How and why did you end up here in the Philippines

Hi all, I got myself thinking about the other thread (what we miss from home), so I decided to start this thread, “How and why did you end up here in the Philippines?”

I did not like my Country's system, from my early twenties on I had a lot of contact with Students of the Zürich Universities at my workplace, they were temporary employees and I was under a contract, their influence on me was in such a way that made me question the institutions of the Government.

1983 I worked in a large Shopping Centre in the suburbs of Zürich in the Grocery section,
I saw a lot of things that were not right at my diverse work places, I tried to organize the co-workers to change things, pressure management for better working conditions but they were unwilling to risk/jeopardize their jobs.
A guy that worked in the Sporting goods section told me about the Philippines, Boracay in particular, he was one of the first white guys that travelled to the southern Islands, I told him about Australia where I went in 1982, could not get a foot hold there, so I thought, try the Philippines.

I arrived in Manila 1984 and run right away into the arms of a middle aged “Hospitality Girl”, she got me by the dick and I wasted 18 months in Luzon.

I finally gave her up and moved to southern Mindoro where at that time it was like Wild West,
greatest Adventure of my Live, best memories of living as a TNT among rural Pinoys, living by the sea, fishing many a days, boating, swimming, snorkelling, living on a 20km2 Island with white
sand, Corals on all sides, the Pinoy was a different people then, the Philippines were different, not yet over crowded, barely any traffic on the roads, people had a hard time but they managed to get along and I lived right in the middle of it all. I had about 1500PhP a month that my mother send me cash in Pocket Books, no Money transfers to remote places then, this was enough to support a moderate live style on the level of my Fisherman's friend's income.
I left the Philippines in 1988 and worked for one year back home and then came back with a bit
of savings and a good knowledge of what's going on, I fulfilled some of my dreams that I had when I did not have the money, now I had a boat build and went to Manila to buy the engine, I had great company with a Swedish guy and everything was good.
I meet my future wife but she gave me the cold shoulder and I did not pursue the matter because I had then an Heart failure and only the fast reaction from my Australian friend (Vietnam Medic) saved my life.
I stayed for a couple of months longer in the Philippines but after a check-up at the Manila Doctors Hospital, I got diagnosed with Marfam Syndrom a connective tissue disorder and I decided to return home for further check-ups.

I had a hard time to face the truth that I would sooner or later have to have mayor Heart surgery, luckily, my friends wife, was good friends with my future wife and invited her three times to visit her and so I had the chance to see her again and after the third time we agreed to marry, we did so in 1993 and in the same year I had the surgery, it did not go well but I was not in a position to complain because we lived on Social welfare at that time.
In 1994 I was asked by a guy I knew from the Flea-market, if I would like to help him with his Janitor Business, I agreed and worked for him a year, after that I did some schooling and became self employed together with my wife, for four years we cleaned every-and anything that can be cleaned and saved every bit we could.
1999 we had everything settled, sold the Household and the Business and came back here, after looking at Cebu and Bohol, we finally ended up in Dumaguete which we both liked on our first visit.
Live here is good enough, I always had a hard time with the attitude of my native folk's back “home”, everybody gets inserted/integrated into the”System”, the middle class loves it and embraces it.
The majority of them are the ones that go voting and so dictate their tastes and likes to the low income classes, the social system is made to be exploited by impudent people and an old age pension system that, again, is benefiting the middle class.
The Rich are just like leeches that skim off the profits and exploit the working poor, sure nobody is really poor in this Country but there are a lot of people that after they retire loose all their savings by having to stay at a Nursery home that charges a fortune for their services, after they can not take care of themselves any more.
So for myself I decided that I will not wait till “I drop” but retire early and live a few more years without the need to work for my income, we got ourself' settled in well, have good integration into the neighbourhood, good house-helper and are taking care of my wife's nice and send her to school.
I keep busy with mechanical and computer work and do a lot of reading.

OK, now we will hopefully see a lot of stories like this one and I am looking forward to reading them...

Simple Mind

 

Fairly simple for me. I was a disabled veteran but young. My disability conpensation was crap where I was living and I had no decent lifestyle as just going to a movie or 2 a month or eating out could strain my budget. But I could live cheaply in the Philippines as many say like a king on the same pension in the states I felt like a pauper.

Plus ontop of that I was considered undesirable by good looking American women as my wallet wasn't fat enough, no car, not a good looking guy (by their standards) and so forth. But here I'm a golden catch or so the Filipina's think as I'm only 32, and Filipina's are hot, gorgeous, sexy, beautiful, cute, and so forth hehe. Then also Japan was going to be just to expensive as well hehe.

 

the first time I came to the PI was in 1979 to make a movie for CBS fell in love with the place. We were guest of the Marcos regime and even went to the palace. made another movie here in the eighties. then came here a couple times for vacations. finally in the late 90s made another movie here and decided this is where I was going to go when I retired. I retired a coupkle of weeks ago and will be moving there March 27th.

 

A good start Guys, "Ch MacQueen" and "filmguy" I am waiting for the guys who meet their wifes/girlfriends on the Internet and then came over here as blue-eyed as can be...

 

I met my ex on the internet. I already planned to come here and check it out so looked online to meet a gal to spend time with on my vacation. Enjoyed it and came back as I saw a much better life and a gal waiting for me but planned if didn't work out could easily get another which 2 1/2 years later and a horrible relationship I did hehe.

 

yep that was me also met the b*tch on the internet, so guy's dont take the one you find on the internet it's risk business.

 

I was living in thailand and they changed visa laws whereas I could only stay a comulitive 3 out of every 6 months. A retirement visa was available but only if you are 52 years old or older. I didn't qualify.

I had made many trips to the Philippines (visa runs from thailand) so philippines was a natural progression for me

 

Brian, although I did not meet my wife on the internet, there are plenty of successful stories here on past forum posts of successful relationships and I have met many guys here who did and are very happy.
Maybe the Philippines needs a "Lemon Law" or a "Mulligan" where you get one free pass or escape clause if the princess turns out be a #@*&.

 

I actually did meet my wife on the internet. I learned quick after I brought one from the PI to the states and she fled{thank god}. I kept looking but my requirements were they had to be in the states and already legal (green card) met my wife who was living in Texas and manager of a panda express resturant. We have been married 6 years and are very happy. She didn't marry me for my money because I don't have any and she didn't marry me for her U.S.citizenship because she already has that. Never could figure out why but living a bug life and enjoying it

 

OK, I waited a long time but now I am really wondering, are you guys all related to Clams or what else is the reason that you are so reluctant to open up a bit.
Hey why not, some of you, I am sure, are on Facebook or some other Social network, so why not here in your (now) Home Town, I did not reveal any of my hidden secrets, I just told how it came about that I ended up in Dumaguete.... You can do the same....