Are you ready for Christmas? You are already one month behind! The Christmas Season in Bacolod City kicked off on September 1 with the first Christmas songs of this new Christmas Season. There are still 110 days left, so you still have plenty of time to celebrate. The Feast of Santo Nino (Christ Child) is most famous in Cebu but many Filipinos in Negros Occidental also … [Read more...]
Hillbilly Central
A number of foreigners have asked me where the largest expat community is located in the Philippines. There are more than 300,000 US citizens living year round in the Philippines, however, many of those are Filipino-Americans, who retired to the Philippines. That group usually retires near their hometowns in the Philippines before they immigrated to the USA. Supposedly, … [Read more...]
Say It Ain’t So, Gary!
"It ain't so, Gary!" There, I said it. I communicate with more than 50 foreigners most days, every week in email, in my article comments, on the RTTP Forum and in personal consulting. It never ceases to amaze me about some of the things that foreigners have been told about the Philippines...by other foreigners! There is a lot of misinformation going around and a lot of it is … [Read more...]
More Needful Things!
I've heard it said and read many times about foreigners' opinions that are simply wrong! One such myth is that you simply cannot buy quality appliances, electronics or furniture in the Philippines. I think they were working with a limited budget that they were willing to spend on household goods and they bought the cheapest crap available. Well, I agree, that is not going to … [Read more...]
Needful Things!
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...]