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I had an old friend several years ago that Silliman had given up on. He got an appointment with one of the cebu hospitals that had an arrangement to transport patients.

Silliman reluctlently discharged him and the local service mentioned above transported him to Santander to meetup with the cebu ambulance. The old friend is still an old friend fully recovered thanks to the cebu hospital that knew what to do. From my experience Silliman and Holy Child are good places to die if your sickness is out of the ordinary.

I'm frequently wrong....but seldom in doubt!

Shakey

 

i wrote a landmark guide, with my name, from a well known business, church, intersection, etc. and text it to the delivery team when they call or text me.
it helps to use odometer readings in 10ths (2/10km) from your landmarks.
also, if you can, use something like turn towards the mountain or sea rather turn left or right because you don't know what direction the courier is coming from.

lately, i've included a link to my location on google maps in a follow up text..

how to find your location link on google maps ?
- zoom in on your house, put your curser on it and right click
- click on ''what's here'' in the popup menu
- left click on the gps coordinates in the window that pops up in the bottom of your screen
- click on ''send to my phone'' or ''share'' in the left hand menu

i use MyPhoneExplorer in my computer to send the directions via my cell phone.
you can store your directions in the MPE notes and copy/paste them in the msg window.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fjsoft.myphoneexplorer.client&hl=en

fun stuff...

 

Only spend what you can afford to lose on a business. If your thinking its a way of making ends meet your odds are very low of success here. Whatever business is going to cost you for sometime before it *might* start turning a profit. If locals can copy it they will and do it cheaper especially as quality doesn't matter if its slightly cheaper for most. Don't start a business to cater to foreigners as your #1 customer because you'll be shooting yourself in your foot if not just chopping it off.

After that do some market research while also access what kind of business you want to start. Want to do a restaurant you need a good location and to offer something wanted but not already plentiful in availability but you also need to make sure you can aquire a solid supply chain of what you need. Prices need to be locally competitive and achievable at the locals wallet but you also need a decent cushion in price of cost to make vs sell price yet locals as they often underpay workers and skim on quality bigtime will screw you over every chance they get in competition.

Key though is YOU as a foreigner can't own a business and anyone who tells you otherwise you should ignore. You'll hear of exceptions and ways around things and most are bogus and that which isn't bogus could change at the drop of a hat. This means you need to have it in a Filipino's name (gf/wife) but can you really trust them not to screw you over especially if the relationship goes south? Further even IF you can manage foreign ownership you'll be under much heavier scrutiny which you won't really want on every detail.

Lastly I'll get into is workers. Its easy to find workers but hard as heck to find GOOD workers. Even GOOD workers will require you to watch over and micromanage them here as well so don't get the idea you'll start a business and get the ball rolling and then sit back while loads of cash arrive at your door. Soon as you take a step back from tight managing things will start going downhill.

 

The great debate about purebred and mutts. If you surf the internet the opinions are quite strong for both ends and quite passionate in many cases.

As dog lovers we have both mutts and purebred dogs. I have 2 whose mother is half Belgian Malinois and half Dalmatian (came from pups we had before) and father seems to be quite the mix and a smaller dog (still impressed that he got her knocked up). Those pups came from a good friend who got the mom from us years ago. Great dogs; the male (fixed) shows more looks and traits of the mother while the female seems to have the super short coat and coloration of the father and being quite a bit smaller.

We also have a smaller mutt that I was told the mother was a Japanese spitz mix...she looks like a slightly larger Chihuahua to me. Who knows for sure, but she is a little sweetheart.

The decision for a purebred dogs is for a number of reasons in my opinion; you really like that breed and/or you plan to breed them. If anyone has read my posts can probably figure out we are huge fans of the Belgian Malinois. They are a great family pet; protective, loyal and can be intimidating to folks that may be thinking of going where they should not be. The wife also wanted to breed them; we actually have a litter that she is working on sorting out the PCCI paperwork (everything goes to the PCCI office in Manila) before she lists them for their next families.

We also have a purebred PCCI papered Siberian Husky...the plan was to maybe later breed her to another papered Husky; but best laid plans....even after all assurances from the lovely wife that she would be kept away from our Belgian male when in heat she had 3 pups early this morning. The wife did not even suspect she was pregnant until she starting acting weird last night. A bit disappointed as that was not the plan, but it is what it is. That Belgian of ours has now fathered 3 litters...I'll have to advertise him later as a stud.

I've also purchased a Papillon puppy here in Korea to keep me company and eventually find his way to the Philippines. I'm working on getting his purebred paperwork; hoping like hell that it will be accepted by the PCCI because the wife's plan later will be to enter him into the various dog shows and they need to be registered with the PCCI. Beautiful breed and really fits the micro living here in Korea; his 2nd vet visit since I've had him he was up to 1.1 kilo.

The other debate is nature vs. nurture; I believe dogs are inherently good and want to serve their humans and raised correctly they can all be good dogs. Obviously, they have been bred over thousands of years so those traits need to be taken into account when you decide on bringing a dog into your home as well as the parents traits and how they've been socialized as pups from the beginning.

Sorry for the long post but I find this an interesting topic to discuss.

Shawn

 

I don't remember the TV show now, but is was about expats doing time in foreign prisons. Most of these "upstanding" citizens were transporting large amounts of drugs...WTF, if you are dumb enough to know or somehow clueless that you now have 10 kilo of extra baggage it is really on you.

I've rarely had a bag checked going into any country and have never had anything that would lead to me being detained.

I still live in a world where I get drug tested and maintain a clearance so the thought of being that stupid actually baffles me.

If I was "set-up" for drugs or the bullet thing that we all heard about I am not sure how I would react...I guess it would depend on how much it would cost vs. going after them legally.

It is pretty easy to be a decent person either travelling or staying overseas.

Shawn

 

I put a walk-in closet in our master bedroom and the first thing I had to do was remove the door...it got way too hot in there. I should have put in a louvred door and maybe an exhaust fan.

Shawn

 

Filet mignon at Cafe racer? I tried this once and it is "you get what you pay for" but far from good. For good steak I go to Flip-flops or Casablanca (which is a great option for other dishes as well).

 

Traffic was gridlock before this attempt at 1 way streets was implemented. Give it a chance, I have seem way worse in smaller cities here.
Pick your travel times (shopping etc) very early and if you have any sense of direction you will have done the mall, HyperMart gone to the bank and are at home having a beer before 11am. If you can't get your daily duties finished by then???? Maybe you need a exit visa and a 6 lane highway where you came from???