dumaguete a MECCA for Expats?

FINAL DECISION and NO RETURN!

We have travelled to and lived off and on in Philippines the last 12 years. My Filipina wife own 2 homes here and we were close to buy another one in Valencia....but but but. One day my wife said, " Honey, I like to see you happy for the rest of our lives, and I can feel that you are not happy here in Dumaguete and you do not like all the dirt, air pollution and the disorganized city and all that goes with it. Honey let's move back home to Californa, our Ranch is still there, the horses are there and our golf buddies are there waiting." She took me by surprise and she ment every word of it. My wife is a grown up woman, a real princess and a very good ER nurse in California. We opened a bottle of wine, discussed our plans and made a final decision, and we started singing and dancing "California here I come" and "It never rains in Southern California". the fastest decision we have ever made. My wife read me correctly and it is time to start packing. A very happy moment in my life! I have tried for many years to adjust to the Philippines. have had many problems accepting the life style here, and the weather, HUMIDITY is awful here. No more homesickness!

A BUD for you or two and Life goes on!

Ron.

 

Pato, thanks for your honest post. I love sunny climates and nice beaches.That's why I mentioned San Diego.
I have lived in England for 56 years thou it has nice beaches and quaint villages,
the weather sucks. Ron mentioned in another post about SD. lovely weather.
Also Phils is much cheaper to live.
I'M going to Egypt for my vacation this time, maybe try San Diego next.

 

Great to hear!

That is what I call making a rational and sound decision. Good luck you two!

 

Visa and AMEX don't leave home without it!

I would rate SD a beautiful, evenly "lovely" city but bring your cash. I had the worst $40 dinner of my life there at a marina restaurant. Salmon stewed in its own juices, yuuck! It would have been better if they just threw it on the grill. At least a desert was included. Maybe worth the visit but do your eating at home.

 

LOL...salmon...I can only take it grilled too..I just toss it on the barbie (our home-grown Tassie variety) - about a minute on each side...But must say I do like San Diego....haven't been there for many years but thought it was a great town. First time was MCRD as a recruit...second time was MCRD as an instructor....bit better then LOL...Third time working on North Island briefly years later civil service. Now I live in Perth and the closest comparison to life in the US would be San Diego....we like them both.

And agree with Ron, why put up with the incessant aggravation if you don't need to....my enthusiasm for moving there has waned over the last few years as I watch the place slide down the gurglar....and my wife has far less interest in going back there than I do LOL....Might put up a small vacation home in Bacolod....or maybe not...Plenty of other interesting, and better, places in the world to spend quality time....I can think of about fifty easily...

 

another dialect dfference

Ah; thanks.

 

In my opinion, what you like or want to do with your time, should be the major influence on where you want to live (if $$ is no object). For the most part, one can vegetate, stay inside and watch T.V., or spend time on the computer almost anywhere in the world. What do you want to do????

 

Definitely to each his own.
I grew up in the Philippines (Bacolod City) and moved to Southern California when I was 22.
I loved it...and hated it at the same time.

PROS: weather, good salary, multicultural, nonstop entertainment

CONS: expensive, horrible traffic, SoCal is not cold by Western standards but everywhere in the US is cold for someone like who me grew up in the P.I. and HATES the cold
I also got my car broken into in LA and so did my brother. Funny how we never got broken into while we lived in Bacolod for almost 2 decades.

I left California and I don't miss it. I am currently in Thailand where I have stayed for over a year. It is great but the Thais' attitudes to foreigners are getting worse and worse...it's not called Land of Scams for nothing.
(side note: check out Laos or Cambodia instead of Thailand. Better bang for ur buck than Thailand and you get treated better as a "falang" /foreigner)

I miss the Philippines and after being away for 7 years I can't wait to go back. I'm thinking of Dumaguete and research lead me to this forum.
Sure, the Philippines still has its problems of old. But I now fully comprehend the saying "the grass is greener on the other side" and how this is a state of mind coz guess what, it's not greener.
It all depends on what you're looking for and what you can and cannot tolerate.

That being said, I wish you all the best in your return to California.
There's no place like home is a cliche I buy now more than the greener grass on the other side.

 

Soon to be an official expat

Carl here , yes married to a fillipina . almost 3 children . From Lake Havasu City Arizona . I enjoy reading most of the threads here sometimes putting my 2 cents worth in , but not usually , maybe because im not living there yet . I guess I didnt know the foriegners living in Duma was that high . Ill have to keep an eye open the next time we come over . Wow May we will be there , just for vacation . I cant wait . I miss my home there . Take care all ...

 

Couldn't help myself

Ron I wish you the best over there in Sunny California . I have lived in Arizona for the past 25 years . I gotta tell ya , I loved it when I first moved here but now I can't stand it . Way to many Mexicans have invaded , Illegally of course , and it truly has ruined this state . I know Califormia is about 10 times worse . You must have some money because , im a ER nurse as well , making well into 6 figures and there is no way on this planet I could afford to even drive a car in California let alone have a home , raise kids ,school etc... Arizona is much the same . You all have been talking about Dumaguete (or living in the Philippines ) , I dont know what the answer is . I guess home really is where your heart is . I left home in Iowa 30 years ago and still miss it dearly . But I cant go back there . Taxes are way to high . Its way to cold . Pay for nurses suck big time . Oh well life goes on and Dumaguete here I come . Simple as this , I can't afford to live in the USA anymore (even as a nurse) yep , you better believe it . Dumaguete is going to be very affordable for my family of 5 . School is going to be very affordable for my children , and most of all my wife who will be getting her USA citizenship in 2 weeks can't wait to get back to the Philippines . So move over , here we come . Good luck to everyone no matter where you end up here on this planet cuz it simply isn't easy anymore .