⌛ First time here.....first post

To derivative_guru... I have already called and talked to the Cebu consulate as part of my homework here. I know the hours and what I need to bring. Thank you for telling me that. As far as the lady is concerned. Please believe me when I say that she is my dream girl and I am in love with her.......but, I don't think I am too stupid, so I do have a short lists of "back-ups" in case and all in the same city. They are only a touch of my keyboard away. So I think I am reasonable prepaired for whatever happens, but, I do have a lot of faith in this lady and my gut feelings about her and I really believe that we will be together forever.
As for my job in Houston, I am the Sr. Project Manager for a corporation that builds explosion-proof HVAC units and pressurizer units for chemical installations and off-shore rigs all over the world. I design the wiring and the pressurizer control panels and also make sure all of the jobs go out as planned and on time. The bad part is when one stops working I am the guy that goes and repairs them. 3 months ago I had one stop on the Scorpion Offshore Freedom sitting in the middle of the Persian Gulf. 3days to get there.....3 hours to repair it....3 days back to Houston, Texas. The 31st of Decenber is my last day here. It really is a "do-nothing" job.

To rarity54f...... I am going to Cagayan De Oro and I am told that it is a nice peaceful place. I hope that I have been told right.
I am a biker with nerves of steel and a lot of hard-core experience in life and you are absolutely right......I am scared.....a lot. Driving 3 hours across the Saudi desert at night by myself was nothing compaired to this. That was nothing....this scares me.

 

But I guess it even more thrills you from excitement

 

To be honest.....being unemployed is uncertain. You know, all of a sudden a lack of high dolllar income. And then moving and getting rid of everything here. Just a big thing to happen all at once. At least driving across the Saudi desert, I knew what I was headed for.....here I don't.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.....as they say.
In my job I use to joke "it's not just a job, it's an adventure"

 

Every journey begins with the first step.

Thats nothing, try losing your income when you have two children and a wife to support, that is frustration. Driving in the desert in a current model vehicle to a known destination is not much of a challange. Arriving in a jungle as hot as any desert, unmarked roads, make shift-vehicles, standing out because you are white and tall, that is going to be an adventure. Enjoy it as best you can.

 

Well Pedro, I am very white, but not real tall at 5'8".....but I will try to blend in with clothes etc. And keep a low profile.
In time, I will adapt (I hope)
of course I realize that many more have done more than me, with less than me. All I can do is my best and hope for good results.

 

Never say die

ronv8917 just never give up just keep on keep on sooner or later you will get a handle on the place. When you first come to the Philippines you will love it everything is new to you, then you will have stage two you start to hate the place and how things are done for a while then stage three you become comfortable here. Then without knowing it becomes home. And there is no place like home.. :D

 

The next few days that you will be spending with your GF will certainly detemine your future together. When I first traveled to the PI ten years ago to marry my wife I was completly dependent on her to get us where we needed to be within my schedule and budget. Several trips to Cebu were required and some small mistakes were made along the way but this was when I learned how resourceful, honest and loving my future wife was. Tens years and two children later I can only say how lucky I am to have found her. All of the hoops we jumped through to get married have been well worth the effort. I have no regrets but one, and that is that currently we are not able to make the PI our permanent home.

For you the journey is just starting and you have way more information than I did but it is still going to be an adventure, trust me.

 

I would be less than honest if I said I was not scared.....concerned.....worried....or whatever anyone wants to call it.
The one thing that keeps me going is her tattoo.
I know that is not much to go on, but she is very conserative, never even thought about ever having a tattoo, but as soon as she saw the one I got, she went out and got the exact same one. I know.....not much to go on.....but, I'm taking that plus my gut feelings and going with it.

 

And, incidently, I've been married twice and had a 10 year live in gf, so I am very use to making "mistakes".....but I just don't think this one is a mistake. It just "feels" different.

 

We wish you nothing but safe travels and life-long happiness!!!