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Living Abroad Vs Living In The Philippines?


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Just curious to know how many members of this board are non-resident Filipinos. Meaning you live primarily in another country (whether as a Permanent Resident or Naturalized Citizen).

 

If so:

 

1) How often do you come "home" to the PI.

 

2) Typically for what reason.

 

3) Typically for how long.

 

 

I've been here in Singapore for almost 3 years and a permanent resident.

1.0 I visit Philippines almost 6-8 times a year.

2.0 Mostly its due to my work. I always plan to have a vacation in the Philippines at least once a year.

3.0 I usually stay 1 week/visit when its work-related. Kung vacation naman, its 2-3 weeks.

 

I agree on the previous suggestion that you might consider changing the title to get more responses from the members.

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1) How often do you come "home" to the PI?

I've been a permanent resident in the US since 1998 and I've only returned to the Philippines three times (June 2001, December 2003, May 2005). My next visit maybe on December 2006, January 2007 or March 2007.

 

2) Typically for what reason.

I go back for the following reasons:

 

- I want to have the life I used to have.

- I get to have a social and night life again.

- I visit my former students and former co-teachers.

- I organize EBs to meet my cyberfriends from different message boards.

- I want to check on my ex-boyfriends. Ahihihi. :D

 

 

3) Typically for how long.

I wish could stay for a month but my boss won't allow me because she would go crazy and drive everyone up the wall. So, I could only enjoy a two-week vacation in our Mother Land.

 

The followup inquiry: Well, I'm not sure what to expect after being away for so long... any pointers?
:unsure:

 

1) Dress down if you're just going to the mall, buying groceries or exchanging currency. Bad elements are on the look-out for balikbayans and could sniff you a mile away. For guys, don't place your wallets behind your back pockets. For girls, a shoulder bag is okay only if you place the bag in front of you with the straps slanted. Placing a shoulder bag on your side is an easy target for running pickpockets. For everyone, don't ever think of carrying a backpack especially if you're riding a public vehicle.

 

2) Exchange currency in increments of $300 a day if you can. Don't exchange $5000 (if that's your pocket money for a month) all at once. That's the stupidest and most dangerous thing for you to do. And if you do exchange currency, be aware of your surroundings. Look for people who walk behind you as soon as you leave the counter. Turn around and pretend that you forgot something.

 

3) Avoid smiling at guards at the airport. They will ask you for "balato" or "pasalubong" and will make comments to make you feel guilty that you are a dollar earner and they're not.

 

4) If you stay at hotels, tip the doormen, bellboys, room-service people and housekeepers for excellent service. They'll always remember you when you go back. Besides, tipping them is one way of sharing your "wealth."

 

5) If you're returning home to the Philippines for a vacation, go during the months of December, January and February. Weather is better and humidity won't be that bad. Unless you're a beach freak, I wouldn't recommend March, April and May for the extremely hot weather. Neither June, July, August and September are good months because of the typhoons.

 

That's all I could think of right now. I hope my tips help anyone who's going back for a visit.

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hi new2dabeat,

 

I hope you don' get paranoid about your safety and security based on the previous post. It's really not that bad in the PI except for maybe way down south in Mindanao. Manila is just like any other big city like New York or Chicago. Just use your common sense when you are out and about. Just to give you some perspective, my wife is Amerikana and she took a taxi a couple of times to go shopping at Greenhills. Except for few stares, she didn't run into any problems.

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Hi, dodo. I can't help but think that you thought I was scaring new2dabeat. I just wanted to give him some scenarios so that he can be really careful. As the cliche goes, it's better to be safe than sorry. :D

 

And in spite of what's bad in our country, I can't help but go there for a vacation instead of going to other countries. Cheers. :)

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Hi, dodo.  I can't help but think that you thought I was scaring new2dabeat.  I just wanted to give him some scenarios so that he can be really careful.  As the cliche goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.  :D

 

And in spite of what's bad in our country, I can't help but go there for a vacation instead of going to other countries.  Cheers.  :)

 

Hi muffy,

 

I know you meant well. I just added my comments since there lots of travel warnings posted about the Philippines lately. Most of them are way overblown. If you read the US State Department's warning, you might think you are headed to a war zone like Iraq. We both know that new2dabeat will probably have the best time of his life when he gets there specially since he hasn't been back in over 10 years. Baka may oxo, sige sige at bng gangs pa nung last visit nya.

