How Has Living In The Philippines Changed You?

[Dave Hounddriver]

Many readers have not lived in the Philippines long term. I wonder if they are interested in the way we longer term expats have changed. Here is my example:7 years ago I had never heard of the Philippines. I worked. I dealt with my ex. I dated. I partied some. I had stress from bills, grown children, cold weather etc. Had I retired and stayed in Canada, there would have been some relief from stress but the other things would still be there.4 and a half years ago I came to the Philippines on a vacation. I was still a party person. I enjoyed the relief from stress that a vacation anywhere will bring. I thought I was quite the 'stud' (a common feeling here). I enjoyed meeting new people and I was far enough from the grown children that I seldom heard from them. (Plus they did not agree with Philippines being a 'proper' destination for a man my age to go to. Something about taking advantage of poor young girls blah blah.)Now, here is how I have changed. I am settled and stress free (for the most part). I have a wonderful wife (live in partner if you prefer that term) who is a joy to be around (for 28 days out of the month LOL). I drink much, much less than before because I am content just to enjoy life. I do not do any 'recreational drugs'. (I am not against them but they are an 'escape' and there is nothing left I have to escape from. Bills, weather, job, grown children, none of these are problems anymore. My biggest stress is having to figure out how to renew my passport every 5 years. Sigh. Life can be such a burden :cheersty:Why mention this? So many people talk about the 'sexpats' coming here. I want people to know that there are some (many?) of us who enjoyed coming here because we are 'studs' but we stay because life is good here, once you learn to deal with all the differences between here and where you came from.Take care guys.

[Jake]

Many readers have not lived in the Philippines long term. I wonder if they are interested in the way we longer term expats have changed. Here is my example:7 years ago I had never heard of the Philippines. I worked. I dealt with my ex. I dated. I partied some. I had stress from bills, grown children, cold weather etc. Had I retired and stayed in Canada, there would have been some relief from stress but the other things would still be there.4 and a half years ago I came to the Philippines on a vacation. I was still a party person. I enjoyed the relief from stress that a vacation anywhere will bring. I thought I was quite the 'stud' (a common feeling here). I enjoyed meeting new people and I was far enough from the grown children that I seldom heard from them. (Plus they did not agree with Philippines being a 'proper' destination for a man my age to go to. Something about taking advantage of poor young girls blah blah.)Now, here is how I have changed. I am settled and stress free (for the most part). I have a wonderful wife (live in partner if you prefer that term) who is a joy to be around (for 28 days out of the month LOL). I drink much, much less than before because I am content just to enjoy life. I do not do any 'recreational drugs'. (I am not against them but they are an 'escape' and there is nothing left I have to escape from. Bills, weather, job, grown children, none of these are problems anymore. My biggest stress is having to figure out how to renew my passport every 5 years. Sigh. Life can be such a burden :cheersty:Why mention this? So many people talk about the 'sexpats' coming here. I want people to know that there are some (many?) of us who enjoyed coming here because we are 'studs' but we stay because life is good here, once you learn to deal with all the differences between here and where you came from.Take care guys.

Hey Hound Dog,Excellent summary of the last 4 and half years of your life. You escaped from the snow and ice blizzards,family and financial stress and are now enjoying life to the fullest. Perhaps it really takes a few years tocompletely adjust yourself in a strange land and become truly native. For those of you that have traveled throughout the islands, I envy you guys. You are the trail blazers ofexotic and wonderful places that I have never been to yet. And most of all, a warm companion always byyour side as your personal tour guide of even more exotic adventures. Ooh yeah........!

[Art2ro]

It has changed me in a way to be more Filipino just by retaining in how to speak, read and write in the Tagalog language again, which took 20 years in the making and yet retain my American values, way of thinking and living a modern American lifestyle here in the Philippines due to the fruits of my labor working for the U.S. Government for 30 years prior to our retirement here in the Philippines! All is well that ends well in living the comfortable and stress free life even with all the negative comments I read and hear from others who lives here! It's all about, "each to their own choices and or to their good fortune"!

[i am bob]

Dave - you make me so jealous... I thought you were writing a book about me here in Canada and what I am going to find once I do the move this fall.Art - you hit the nail right on the head when you said "living the comfortable and stress free life even with all the negative comments I read and hear from others who lives here"... I am positive that I am going to love living there and I get tired of all the negative talk I hear as well... Nothing sounds better than when someone points out some shortcomings and then follows up with "even though this may sound negative, I still really love it here"... At the least it is being turned into a positive thought.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

That gives me hope.... I already have a stress free life in the States. So if I can somehow make even more stress free.... that would be living. :hystery:

[ekimswish]

With not much time to say more, one of the quirky ways it's changed me is I'm in love with boxing now. I bought some Manny Pacquiao VCD's 5 years ago, and have been obsessed with the entire sport ever since, even training a bit while I was in Korea.

