boyee

I AM BOB.... I just want to hear more........

I think most of us who grew up in a Western culture would agree but I wouldn't travel to India and try and convince people that the CASTE system is wrong. Even if, well it just is. Likewise when I'm in the PH I try to put my values aside a little and do as the Romans do. We shall see how that works out for me when I move. lol

I've asked my wife's family who live in Manila about their helpers. I was surprised to learn that they felt the same way about their own helpers whom they've had for decades. They seemed like extended family members to me but we were told if you treat them too well they will walk over you or at least expect more. They have to fine the balance between life long helpers and a hired employee. One cousin was raised by his yaya so you can image how difficult it must be for him to treat her like an employee but they insist it is a must if you want to keep them. I have no personal experience but this is the collective feeling from born and raised Filipinos I trust and love. It will be interesting when we make the move to PH from the U.S. Does anyone have experience with a full time driver? Many of my Wife's Tita's have them and say it is very expensive because its a specialized skill. I'm not sure why it's expensive relative to the maids since they only drive. I.e. if their is no where to go they just chill all day.

That's a good point, I am concerned about getting lazy. Well lazyer. haha. For us it is a necessity during the times we are not at home. Will need someone to watch over the farm and farm animals.

JJReyes, Thank you for this detailed explanation. Since we do not have small children anymore, frown face emoji, we will not need a yaya but rather help cleaning the house and cooking and a "boy" to help with landscape projects. We prefer a live in situation to take care of the property when we are out of town and perhaps help out if we decide to air bnb when away.

As a westerner the concept of a live in employee is difficult for me to wrap my head around. All of my wife's family in Manila have help. Some are absolutely wonderful people and seem to love their life and will never leave their hired family. I've met others who looked like they were afraid of being fired every moment and never seemed to relax. Certainly it depends on how they are treated. How does it work though? How much does it cost per month? My wife and I plan on treating our help very well of course, right. I mean we are decent people. But family in Manila tell us to be careful not to treat them too well or they will ask for too much and we will end up having to let them go. I have no experience with cultures that have a clear class system and having employee's who will live with me will be an adjustment. My Filipino wife has spent her entire adult life in America so I will not be able to rely on her to manage staff. I'll have to figure it out on my own so anyone with experience and good advice will be my new best friend. Thanks.

Perhaps a big mac may not be the best example. My impression is the Philippines cost of living is low if you are bringing in outside money like Pension or savings. For a local making a typical wage in the PI I don't think living expenses would be considered low. In other words its low to us fat and rich westerners but not so much to the typical local. With that said my last trip to Tagaytay last month really opened my eyes to how people of relative low income have such a optimistic outlook in life. The Filipino outgoing sense of enjoy what you have in life makes me humble.

Interesting... So a child born in the Philippines to an American father can get an American citizenship. If I were not married already, retired in the PI and had a kid. I would definitely raise that kid in the Philippines if I could pay for private school. Then when he or she turns 18 they can immigrate to the States and enroll in community collage and transfer to a University etc and so forth.

I agree. Many things are cheeper in PI. I am also not comparing apples to apples with education. My Asawa went to a great Private school in Manila then transferred to a very ghetto public school in America. With that said, Patricia will tell you the Nun's at private school do not tolerate disobedience, a long stick to back of your hand kinda way and you were there to learn or else. My daughter goes to the best public high school in my area and kids smoke pot in the back every day with no repercussions. It's just not the same education. In regards to lower living expenses in PI. Absolutely but I don't think a great education in PI leads to a very high paying job relative to those lower living expenses as compared to America. For example my Filipino mother in law works for a hospital in America cleaning rooms. A good honest living. She has a relative back home who is a doctor at a hospital. Her American standard of living is much higher here in America then the doctor back home. But I've digressed. This topic is about coming back to the west if the Philippines does not work out. I feel fortunate that this is an option for us westerners, Our counterparts in the Philippines many times don't have the option of choosing a different country to live in, more or less go back home.

Wow!! I think this is the best post I've read on this forum to date. As an American who is still working in the States and plan on retiring in the PI soon it is good to know that many members are totally happy staying in the PI and those who feel it didn't work out have the option of returning to their homeland. Perhaps it just comes down to having enough money to come back home if need be. This thread has touched some many issues. Education In PI vs West. My wife has stated the private high school she went to in Pasig was 10 times better than the crappy high school she transfer to in Oakland CA when she came here. But even if the education one gets in PI is 10 times better who cares if the salary is 10 times less than a western country? I wonder if you have a kid in PI if they are raised and educated in the PI if they can obtain US or UK citizenship so he or she could adventurally go overseas for college and a western income? But great thread!

Well if the Baranguy captain was happy you can write some of it off as an investment. lol

Im sorry mate. I have no idea what the heck you just said.

As I recall he was on prescription meds for psych issues. Clearly he was not in the head.

yes you are right yes, you are correct. The US is much more dangerous than other western countries and I do live in a major city where guns are very common. I think my point is my family in the PH don't know anyone personally who murdered their parents with his bare hands over a political argument. Because its freaking crazy! They think America is safer based on what they see in the news in Ph. I know how violent America is because I've lived it and personally have known people who live it. None of my personal experiences were ever reported on the news though so the perception that America is safe is unrealistic. Although I am surprised by your statistic above. America has 5 murders out of 100,000 and PH has 11 out of 100,000? I was not aware of that. Wow, twice the amount murders per capita. hmm...

I don't think people realize how dangerous the western civilization are. My daughter was taking Karate lessons for years. There was a boy who was about 15 who was the instructors aid. We've known him for years and many times he taught the classes. One day he got in an argument with his mother about some political issue. I think it was during the 99% wealth inequality demonstrations we were having here in the states. Anyway he disagreed with his mom so he used his Karate against her and killed her with his bare hands. Then he waited for his dad to get home and strangled him to death with his bare hands. He put his dead parents in the trunk of his car and sat on the trunk all day. I happen to know his neighbor who asked him what he was doing and he told her. She obviously didn't believe him and went about her day. This kid went about his day too. Went to school, then went to help teach Karate, then went home as though nothing had happened. It was days before the bodies were discovered. My point with this horrible story is that I only know because the Karate teach and his neighbor told me. It never even made the local paper more or less the TV. This shit happens all the time in the US. It happens to our neighbors or the local Karate school and we would never be the wiser. If this happened in the Philippines we would all say what a dangerous place the Philippines is. The reality is America is ridiculously violent and dangerous and yet it appears to be clean, modern and safe. The PH may look third world but I don't think this type of violence is as common. Safety is relative to our knowledge of what happens around us.