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I guess that I am different from most expats. I love nature and the quiet life. Two years ago I applied for the Visa for my wife to join me in the USA. Her Visa was approved in 2014. However, while we were waiting to get it approved, we discussed the future and where would be the happiest. The more that we talked about where we wanted to live, the more I could see that she would be the happiest staying in the Philippines. Closer to her family.
One day I asked her if she would like staying in the Philippines, and making it our home. She replied "Hun, I will be happy anywhere you want to live, as long as I am with you!" But, as she answered me, I could see a smile come upon her face. A smile that spoke volumes, without saying a word.
I started searching information about the different Islands, and what they had to offer. I read an article in International Living magazine that rated Dumaguete very high as the best place to retire. So, I concentrated my search around Dumaguete.
I found an ad for a house for sale, placed by an American man and his wife that were moving to the USA. The house sat in 4,400 sq meters of land, and was only 1 year old, overlooking the ocean and Cebu Island. AND, the price was something that I could afford.
I showed the ad to my wife, and asked her if she liked it. I told her that we could buy something like this, and live there for 1 or 2 years while we traveled in search for the perfect location to live permanently.
She thought that it was a good idea.
I contacted the owner, and made arrangements for me to fly from the USA to see, and possibly buy the house. I flew to Manila, and met my wife there. We came to Dumaguete, and hired a small van to take us to Bindoy ( about 1.5 hours North of Dumaguete).
We bought the house! Then I went back to the USA and spent the next 4 months selling my house there, and all other items that I owned.
We have now been living here for more that 1 year. Bought a jeep type 4WD, bought an ATV, Planted a vegetable garden, Papaya trees, Passion Fruit plant, Orange trees, lemon trees, 50 Dwarf coconut trees, Many Cavendish Banana trees ( the kind you buy from the supermarket in the USA), and my wife's beautiful flowers. I have also built a nice Gazabo, where we can eat our breakfast, as we look out to the ocean (we have a beautiful view).
Yesterday I asked her where she wanted to live, should something to me. She said "This is my home, and I want to always live here."
It is very peaceful here. The neighbors are great, and we already know most of the people in town, even though we live in the Province. We come to Dumaguete every 2 weeks, just to fight the traffic. haha
We love it here!

 

Very true for some who cannot see a way out. I spent decades in an unhappy relationship, my saving grace was her leaving me again giving me opportunity to start making life choices for myself. I do not regret a thing and am thankful that all in my past led me to a much happier place I find myself in today. Even though I suffered from very bad depression myself, I reached out to others, over time and very annoyingly, I found many in the same position as myself did not want to help themselves and many liked the attention they received. That in part was the driving force behind me picking up and moving half way around the world. Best thing I ever did, for me... Watching those people sink made me aware that if I did not do something positive I would end up just like them...

Alcohol I found made my depression worse, alcohol is the LAST thing anyone needs to add to their list of problems, so I swore it off and will now only have a few glasses at most. IF you are depressed, then please, do not drink as it solves nothing! You will only wake up feeling twice as bad as you did prior to opening that bottle.

Anyone here who is in a bad place in their lives, do not be afraid to reach out and simply talk to someone else. There may not be an immediate fix to your problem, but given time and one step at a time, you can climb out of that tunnel of darkness which seems to have no light at the end of the tunnel. I for one am here to simply listen to anyone with a problem. I will not betray you, nor will I mock you if you truly wish to have an ear to listen to your problem. For most, the answer lays in self-help. You CAN do it!

Talk to someone, who knows where it may take you. I know this for a fact with several friends telling me how simply talking turned their lives around until they found that happy place in their lives. Remember;
"Suicide is a Permanent Solution to a Temporary Problem"

 

Hello All...much thanks to everyone, especially the folks that came down for blood screening and those that donated. I was released from the hospital last night, feeling much better and with a bunch of meds to take.

There are still more follow up tests I need to get done, but will take care of that once I get to Korea and am around US military hospitals. I will hopefully be flying out of here in the next week, still need to work out those details with the new company.

Thanks again,

Shawn

 

The good folks At Cat's & Dogs. Dr Michele and crew were great! My Doberman (Sheba) delivered 4 pups naturally and I knew there were more inside. To make a long story short, after trying to induce labor it was clear to save Sheba's life she needed a ceasarion and spayed. The surgury went off without a hitch and 3 out of the 4 pups inside survived and are doing well. Dr. Michele and staff were fantastic! They had Sheba in an air con private room and stayed up all night with Mom and pups. Only have to remove the stitches now.
I have had bad experenses with Vet's but NOT this time...

 

Killing a snake in defense is acceptable. However, going out of your way to kill a snake while it is trying to escape seems mean and an over reaction. I am a lover of all animals and find snakes beautiful and fascinating. That doesn't mean I would be comfortable finding one in my cottage.

Actually, I am the guardian of 13 cats and 3 dogs which I all adopted after they were thrown out on the roadside or the beach. With 13 cats we have not sighted one mouse or rat, and the only snakes I have seen are the ones the cats drag up from the beach. They are the unfortunate sea snakes that come to shore to mate and lay eggs. They are very slow and vulnerable on land. They are also one of the most venomous snakes in the world. However, they have such a mild manner, very few people have been recorded to have been bitten, even fisherman who remove them from their nets by hand. If anyone is going to get bitten, it would be the fishermen, but that rarely happens.

I have a space under my entry door that is easily entered by snakes and other little creatures such as centipedes. I do now have rugs stuffed under the door to prevent entry at night. One morning before I started to block the entry, I woke up to a sea snake with it head and part of its body in my cottage. It was dead. When I opened the door, the other part of the snake had been mostly eaten by my cats.

On another occasion a fully mobile sea snake was being harassed by some of my cats. One of the cats had carried it up from the beach. Sea snakes are slow and have no coil or striking ability on land. They are almost totally helpless out of the water. I shooed my cats away and carried the snake down to the beach and threw it in the water. I feel sorry for the sea snakes, but I cannot deny that I am grateful that all of the terrestrial snakes stay away.