Hello My Names Glenn New Member

[corfu-glenn]

Hi everyone I am english my names Glenn and currently living in Corfu Greece,I am very happy coming accrods this forum,I need help but also advice I met lovely filipino girl online 2 years ago kept ij contact through facebook,I finally meet her in manila and spent 30 days with her getting engaged and meeting her family.In this time we travel around the filopine islands,Its my kind of weather and fell unlove with cebu,I am looking to bring her back to corfu Greece for a while,how mucu of a problem is a visa for her,At the moment greece is not doing well work wise I am a manager of greek hotel and its only 5 months pay per year but I get to eat and live free rest of the year but do other work to help out.

I was also looking at the idea of working in cebu I am a builder by trade,apprenticeship bricklayer but also can plaster,wall and floor tiling garden walls and block paving,but I am willing to do anything to be with my girlfriend who already has a job in cebu,It would be great to have some good advice and meet good friends here because I have fell in love with the filopines.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I am willing to do anything to be with my girlfriend who already has a job in cebu

 

It is important to know that introduction threads auto-lock in 3 days so not a great place to ask all your questions.  Take a look around the forum sections to see where you should post specific questions and don't worry about starting 2 or 3 different threads if the questions are unrelated.

 

My response to you your opening post is that if you are willing to do anything and she is likewise willing then you are truly blessed.  Have you considered bringing your hotel experience to Philippines and working here.  Many will tell you it cannot be done and others will show you that they are actually doing it.  If you get married to your gf you can work here.  If you find a job that will arrange a permit then you can also work here.

 

Be sure to tell us how it goes for you.

[scott h]

Hi Glenn and welcome. There is a lot of institutional knowledge and experience among the members of this forum and we will be more than glad to assist.

 

I agree with Dave to a point, if there is a will there is a way. Having said that, in order to succeed here I (and ill wager most of our members would agree with me) you will need to make extensive preparations. From your introduction you will not be like most of us with a guaranteed income (retired with pension) so will either need a substantial nest egg or a guaranteed job upon arrival. Its not like you can get off the plane and get a job as a bricklayer or plasterer as you mentioned (who by the way earn about 3-4 pounds a day). 

 

So if your serious, like Dave mentioned I suggest you break up your questions into individual topics, and check back very often because this is a very active board and you will get lots of responses.

 

Again Welcome :cheersty:

[mogo51]

Welcome Glen, good advice here from very knowledgeable members.  My only other advice is to hasten slowly and don't cut your established ties until you are sure you have alternatives in Phils. Good luck.

[Jollygoodfellow]

It is important to know that introduction threads auto-lock in 3 days so not a great place to ask all your questions.

 

Actually it was in members greetings but still moving it to a better forum such as Working as an Expat.  :thumbsup:

[Jollygoodfellow]

I was also looking at the idea of working in cebu I am a builder by trade,apprenticeship bricklayer but also can plaster,wall and floor tiling garden walls and block paving,but I am willing to do anything to be with my girlfriend who already has a job in cebu

 

Those type of jobs are reserved by law for Filipinos only. Even if you did that the pay rate would be something like P300 a day. You would also need the correct visa to allow you to work. 

[jpbago]

I am a builder by trade,apprenticeship bricklayer but also can plaster,wall and floor tiling garden walls and block paving,

 

I suggest that with your skills, that you build your own house on a lot in your gf/wife's name. I think that would be permitted. Live in it for awhile then sell it package deal and do it again. We have a Filipina friend that does that about every year and does quite well even tho she hires out all the work. 

[Jack Peterson]

I am a builder by trade,apprenticeship bricklayer but also can plaster,wall and floor tiling garden walls and block paving

 

Nothing wrong with you and the Wife/GF starting a Business doing this but the Competition will be tough  & maybe a little look over your shoulder type of thing, Best of Luck. You won't be able to be hands on but management/Supervision only

 

Stand to be corrected here of Course.

 

Jack :unsure:

[manofthecoldland]

No offense to anyone living here or abroad, but if you're a young, able-bodied male from a first world economy, and you don't have: a fixed income stream,  a rare legal job lined up, a very large nest egg, or you're marrying into local wealth and connections ...  Then this is a wonderful place for you and your wife to have extended stays  while you both make your money elsewhere. I guess anything is possible, but you'll be paddling AGAINST the powerful economic and cultural currents and headwinds that exist here for non-Pinoys.

   Sounds like you have an enviable set-up where you are and I hope you can take your new love to join and live with you there. Better that she not work there than you not work here if it comes to that. I think that you probably know this already, so I'm mainly writing this for those who've never been here and are still in the hopeful, 'dream-stage' of perception and planning.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I guess anything is possible

 

l While I agree with everything the manofthecold has written, I emphasize this part.

 

The OP says he is a hotel manager.  I invite members with curiosity to take a good look at the hotels they like to stay at or drink at or dine in the Philippines.  Talk to the managers find out how many times a foreigner and filipina wife are the owners and or managers.  I personally find it happens a lot.  I have many friends who have done it.  In a large number of these cases the foreigner/flipina couple had to put up some money to buy the place.  In more than a few cases the couple were able to finance from existing owners, and in at least a dozen cases I know of, the couple  (or even just a single foreigner) had taken over the job of manager with no money invested.

 

My point is simply (as manofthecold stated) that anything is possible.  The failures outweigh the successes but as I said before:

. . . if you are willing to do anything and she is likewise willing then you are truly blessed.

So if you want to do it, talk to the people who have done it instead of the ones who say it cannot be done.  Be prepared for failure.  Be prepared for a heckuva lot of hard work and dissappointmet.  But if this is where a person truly wants to live then this is where a person should be happy to work.  And that is the subject of another thread on this forum about choosing between money and happiness, a personal choice for all.

 

Am I recommending that you do this?  Absolutely not.  I don't know enough about you.  I just want to give hope to the people who are going to do it anyway.