! It is my world! It is also a real world where most Filipinos are real people and not plastic people. I am just … [Read more...]
Sweet Home Philippines!
I just returned this week from a several week visit to Florida, USA, to lend family support to a very ill relative, and I have a very fresh perspective about life in the USA, as opposed to life in the Philippines. It is fabulous being back in Sweet Home Philippines! For those who say they can live as cheaply in the USA as in the Philippines, this certainly isn't true … [Read more...]
Shootout At The Kano Corral
Whenever a foreigner is murdered in the Philippines, it sends shock waves out among the expat community! It does not happen that often but it happens. There are statistics available online concerning the number of foreigners murdered in the Philippines since the 1980's and the number is much less than Americans murdered in Chicago during the year 2013! No my friends, it is not … [Read more...]
Who Were You Thinking Of?
Every single day, I am contacted a number of times by expats from around the round world with a variety of questions about retiring to the Philippines. Including , the cost of living, medical care, cost of insurances, safety and security, the best places to live and the whole nine yards. Without failure, at the top of the list is about relationships with the women of the … [Read more...]
El Groupo Gougers
During the past two weeks, I made a very amazing discovery about the price of imported food and drinks in Bacolod City! Some of the stores have really jacked the prices up on a lot of food items that many foreigners enjoy buying. Can we get real here? If Walmart in Florida USA can sell a plastic bottle of mustard for only 68 cents US, and you know they are still making money, … [Read more...]
Everyday Is A Fiesta!
One of the aspects of the Philippines that really captured my attention 28 years ago is the Filipino’s love of celebrations, parties and festivals. This fabulously exciting atmosphere in the islands has only grown stronger over the years! I don’t know any other place on the planet where people can have so much fun with so little! If you could be a Filipino for one day, you … [Read more...]
Things I Used To Do
Getting up early to do something for someone else was once my way of life but now, I only get up early when I want to, not because I have to! I love the smell of work in the morning is something that I never really enjoyed but it was a requirement for a number of years. What kept me going morning in and morning out was that, while I felt like I was being used, I was also using … [Read more...]
Where the Wild Things Are
Man, oh, man! We saw a 5 foot monitor lizard in our bamboo forest down at the farm in the province and the kin folk got excited! Good as barbecued iguana and it tastes just like chicken! Sadly, though, that is exactly why there are fewer monitor lizards in the Philippines! People eat them and it is free food! The Tokay Gecko is very common in the Philippines and most every … [Read more...]
Go Azkals Go!
I've had the pleasure of watching the Philippines National Soccer team, The Azkals, play in Bacolod at Panaad Stadium against the Pakistan team. Yes, they kicked butt and won! Hip, hip hooray!! A number of expats have asked me, "Gary, what the hell is an azkal anyway?" Basically, an askal in the Philippines is a street dog. The Philippine National Soccer team was named the … [Read more...]