 

take care

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  • 3 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Like some of the other post, I too ended up in the US when I was young. Then after college moved back to the Philippines and worked there for 3 1/2 years.

 

Now I'm working back in the US and saving money for retirement in the Philippines.

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In a situation where one has kids who were born and raised in the States, it may be very difficult to return to the Philippines even if one really wanted to. It's no longer about just one's self now. Other people (one's children) will be impacted by such a decision. Kailangang pag-isipan mabuti.

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I did exactly what you want to do 10 years ago.  After graduating from UCLA, I went to the Philippines on vacation and stayed for almost a year to scratch the itch.  I worked for a local company, had a great time but in the end, I decided, my riches will be made in the US.  10 years later, I'm 5 years away from early retirement and then I'm ready to go back to the Philippines for good.

 

Good luck!!

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havnt been in the PHILIPPINES since ive been here...

 

I havent tasted sanmiguel strong ice?( is that the right thing)

 

I want to go back to the street ( paranaque )

 

I wanna meet old friends and other stuff..

 

and to the girls who dumped me.. hahahahaha

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I go home every year or so depending on my workload. I go straight to Cagayan Valley (Tuguegarao) where my stepmother, three half sister and my beautiful niece resides. I usually go home to relax and enjoy the ambiance of "provincial living" where everything isn't a rat race.

 

I tend to stay away from Manila (or the National Capital Region) even though I have two bases of operation, one in Marikina and one in Ft. Bonifacio. Out of the usual 45 days I spend in the Philippines, I usually see Manila just three times; when I arrive (I spend a night or so), when I take my sisters on a shopping spree (three days or so), and when I fly home.

 

No offense, but I don't think Manila could show me anything I haven't seen before. I lived there for 13 years and could basically find my way using the public transportation.

 

I do love to catch-up on Filipino movies, but usually, gets easily frustrated at the direction the industry is headed. I am a film student and wishes to someday bring back to the Philippines what I learn over here (US).

 

I love staying with my stepmother since I am not pressured to "act" like a balikbayan, as if to prove I am doing better compared to everyone of my "true" relatives. In Tuguegarao, I don't have to act like I make millions of dollars abroad, instead give my sisters and niece treats, any which way I can.

 

As long as my sisters idolize me, I could careless what the rest of the family thinks.

 

Someday, I'll retire in the Philippines with a small house facing Mt. Arayat (don't ask!), raising pigs and chickens. Hopefully with at least two Hollywood blockbusters under my belt! :D

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i've only been here in the states for the past year....i arrived july'05...landed in san francisco...lived in numerous places until now ,having spent the last 5mos here in santa monica. i plan to move to orange county in a month or two because of a job offer.

 

sa pilipinas ganito din ang lifestyle ko...my mom predicted that i wouldn't stay in the same place for too long,makati ang pwet i guess.sa pinas palipat-lipat ako ng apartment because of the declining economic status of the common pinoy who hasnt finished college and has to live by his ablilities and wits.so when the opportunity came for me to come here...wala nang atrasan.

 

a friend of mine who lives in pasadena commented that the average american moves 20 times in his/her lifetime..i guess im on the right track huh?

 

how did i get here? well im a musican by trade...sa pinas naging gitarista ako ng iba't ibang banda...and although andaming ups and downs ang buhay ng musikero sa atin i have no regrets...except sana i did it all better.

