Mark Berkowitz

We are both healthy and happy in the USA. There's still no signs of "the deterioration of pinays health when living in the West." Plus, my wife is constantly amazed about how much bigger things are in Texas, especially the eggplants.

Today we took a trip to a local Filipino restuarant and ordered Ukoy and Pancit Canton... Filipino food is definitely much more expensive in the USA than it is in the Phils! However, my wife was happy to be able to speak Tagalog and Kampangan once again

Personally, I have very negative thoughts about all drugs, both legal and illegal. I am saying this after having survived a 50 year long personal battle with everything imaginable. The only thing that saved me was the love of a very good woman (my wife) in the Philippines. Meanwhile, my wife is adjusting to her new sleeping cycle quite well without medicines.

I wonder if anything will be noticeably different to you when you go back home?... things that have gotten better?... or even worse?

Jake, we just got back from shopping there... hahaha

Thanks... but not right now (salamat... pero hindi ngayon) since we both stopped eating rice for now (with our ketogenic diet, which we both started about 3 months ago back in the Phils). I will be doing that very soon after we get to see more of the local sites... since there's many Filipino places over here... plus a Jollibee should be opening up over here in June. https://www.google.com/search?q=filipino+restaurants+in+san+antonio&oq=filipino+restaurant&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.8509j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.mysanantonio.com/g00/food/restaurants/article/Filipino-fast-food-favorite-Jollibee-appears-San-13541595.php?i10c.ua=1&i10c.encReferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8%3d&i10c.dv=2

Yes!... she probably will, since the extra-sized Filipino meals were actually much larger than the American-sized meals. The real question is whether or not she will ever get used to the 14 hour time difference over here in America, since she is still suffering from the jet lag.

So what about the children? We’ll get them within one year’s time... after we finish with my stepdaughter’s visa process. Meanwhile, my Filipino family is caring for them.

Well, she landed very late on Valentine's Day Night... and of course, she was was extremely tired/knackered. However, after a day of sleep, she's begining to get used to the Western World with me. She is still constantly surprised about how most things in the West are much nicer than how they were back in the Phils. As far as myself, the Phils just seems like a dream to me now ... but I'll leave it up to our more imaginative members if they think that my dream of the Phils is a good or bad one. haha

Seems like we were both saying similar things are the very same time.

Since we have no agreements on where our children can get the best education, maybe (and that's just a maybe) we can agree that our children will have many more career and other opportunities in our home countries.

Good Point Jack! My wife and I have discussed this type of situation at great length. For what it's worth, my wife and I have already had this type of situation raise its ugly head while I was still in the Phils, and my wife finally said NO to her sister's never ending requests for loaning her (my) money... you know the type of loans that never get repaid? Based on how my wife handled her family's needs in the past, I don't really see any problems coming up with money for family in the Phils. Let me add that if any of my family in the Phils ever has a genuine need to get funds for medical help, my wife and I will do whatever we can realistically do to help, without depriving our children and ourselves of our basic needs.

(Back on Topic) With My Final Thoughts: I gave up a very comfortable Expat life in the Phils, considering that I had a brand new car and nice apartment (with Aircon, Ref, Hot Water, large screen TV, Internet, and Cable). Leaving that settled life was not an easy choice for me to make, and I don’t recommend it for every Expat in the Phils. If truth be told, I struggled with making a decision to leave the Phils. If it was not for the future of my 2 year old son, step-daughter, and wife, I would have gladly stayed and rolled with all of the punches. However, now that I have left, I am happy that I made the move, and I am grateful to this forum for all of your advice and for all of your good wishes with my move away from the Phils.

From what I've already seen, it's the very same way in San Antonio, Texas.

I never said that there was any breaking point to make me leave the Phils. I merely mentioned that I did not (and would not ever) miss getting the 'stink eye,' as well as all of the other aspects of being a foreigner in the Phils. I could of been happy to roll with all of the punches in the Phils... but the true reason for me leaving the the Phils and returning to the USA is for the betterment of my family, which includes my 2 year old son, who has no real future in the Phils (unless he wants to grow up to be an OFW). With all of that being said, thank you for your good wishes.