Best Posts in Forum: Expat Section

My social solutions are:
#1 To anyone who calls me 'sir' I immediately also respectfully call them 'sir'.
#2 I am on crutches after four back operations but I always initially stand at the back of every line, but are often escorted to the front of the line usually by a nearby guard or sometimes by those in the line. I do have considerable difficulty standing in line for more than a couple of minutes.
#3 If I am offered someone else's seat I humbly accept their generous offer. Young and old often offer me their seat.
#4 Unlike many Americans I never yell or complain in public. I'm in a different culture, and I accept their ways of doing things.
The result for me is zero stress in public places and friendly faces everywhere! That's just my way of doing things. I am 72.

 

I went in at 2pm Friday to the Robinsons branch to get an early renewal as I will be away on the actual renewal date. Medical and drug test done in 15 minutes. Went next door to LTO and within a couple of minutes had pic taken and OR in hand. Told to come back at 7am Monday for licence. Turned up today at 6.40am and place was already up and running with about 12 people sitting inside and one with the encoder. I handed the encoder my paperwork, including xerox of travel ticket and was told to take a seat. Two minutes later I was called to the encoder and ten minutes after arrival I walked out with a new 5-year licence. One of the few benefits of being a senior!!! Result!

 

Weekly update: Progress looks a lot less impressive as we get nearer to the finish line! However, the first two units have all their fixtures and fittings in situ now and the 2nd two will have their doors and windows fitted on Monday. The street-side end of the 2nd unit has been rendered and all outside painting will be done by the end of next week. The next challenge is getting our electricity cooperative to hook up the permanent connection - that is never fun and can be time-consuming.

 

I don't see anything "incorrect" about Philpots post, nor are you "incorrect" but perhaps you didn't hear his acceptance of the way things are here, while longing for the people of the Philippines to be a little safer. Stating the truth can never be arrogant. The low cost of things is definitely a blessing.

Would it really raise the price of things to have a light that works, perhaps even working and used turn signals, on the back of motorcycles and tricycles? I've honestly had my only "oh sh*t!" moments in the Philippines due to motorcycles appearing out of the dark like magic. I absolutely do not ever want to run into one. The helmet and sandals perhaps are a choice, as they really only mangle the driver and passengers, but the lights are absolutely necessary.

 

Thanks John, Dutchie is correct (he usually is on most things? Smart Basket that he is) in just about everything he has to say on this issue of mine, but at this time I must return home, that is 5 weeks I have been in my newly built house and for me there is much to admire about it, although it cost me more than I ever thought it would I think the end result is good and I am fairly pleased with it at the end of the day, it has turned out well considering I was never in the building trade and this has been a first for me. Overall I am fairly contented with the life I have here in the Philippines, my young son of 4yrs is a joy to be with although building the house has kept us apart much more than I wanted, I was on site 7 days a week from dawn till dusk, leaving this bundle of joy will be difficult for me we are together that much more now we have all moved into the new house, he has so much fun here and room to run around, unlike his older half brother he enjoys helping out and even asks for jobs to do.


My hoose in Scotland is also a place I have enjoyed living in since I moved there in 1999, 4 yrs ago I was back in UK for a time thinking to get this ready to put on the market, sell up realise my assets and return to the Philippines to build a big Hoose and live happily ever after, so with this in mind I renovated the kitchen painted it inside and and outside and had it all looking spick and span, then one sunny morning I woke up and smelled the flowers, I decided then I'm never going to let that house go, to this day I think this decision was right for me, I need to return home to Scotland (I do sometimes miss the place) the house there will need some maintenance. Although it may seem less expensive for me to live here rather than me living in Scotland and still having to support the family here, I think I will be no worse off financially, I know my way around the kitchen and actually enjoy cooking for myself, on the rare occasions I do eat out I just go to Wetherspoons and eat their special which includes a free Beer, anyway the house in UK is an investment that I need to keep and maintain as an asset to the family here when I am gone, that more than anything else is so very important to me, what good would a big house be here in PI to my family when I am gone without any further financial input from me?

Of course I will come back here to PI from time to time but likely it will only be for short term visits?

Cheers

Daved

 

When i was still working my wife and i did a lot of travelling due to the requirements of my job (she was in her late 30's early 40's)
On exiting the Philippines she was constantly hassled at immigration for one reason or another that the officer would never clarify to me when i questioned them about the supposed "problem"
After thinking why this was happening it came to me that it always happened when the officer was female and never any problem with a male, this led me to believe jealousy was the cause, not because my wife was with such a good looking guy as me but because she was escaping the place that they were trapped in.
Since then even though it meant standing in the longest queue at immigration we always picked a counter with a male officer.
Problem solved.

 

Hahahahaha yes that is the worst shithole I have ever lived in. Lot of crime. Drugs, murders, lots of stealing and liars like you wouldn't believe. and the people just throw their trash out no matter where they are. I lived there because my wifes family is there and she didn't want to go away from her mother. We came close to separating once because of it. I finally put my foot down and said "We either leave here now or consider me gone" I will never know what would have happened if she had wanted to stay. Now we are very happy and both love it here in Dumaguete.