⌛ Living Budget in $USD per Month

Quack, Quack Oops!

:o Well RCS, lets start with an apology, for some reason I thought it was a PM you sent, I see I was wrong. No to worry, it happens, especially to me. Most of us divorced men, can and will always read between the lines,
Your monthly Amount will not be a bar, to the upbringing of your son, I think I can guess, you need to do some justification here, to your EX! We have all, had to do that at some stage. I make no issue of this fact, it is a personal issue and I respect that.
In NO! way do I want this to look, derogatory to any one here but it has to be said, a 12 year old (foreign Child) will be far advanced in many things, the school System her is a total Farce, all that can happen, is that he will fall to the level of the day. IMHO. You said he was not coping with school there, maybe he will be better here, Kids have a habit of adjusting Quicker than us. Mine is doing well, now I do put that down to extra tuition, on Maths and Science, she has started Music lessons now, This is because we can to a degree, afford it. Another member said, there was not a lot of hope, For an 18year old, I disagree, I can only reiterate, what I said to this, we do have a way forward, if we are willing to pay. It is a sad fact of life, that money talks, it is up to us, as parents, to do the best we can, for our Children. There can be a Future for your son here, it may cost, You have to make the decision (well after the Justification) What is best. Maybe a 6 month stay will open eyes and doors for Him. Making friends, I don't think will be a problem, as I said, there are quite a few, with children the same age, Kids are kids, they will always find a way through the barrier.

It is an open Ended thread my friend. Positives & Negatives will always be there. For Me, GO for it.

Jack P.

 

I'm afraid I have to disagree with Jack on this. I had to get both my daughters (now 25 and 26) set up in the States. After finishing
school here there didn't seem to be any opportunity. I understand RCS's concern, even though my daughters visit once or twice a year I really miss them.
I am putting my wife's niece through college, a bright kid, but don't think she has much of a future here.

 

I agree with Kenny.
After you finish college you end up with a 300 pesos a day job unless you have connections.
A second possibility is investing millions in a business.
And as we have seen, very few succeed in business here.
Anyway there is a good opportunity for a good, well educated real estate agent in Dumaguete.

 

This is an excellent question for you to be asking RCS. It shows you have concerns and your boys best interest in mind. I understand that children adjust better than adults but you do have to consider what is best. My boy spent the summer in Dumaguete when he was six and while there had loads of fun. But whenever we talk about moving there he gets very sad and just about starts to cry at the thought of it. Why should that not be natural? He comes from a land with paved streets, comfortable cars, and flushing toilets. Dumaguete and the PI must have seemed so primative to him. And even though we have several nieces and cousins attending Sillimon University I saw that putting my children in a school in the PI would be a mistake. The cousins and nieces are in their element but for my children it would be step down and a struggle. I have been a witness to the PI education systems and it unfortunately it is nothing to brag about for most of its students. My boys godfather is a Sillimon graduate and he has lived in the US since graduating and has not looked back. He also chose to keep his kids in US schools, that should tell you something right there. I can suppose from observation that families in the PI that can send their children to the universities also get them out of the PI for work. A short look around anywhere in the PI will tell you why. That's my take on this subject.

I believe the best thing for your situation is to get your boy in the environment and see how he handles it. Keeping your current home is a smart thing to do if you are able to. There are plenty of old posts about schools, real estate, and healthcare. You need to give them some consideration because they are still relevant.

 

I guess all this about school and qualety of school is one thing (And important) but kids with consentration problems (ADHD) will strugle wherever they are if they dont get some ekstra help... I guess they dont have any ekstra help in Phil if they have this problems? Ore is there a awarness on kids with these problems? I dont think he will be looking at a top notch job anyway because i dont think school is his thing anyway....

WHen it comes to "standard of living", there is many ways to see things. Friends, family and happiness is way moore important then "things" in my opinion. Now i cant say i have been to many toilets without flushing in phil, but they exist :-)... But most of the time things are ok in Phil i think. For 10-15.000php you shuld be able to find a nice home? Maby not in vestern standard, but im shure with flush, shower, kitchen and bedroom... What moore do we need?

Who knows, maby im the one who wount enjoy it over time :-).

 

RCS,
My youngest son (now 35) had a learning disability and was a disciplinary problem. I sent him to 2 private schools in the States where no one ever diagnosed the problem. Finally due to finances and the fact that he didn't seem to be benefiting from it I sent him to a NY City public school. There they diagnosed his problem and put him in a class where he could cope. He never went to college and certainly wasn't a scholar but today he paints the big bridges in NY and makes a a ton of money doing it.
I guess I'm trying to say that the university route is not the only way to achieve success. I don't think you will find the kind of special attention your son might need in the schools here.
With your budget you should have no problems living here. Your son is the only consideration I would have. I'd give it a 6 month trial and see how it goes.

 

thanks for your reply on this topic. im thinking like you say here. my son just had to start going to a new school with new ppl. now there is many kids in class saying hurtfull things to him because he might act different due to alot of energy and consentration issues. The divorce and the fact his mom havent realy been there for him has been hard on him to these four ore five years. i just want him to be able to get away from all that sh*t and enjoy being a young man. I think a period in phil might be good for him. good schools ore not. It hopefully culd give him a confidence boost trying something compleatly diffrent. But i might be wrong to.

At least i know i need some changes. Especialy in wether :-). The heat is good for my muschel pain and for my bloodpreassure ;-). My wife wold enjoy it and i know my son liked it when even older girls enjoyed his company last visit. They dont see to many white kids his age there :-)