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 the gig to meet my goal of retiring to the Philippines at an early age.
Since I had no other choice than to work, I called the shots during most of my career, working only in fields of employment where I would enjoy. Sure, there were a few times during my lifetime when I attempted to work a job just for the sake of a job to have an income but without failure, I quit! I didn’t like it and I was unhappy!
I had a number of jobs that I really enjoyed, including Mental Health Counseling, Law Enforcement and Teaching English in Asia. However, since 1987, when I returned to the USA to pick up my career, after living in the Philippines for one year, I wanted to be elsewhere. Back in the Philippines!
Wrapped Up, Tied Up And Tangled Up
I enjoy adventure, traveling, following my dreams and being a free bird! Once I felt stiffed, it did not matter if the job was high paying or not, I was ready to pull a Hank Snow and be moving on! I remember well in 1996, I had been a supervisor for the previous 10 years at a psychiatric center and I woke up one morning and asked myself, “For what?” Yes, the money was good and I was established but I was in a rut. I was in a rut not only with my daily tasks at work, which were nothing more than an endless continuation of the day before, I was also in a rut in that location in Florida! I resigned and moved.
Well, what did I do? After 20 years of counseling and supervising other mental health counselors, I decided to switch to Law Enforcement! I was hired by the Florida Department of Corrections and I attended the FDLE Corrections Training Institute to become a Certified Corrections Officer. I was the oldest student in my class at age 41, with a number of my classmates being only 19! Running that 1.5 mile in training almost killed me but I did it, regularly, but I was always the last one to finish that run! I graduated Top Honors with a 98.6 grade average.
There was one more job in the teaching field for 9 years in Hong Kong and in Mainland China after almost 5 years in Law Enforcement. I also married during this time period in my life, to an Angel sent from on high! My wife is my best friend in all the world and she is from Negros Occidental, Philippines! All this is another story for another day! However, whenever I felt wrapped up, tied up and tangled up, I moved on!
Freedom!
The Philippines! I finally made it in 2009, moving to the Philippines full time with my wife and our son. My wife and I invested wisely, including in Agribusiness and in the taxi franchise, so, yes, we have freedom to run our lives the way we want to, not dictated by others. I have only departed the Philippines one time since 2009 and that was due to a family medical emergency in Florida.
Many have the opportunity to retire early, yet they still keep on with the same thing they have done the past 20-30 years! That is not me, brother. I am not putting you down but there comes a time in every person’s life when they should think about just how far to go before calling out, enough is enough! Life is short even if we live to be 110!
I set my own schedule everyday, and do what I want, when I want, within reason, of course! Many of you can, too.! The key being, will you?
Is this written by Steve or Gary? Speaking of Gary, how is he doing in Florida since I haven’t heard from him? Steve, see you on the roro to Pulupandan on the 24th.
That was written by Gary but as he’s taking care of some family business back in the US, I posted it on his behalf. I must have forgotten to change the author. Thanks for the ‘heads-up’!
Steve
That’s exactly how I feel working in the fire department. I have 7 years left to retire and nothing is going to derail me from my dreams to retire in the Philippines. Great article!
Gary,
I’m of the impression that anyone who says they are retired does not seek remuneration for services rendered. Could you make it if you were not still working?
Renato – I’ll respond to your comment as Gary is taking care of a family situation and may not be able to respond. ‘Retirement’ means different things to different people. If a person isn’t working and they have no income, either from savings, investments or a retirement plan, then the fact is they can’t live anywhere. Well I guess you could set up in a tent and grow vegetables, but as a foreigner, the Philippine government would not look too kindly on that.
Steve
Hi Renato and Steve,
I left the real work force in 2009 and I am retired from that aspect of life! I haven’t had a paycheck since June, 2009 from an employer and I am making it better financially these days then when I was working. There are alternatives available if you have the capital and know what to do with it..wisely.
Take care,
~ Gary ~
It seems that the Pinasbug that bit our dear Gary early on had no antidote against its potent venom–the same venom that I would welcome into my system anytime. I’m happy for Gary since unlike me, he didn’t have to wait for any social security pensions to kick in before embarking upon his Bacolod-bound journey. I have this happy vision of Gary putting up with the travails of dealing with toxic coworkers, clients, and support staff while counting with his fingers the remaining workdays and hours before his flight to China and the Philippines, with the visions of Masskara Festival and the swaying sugarcane plants easing up the prolonged wait.