dumaguete a MECCA for Expats?

That is the confirmation I was looking for, which leads to the question by Robs

Don't say it is the beauty of the women because we all know that there are more beautiful women in Manila due to the population of 18,000,000 people (as quoted by some govt entities)

We all also know that the nightlife is lacking here

Shopping is sub-par with Cebu or Manila

Land prices are skyrocketing and housing aimed at foreigners is ridiculously priced for rental or purchase

It can't be the "gentle people" that don't have the inclination to even wait their turn in a cue for a pedicab or anything else for that matter.

Brownouts and internet leave a lot to be desired

So what is the draw?

I for one am here because the wife is from Siquijor originally and we like it better than Siquijor. We stay here because our daughter is enrolled in a good school and we want to enroll the boy there when he is old enough.

 

One man's passion is another man's poison. Those of us who are happy and satisfied here have the answer; those who haven't may have encountered a mismatch, but please enjoy your time here then move on and find your happiness.

 

That response had a little bit of the old "Don't let the door hit you in the @ss on the way out" tone. I suppose you are just defending your adopted hometown and ignoring the obvious flaws which individually can be overlooked but for some people may be deal killers. The happiest Place on Earth was trademarked by Walt Disney many years ago and it surely is not here for a guy that hits the ground and says to himself "So this is Dumaguete". Possibly you mistook my detractions as saying I hate the place. I was just trying to step into the shoes of a potential resident looking at locating here versus other destinations.

My examples were just my perception of why people would locate to a city. I stated the reasons I am here, but I should mention that the reasons that someone would be attracted to a place that Dumaguete sorely lacks in do not apply to me and my family:

I really don't care for a nightlife because we are not into that scene.

Obviously I have already found my mate and have two kids, so that would not be a draw.

We already own property and are waiting to build one day.

We have accepted that fact that people here are in fact rude and just deal with it. When someone starts pushing me, they have bit off a little more than they can chew when 240 pounds pushes back. I never demand or take advantage of preferential treatment and always give way to people that were before me even when the attended / clerk is falling all over themselves to server the foreigner (me) first.

Maybe SkyCable is the answer to the internet dilemma, but of course the brownouts can be addressed on a personal level by purchasing a generator, which I already have for those occasions.

I am here 24/7 for the last 3 years. I don't just fly in to visit and have an outsider's view like a 3 week wonder would have. I am curious though why Dumaguete has the highest PER CAPITA ratio of foreigners to natives as it seems like an anomaly to me.

 

Joe, my point was not directed at you, on the contrary, it was meant for those who don't like it and it doesn't fit. I know that is not you. In retrospect, I should not have even sent it because I now see how it could be misinterpreted

 

So we all agree there are more ex pats and visitors here now than some years back, someone should tell the government this and they might upgrade the immigration office here, more staff and streamlined like the Cebu office. Won't hold my breath, the feller in command of the place has a form grip on it and any perks! and we just sit and wait!

 

In Negros Oriental, Republic of the Philippines, foreigners, particularly Americans, are historically known for 2 things.
One is for building a Presbyterian University here with the altruistic intentions of educating the local populace.
And number two is for liberating the province from the Japanese whose reign here was quite brutal and very unpopular.
This is mainly the reason that we are treated better here than most any other places in the Philippines.
It's from having a good reputation in respects to our dealings with the people that live here. We've managed to avoid the unfavorable stereotypes.
A lot of expats here hope for and work towards keeping this good reputation and relationship with the local folks.
I'd most certainly like to see newcomers adapt this same attitude.

 

From my experiences, Peter is actually a pretty decent guy and has an open door policy if you wish to speak with him regarding immigration issues. The girls working there are very easy to get along with too. I know others have had run-ins with him and don't care for him, but I do not have and first or second hand information of those incidents. They are slowly bringing technology in their office it seems. I am sure it could be worse. I have never had to put long pants and shoes on to get in the office yet!

 

I concur with Joe, I was in there Wednesday and had a positive experience.

 

I find that theory compelling, but why do they remember Silliman (other that SU is still here) and World War 2 (most people that were alive in that era are dead and anyone under 65 was not alive to experience it), but can't remember the atrocities of The Philippine American War. I am an American and am ashamed of what my country did here on this land 100 years ago.

Unfortunately when I was in school, they did not have the war on the curriculum even to the extent of this great article on CNN.com

as an aside..Why is it that we as ex-pats research and educate ourselves about history and actually educate Filipinos in their own history? I had a great conversation with a Filipino the other day about the history of the Barong Tagalog, The bibyan language, and elements of The Philippine American War. He made a great observation in regards to the fact that almost everywhere the Spanish have "explored" is corrupt and in a shambles. I had to agree with him, just look at California!

 

The reason former Spanish colonies have such corrupt governments nowadays is that the Spanish didn't pay the local civil servants working for them very well. The locals were expected to use their government jobs as positions of authority to sell favors, demand kickbacks and bribes to supplement the meager wages paid by their Spanish bosses.

Even though the Spanish are long gone, their legacy of corruption in government lingers on.