[Dzighnman]

For me, although I am in fact wrapping up a return to the USA, I have reflected upon my year in Carcar in 2010 and I would have to say that the stress level dropped to the point I went for months without needing ibuprfren, which is unavoidable for me in my work. Having to return to work while here, I found myself unable to avoid the rise in stress and am back on the IB diet. :lol: That said, I have a bit of a different experience regarding my older kids.... when I first moved to the Philippines, my older kids (college age) were tearing at my heart with fears they would never see me again. What happened was the opposite, I had the time to call them regularly, I attended some of their virtualclasses, where they were presenters, I found so many ways to utilize the technology that I used for work to improve our relationship even from afar. The simple element that I had been missing all along was time... time to call and video chat when their schedule permitted... ... both my son and daughter are still living with their mother (college is in their hometown)... so they are still close with her, and all three of them love my Filipina wife, and feel genuinely happy for my decision to move to the Phils.Another significant change was that after a very fast paced career, I feel like life is happening in slow motion when in the Philippines... sort of cliche' but true.... the sun is brighter and the sky is bluer... I lost weight, BIG weight only to retrieve it when I returned to the USA... I generally ate healthier and just felt better period. I did run off on a tangent of partying etc, but soon grew tired of that and settled into a comfortable and simple life where the biggest daily challenges are deciding which coconut will be my next breakfast drink.... and maybe predicting how many "out of stock sir" comments I might get at the Gaisano. :thumbsup:As I have mentioned in some other posts, our return to the USA was due to a series of family issues requiring us to be closer for awhile, happily we are past those issues and what I realize is that even though I have lived long term (over a year) in the USA (Chicago, Portland, OR and Seattle, WA), Singapore, Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Scotland and China.....all work related, therefore stressful experiences for sure.... I have never ever missed a place more than I miss Carcar, Cebu, the people, the place, the climate, the day to day BS, I miss the way I feel when I am in Carcar, Cebu and let me see.....118 more days to go. :lol: How has the Philippines changed me? I am a truly happy person when I am in the Philippines... and enjoying life the way it should be enjoyed!

Edited March 6, 2012 by Dzighnman

[Jake]

For me, although I am in fact wrapping up a return to the USA, I have reflected upon my year in Carcar in 2010 and I would have to say that the stress level dropped to the point I went for months without needing ibuprfren, which is unavoidable for me in my work. Having to return to work while here, I found myself unable to avoid the rise in stress and am back on the IB diet. :cheersty: That said, I have a bit of a different experience regarding my older kids.... when I first moved to the Philippines, my older kids (college age) were tearing at my heart with fears they would never see me again. What happened was the opposite, I had the time to call them regularly, I attended some of their virtualclasses, where they were presenters, I found so many ways to utilize the technology that I used for work to improve our relationship even from afar. The simple element that I had been missing all along was time... time to call and video chat when their schedule permitted... ... both my son and daughter are still living with their mother (college is in their hometown)... so they are still close with her, and all three of them love my Filipina wife, and feel genuinely happy for my decision to move to the Phils.Another significant change was that after a very fast paced career, I feel like life is happening in slow motion when in the Philippines... sort of cliche' but true.... the sun is brighter and the sky is bluer... I lost weight, BIG weight only to retrieve it when I returned to the USA... I generally ate healthier and just felt better period. I did run off on a tangent of partying etc, but soon grew tired of that and settled into a comfortable and simple life where the biggest daily challenges are deciding which coconut will be my next breakfast drink.... and maybe predicting how many "out of stock sir" comments I might get at the Gaisano. :thumbsup:As I have mentioned in some other posts, our return to the USA was due to a series of family issues requiring us to be closer for awhile, happily we are past those issues and what I realize is that even though I have lived long term (over a year) in the USA (Chicago, Portland, OR and Seattle, WA), Singapore, Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Scotland and China.....all work related, therefore stressful experiences for sure.... I have never ever missed a place more than I miss Carcar, Cebu, the people, the place, the climate, the day to day BS, I miss the way I feel when I am in Carcar, Cebu and let me see.....118 more days to go. :540:How has the Philippines changed me? I am a truly happy person when I am in the Philippines... and enjoying life the way it should be enjoyed!

Are you a poet Dzighnman? It would seem like your words can be painted on a Rembrandt. Any considerationabout becoming the next Philippine Secretary of Tourism? Now I need to visit Carcar and experience life as itshould be. Thank you sir -- Jake

[Dzighnman]

Any consideration about becoming the next Philippine Secretary of Tourism?

Thanks Jake, not sure I would be the best candidate for that... I am a pretty easy going person and adapt to my surroundings... which is obviously a large component of my happiness anyplace I am... A well rounded picture of life there would include warnings about all the things I am not bothered by, but others might be... so I guess it might be the place, but I feel it is more the combination and if we get more commentary, I am sure we will have so many other locales around the islands that are perfect for others. We will save some Chicharon for ya! :cheersty:

[Dave Hounddriver]

We will save some Chicharon

oh yeah. That's one thing that living here has not changed. I still don't care for the Chicharon, not even the special kind found only in CarCar, which I have to admit is a good marketing gimmick. What makes CarCar chicharon special anyway?