Must have been a reason I chose the handle 'Grumps'.. had to wait 3 days to get accepted. But I'm here now and can add some info to a thread I noticed the other day. Background: English Aussie, retired and living in Mindanao for the past three years. Enjoyed a visit to Duma last year after Typhoon Yolanda did her sassy bit to devastate other parts. I'm thinking of moving to Duma when I get affairs sorted.. time will tell. Meanwhile.. I will see if I can add some intelligent comments from time-to-time and become a useful member of the site. Thanks.. Bernie
Hi Bernie..where you residing now? ..like CDO..or Davao?...the few expats I know that reside near those places for the most part are pretty content..once they live there long enough to *know the ropes*.. I made the move from Bacolod to here and thus far dont have too many regrets..*LOL*.. sometimes it appears I *might* be too close to my family who live right up the hill but they have been respectfull of my privacy for the most part and not too needy..Maybe my fears were unfounded after hearing so many horror stores online.. After all... usually only the bad news gets shared..not the good news so all the guys that live peacfully with their pinoy family we just dont get to hear much about.. diba? Ed *trying for short posts*..lol
Greetings Ed.. I'm living in Butuan. One of the reasons I'm impressed with Duma is the level of education seems higher with more English speakers and better shopping. Butuan has a 70% poverty rating, English is adequate to poor in the community and the city is sadly neglected and 'dumbed down' to put it kindly. The people are friendly though, but this doesn't help much with the frustration of just attempting to get things done around the place. Just saying.. lol This may be why a number of foreigners flee the place and the women who make life so difficult for them. I can't say that I have come across any deliriously happy unions yet.. I hope there are some.... Read your 'not so short posts'.. :D
I know nadda about where you are. Roxas City in Capiz..not much english there. and the dialect different than my wife. Shopping was a 4 hour ..give or take one way ride to Ilo Ilo.. we looked to IloIlo..we found nothng. we looked to Bacolod and moved.. 3 malls now 4 and sidewalks !!..and a few streetlights..oh boy uptown we go!!.. Sadly my expience was with a nice residence and a decent landlady.. alas I had 4 going to 5 months without water. THEN the brownouts came more rapidly and longer.. I was beside myself..cant bathe..cant wash my dishes cant flush my toilets after I pee..Done and Done..the next place was here.. same island..so far so good..My wife was a teacher here and her family are teachers..the women..they all speak english..taught the kids..the kids can get jobs in the call centers because of it.. Alas outside of my father in law and his two boys..none of the men speak any english.. or so little ashamed to speak to me.. I try to encourage them as they never will learn if they dont try..Ive never made fun.. I aint built that way.. Ask any questions you might have .. most probably better answered by those that lived here longest..pointing to Larry over there with 10 plus years ..me only 6 months as it were.. Ed trying for short.. give me a while..lol