 

ive been with Blue Rats, SKiN, First Circle, Sunburn and introvoys (w/c i was able to get an entertainment visa to get here)...i quit that band kasi since nasa tate na ako, sana matugtog ko na ang gusto ko na music..shouldnt this be in the music thread?:)

 

miss ko na ang pinas kahit isang taon palang ako nandito...im still confused on wether i should go home now and try my hand at entertainment again...or just stay here, and grow my wings again..playing with the local musicians in santa monica.

 

anyone here from the santa monica beach area?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Just curious if there are people living outside the Phils who would ever consider moving permanently back and make it their home again after experiencing life in another country.

 

I would only go back home permanently if my significant other chose to stay there. If not, I'm happy living in the US and "enjoying" the things I couldn't "enjoy" when I was still there: less pollution, less traffic, less graft and corruption. A two-week vacation there at least once a year or once every two years would be okay.

 

If the Philippines had better politicians to manage the country, better economy to bring us out of the economic rut that we have been for years and better education for children, I would consider living there again. I've been here since 1998 but I still have a standing offer to go back to my old job even up to now.

 

The things I miss the most are the following though:

 

- religious retreats

- religious rallies

- night out with friends

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I would like to go back and live there but my hubby is stationed here in the states.

I want to instill the Pinoy values in my kids. Growing up here in the states, I've always

had this longing to go back home and live there. Unfortunately, my Pinoy hubby

discourages me and tells me I won't make it there daw. My friends and I always fantasize

living there while our hubbys sends us sustento at mag buhay donya. We see living in PI as

a luxury basta ba me sustento.

 

My family and I left PI permanently when I was around 8 y/o and have only been back several times when I was younger for vacation. I'm now 35 y/o and the last time I went back was around 1991. I've recently quit working to be a stay-at-home mom while hubby is in Iraq. I told him before I go back to work, whenever that is, I would like to at least spend six months there just to see and experience the place....mainly magbuhay donya...hehehe. Hopefully next summer vacation-we'll be able to go back home with my whole family. Gotta make ipon first so I can buy and eat all the fishballs and lanzones I can devour and see more of PI than Angeles City (my parent's province).

Edited by hottlipss
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I would like to go back and live there but my hubby is stationed here in the states.

I want to instill the Pinoy values in my kids. Growing up here in the states, I've always

had this longing to go back home and live there. Unfortunately, my Pinoy hubby

discourages me and tells me I won't make it there daw. My friends and I  always fantasize

living there while our hubbys sends us sustento at mag buhay donya. We see living in PI as

a luxury basta ba me sustento.

 

My family and I  left PI permanently when I was around 8 y/o and have only been back several times when I was younger for vacation. I'm now 35 y/o and the last time I went back was around 1991. I've recently quit working to be a stay-at-home mom while hubby is in Iraq. I told him before I go back to work, whenever that is, I would like to at least spend six months there just to see and experience the place....mainly magbuhay donya...hehehe. Hopefully next summer vacation-we'll be able to go back home with my whole family. Gotta make ipon first so I can buy and eat all the fishballs and lanzones I can devour and see more of PI than Angeles City (my parent's province).

 

try to do it gradually.. make a few visits first and test the waters - at least ma-feel mo yun good and bad atmosphere back at home. Your hubby is partly right and partly not. It would be a big change for you if you change your environment right away - you'll feel surprised about the pollution, garbage, squatters, and money matters. Missing the things back home is different, bec. you will always enjoy those things that you've been missing all these years. But when you start to live back and started to feel your way with the everyday Pinoy life you will realize a lot of good and bad things.

 

Preparation is also a good thing to think about.

You have to remember only one thing when you really plan to go back - MONEY.

Don't just bring sufficient money, bring lots and lots of money.

 

You just never know what challenges are ahead of you, but one thing that still is a rule of thumb when

you're living in Phils. - the color of money. No one can deny that, esp. knowing how local people back home still find it hard to live there because of the economic conditions.

 

Good luck to your endeavor. Whatever the outcome is, it's always a good motive to really go back home. Everyone of us do really wanted to go home one way or another and settle there. It's just a matter of preparation and commitment on how you will deal with it. Good luck to you!

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  • 4 weeks later...

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