Hey You! , What You Doing Here?

[i am bob]

This was and is one of my favourite posts (Thanks JGF!) and I was wondering if anyone else would like to add to it?

[Beachboy]

Wow .. what interesting stories. Someone should make a movie out of this material (or maybe a sitcom :hystery: )

For myself I've lived in Honolulu for almost 40 years. It's a place I love dearly. Great people, great weather, But since my wife passed away last year, it's also become a city of ghost and sad memories. With her passing my income was greatly reduced. I'm left with a big mortgage on a small house. I need to sell or risk losing a big chunk of equity through foreclosure. All of this points to starting a new life somewhere else.

Many of my co-workers (before I retired) are from the Phils ( the population here is perhaps 20% Filipino). They are some of the warmest and genuinely nicest people I've ever met. The past decades have been filled with invitations to their homes for birthday parties, Christmas, or for just fun. My barber is from Tacoloban, my mechanic is from Manila, and I like adobo. . I've lived in foreign counties before (albeit 40 years ago) and I know what 3rd world poverty looks like (2 years in Bangladesh). So I don't feel this is too big of a stretch for me.

Then there's this woman (there's always the woman, isn't there .. haha). I've met her on line. She owns a beauty parlor in Lapu Lapu. So I've got to go and see what that's all about. End of one story. Beginning of another. I can't wait.

[nor cal mike]

Bob, thanks for bringing this post to my attention as it is one I had not read. I must say that reading through all the comments gave me reason for pause and to give serious thought to the OP. So many times we forget the the real reasons we are either happy or sad. In my case My present happiness has a great deal to do with my wonderful wife, so I guess I can say my love affair with the Philippines began shortly after my love affair with my wife began.

I was not an unhappy person prior to my marriage and quite frankly my life here in the U.S. was not bad at all. Overall I have been I have been blessed in my life. Although I had a couple of failed marriages, I had no bitterness as I knew the reason was my uncontrolable drive for more. Quite simply, I was a workaholic. Seventy and eighty hour work weeks were the norm for me. Being desparately poor and an orphan as a child taught me to take care of myself and that no matter what, always have a few bucks in my pocket.

After my last failed marriage, I spent a lot af time alone and tried to answer that age old question, "what do I want to do with my life?". I decided to take a long vacation as I had not had one in many years and a very close friend {Filipino} suggested I visit the Philippines and have his family show me around. I thought this was a great idea and off I went.

After a couple of weeks there, I found myself attracted to a lady much younger than I {30+ yrs.}. I thought, Mike, don't be silly, this lady is only being nice to a visitor. Well, sure enough, my host ask me if I would be interested in dating this lady and of course I said "yes". Once I finally realized that this lady was truely interested in me, the emotional flood gates opened and I fell madly in love and remain so today, some 12 years later.

As I quickly became a frequent flier to the Philippines and met more and more of her family and friends, I realized what real true happiness was all about. I saw so many people with so little in the way of worldly possesions and yet so much love and caring for family and friends and , yes, strangers too, I soon knew this was the place I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

Before we became married, I explained to Mai {my wife} that I already had grown children and so children for us was not an option. While she really wanted to have children, she accepted my position and we were married. As we were together longer and longer and I realized what a wonderful person she was and as I mentioned being an orphan myself made me think it would be a shame not to allow some child to have her for a Mom. In 2007 we decided to have a baby and we now have a delightful 4 yr. old son. As Jack said, "home is where the heart is" and for me that's the Philippines

Mike

[Jake]

Before we became married, I explained to Mai {my wife} that I already had grown children and so children for us was not an option. While she really wanted to have children, she accepted my position and we were married. As we were together longer and longer and I realized what a wonderful person she was and as I mentioned being an orphan myself made me think it would be a shame not to allow some child to have her for a Mom. In 2007 we decided to have a baby and we now have a delightful 4 yr. old son. As Jack said, "home is where the heart is" and for me that's the Philippines

Mike

Hello Mike, where the triple like button?

A warm and very touching love story! From your innermost disappoint as an orphan to finally

discovering where your heart truly found its home, I believe your story reads more like poetry

that would melt the heart. Well done my friend, well done.......

A classic Neil Young searching for a Heart of Gold:

Edited August 6, 2012 by Jake