Planes, trains well sort of, buses, taxis, ferry, tricycles, motorcycle, jeepney, and private car, I got to sample it all. In our family I am the OFW, so to speak since I am only there during my vacation time. However, due to hip revision surgery in April, I was able to spend the month of May in the Philippines instead of the usual shorter time. I combined business appointments with pleasure travel and time with the family. This is a slightly rambling series of observations. For those of you living in the Philippines, this will be familiar, but others may find it interesting. I booked a littl ..read more

Goodbye, Philippines Our Move is quickly approaching We will miss the Philippines So, as I told you a couple of months ago, Feyma and I are moving back to the USA. We have settled on living in Logansport, Indiana. I thought I’d post more today about the pending move, when it is going to happen, what I am going to do there and other such loose ends. I am basing the topics that will be included in this post on what questions I am frequently getting from people. So, if I don’t cover something that is of interest to you, let me know what you are curious about, and I will address it. Who is movi ..read more

There is a poem that is quite famous, called “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” although these days, it is more commonly known as “The Night before Christmas.”  It was written by Clement Clarke Moore.   Although the original date that it was written is unknown, it was first published in 1823 by the Troy, New York Sentinel.  The original publication did not credit an author, it was anonymous, however Moore was later credited with having authored the poem.  Still, there is controversy, and some claim that the poem was actually written by Henry Livingston, also of New York. O ..read more

Membership Shopping in the Philippines Membership Shopping in the Philippines More players are coming online Membership shopping is coming of age in the Philippines. There have been membership shopping stores in the Philippines for years. However, in recent years the membership shopping scene is getting new players and better competition. I find that membership shopping stores offer a lot of items that are not otherwise available. I also find the prices for membership shopping in the Philippines to be very good. Now, don’t take me wrong, if comparing to US prices, the prices here at members ..read more

Balikbayan Box Shipping things to the Philippines? You need to learn about the Balikbayan Box! Do you have items that you want or need to ship to the Philippines? The least expensive way to do it is via the Balikbayan Box. It is not the fastest way, but it is the cheapest, by far. What is a Balikbayan Box? I have mentioned “Balikbayan Boxes” many times on this site. The other day, I got a note from a reader asking me exactly what a Balikbayan Box is. I should have cleared this up much earlier! Most people who have a connection to the Philippines know that a Balikbayan Box is. It is a large ..read more

Internet in the Philippines How is the Internet in the Philippines? My Experience over 2 Decades in Country Internet in the Philippines. Over my years of living in the Philippines, one of the most discussed (mostly negative) topics among expats. It is also a largely negative discussion among Filipinos. Now, I am moving back to the States soon, so today, I have decided to go back through the archives of the site, look at my experience with internet in the Philippines, and put together an article that will take readers through a little bit of Internet history in the country, what the pre ..read more

Philippine Dual Citizenship Philippine Dual Citizenship The process we followed I intend this article to be a complete guide to Philippine Dual Citizenship. Everything from thinking about it to going through the process. This article is a compilation of our Philippine Dual Citizenship experiences and thoughts over the years. You have to read the entire article to get the full scoop. Feyma (and our kids) are dual citizens now, but in the beginning thought they would not go that direction. Feyma became a US Citizen When we lived in the States, my wife, Feyma, became a US Citizen. Most readers ..read more

My friends and family back in the USA have asked me several times to return to the USA due to my age and health care here. I worked in hospitals for 35 years on the West Coast of USA and was a patient in several hospitals over my 71 years to date. In the hospital as a patient in 6 of them in California and Maryland state with things ranging from broken bones to cancer surgeries. And I have been a patient in 2 here and been in several others for various reasons. Health Care here is different than what I would find in the US. No question on that, but make no mistakes it is only different, not w ..read more

Blahdity, blah blah, how much money do you need to live in the Philippines and how much reserve do you need in savings? I have seen this subject written about on the internet ad nauseum. And I cannot answer this question for you, because “I’m Not You!” You will need as much money as “You” need for a lifestyle that you can afford. I didn’t say want, I said to afford. Nothing more, nothing less and that amount will be different than my amount and every other foreigner you bump into as you wander up and down this archipelago. Each person will require a different amount to live here. There is no ..read more

Buying or Renting in the Philippines? Why I think it is better to rent Should you be renting in the Philippines? Sometime in the past, I published an article here about renting a place to live. Almost immediately after the article was published, a number of people questioned why I would be renting in the Philippines instead of buying a property.  Jim Cunningham put it in a non-confrontational way, simply wondering why I would choose to rent. Stupid Me Thomas Gil called me stupid for renting.  Hmm… it’s the first time in years that I have been accused of being stupid, but if that ..read more