⌛ Advise on living here please

Greetings!

My husband and I are seriously considering taking a break from a hectic NYC-area life. We want to take our 2 babies (2yrs and 10 mos) to Dumaguete/Tanjay and let them run, swim and climb trees. Just for one year.

Fortunately, we don't have to worry about rent since there's a house available for us. We don't really have to worry about food because we have access to goods from my parents' farm.

BTW, I'm Filipina/American (grew up in US) and my husband is American white from Long Island. I'm a teacher and he's in social work. We can take leaves of absences and/or find other jobs somehow.

So here are some questions that come to mind?

1. How much money per month does it take to live here?
2. Will my hubby be bored out of his mind? (he loves to read, play sports and play music). Is there a sports bar around?
3. How big is the expat community?
4. Where do you hang all hang out so my hubby and I can converse with other folks who are more comfortable with English (my Tagalog is limited and my Cebuano is pathetic).
4. How are the schools here?
5. What are the hardest things to adjust to when you first move here?

Anyway, any thoughts and advice would be appreciated.

 

No worries really, just live like the filipinos did and its gonna be fine for all. About the questions there are lots of discussion we can find it here and its good to know the experience of others.

 

Living expenses: There isn't much else to pay for after your food and housing are paid for. Visa's might get spendy though.

Schools: Your kids are a ways off to worry about this one. Just check this one out when you get here. It will give you something to do.

Everything else: Does it really matter? If you are looking for a break then just go. Everyone will get an interesting experience however they find life here.

 

Richard08 summed it up well with "just live like the filipinos did and its gonna be fine for all."

It is great to just leave everything and get away from it all and especially to visit family. But least you think life is forever rosy, after one of my visits of a few months I had to collect unemployment on my return because my contract was not renewed. I hope you have a better setup than I did. Also I would have reservations about bringing children so young unless you are sure you will have plenty of watchers available. You mention swimming but remember there is no Red Cross lifeguards at these beaches and sea urchins everywhere.

My children where three and five when they first visited lola and lolo and I have to admit they enjoyed themselves everyday they where there.

You may not have to worry about rent but you will be contributing what you have to bring those around you to your standards. Things appear cheap but if you do not set spending limits it can get out of control.

With that background information here are my responses to your questions:

1. All of it.
2. Probably, but maybe he can take up diving or do something creative for your parents.
3. A few thousand at least but I would guess the majority is over 60.
4a. Boulevard, McDs, Robinsons, etc.
4b. You dont want my opinion on this, but do a search on education for lots of previous discusions on this very devisive subject.
5. The heat, noise, smells (remember your enfant).

I hope you get more input then just mine. If you can really afford to take a year off it probably won't be that bad. It will certainly be dear in your memories.

 

Tanjay is about 1 hour driving from Dumaguete as long roadconstructions between this 2 places are going on (for the next 10 years or so)
Children love it very much in the Philippines because they get a lot of attention from everybody who comes within 50 m from them and get even more attention by visiting them around mealtime.
Live for people used to a foreign standard is not cheap in the Philippines but so does live in NYC from where you come.
It is advised to be very strict on some items for instance when somebody is asking for a loan for whatever possible purpose, even when you will loose many "friends" because of that.
It is common that small children are looked after permanently by a trusted person and not only to let them play with other children unatended.
Live can be a paradise in the Philippines as long you don't need "help" from somebody with an official position because than you will understand why the Philippines is considered a corrupt country

 

It's nice to hear of other New Yorkers thinking of heading this way. My daughter brought my grandson on a visit from the States a couple years ago when he was 2 years old. He had a ball. He never had so many playmates. One caution the boy even though he is 3/4ths Filipino had a hard time adjusting to the heat. Fans or aircon are pretty much a necessity.
If you have maintained your Filipino citizenship you should be able to get a one year visa for your husband on entry. Bring your marriage license. I assume this goes for your kids as well but I am not sure. If you registered their births with the Philippine Embassy and they have PI passports this is of course a non issue. All this last is because visas can be a financial burden otherwise.
If your husband likes to read get him an international kindle or the like. The selection of books available can be limited. New books are expensive and the selection of used books can be limited. Sometimes there are tons available and at other times nothing. There is a sports bar and a bunch of bars around that seem to appeal to different crowds, even a biker bar. It ain't NY but it should keep you entertained for a year.
With food and housing covered you should be able to live here very economically. I am sure you will enjoy your stay.

 

Thanks for all your replies. Fortunately, I have dual citizenship so that helps. We're actually here in Tanjay and will leave in a couple of weeks. (Wuite familiar with the heat, noise, smells and power outages!) How I dread going back to the grind of work, commute, daycare, house work, high living expense, etc., etc., I suppose I've been looking at Tanjay/Dumaguete through rose-colored glasses.

Having said that what would you say are the advantages and disadvantages of living here? Please keep in mind that my husband and I prefer to live simply.

Thanks!

 

For the record, even former Filipinos can avail of the balikbayan privilege, and yes, it covers children also.

Larry

 

Larry,
A friend just returned from Hong Kong with his Filipina wife. They gave him a one year visa but it wasn't noted as a Balik Bayan visa as in the past when they made the same trip. Has there been some change?

 

Nope. The only one year option is the balikbayan. I have noticed on mine that sometimes it is written "balikbayan", other times it has "BB", and once there is no notation at all, just the expiration date one year off.

Larry