Moving to the Philippines

[stevewool]

The time is getting so close to our retirement date and it’s where shall we go, holidays and site seeing over the coming months and other things are in the pipeline, but where shall we call home.

There has been a great thread about repatriation back to there homeland, but what happens when either partner does not want to go back or ever leave there homeland.

Emma in such a short time has made so many new friends , has got more things then she has ever dreamed of and loves the weather here in England so why would she ever think about moving back to the Philippines .

We will be in the Philippines for around 3- 4 months towards the end of the year to try to complete the house for our living and after that who knows what may happen, Spain has been mentioned before , let’s try and see what it is like living there, who knows.

The new thought is let’s see what happens about living in the Philippines when the weather Changers here in England ie winter when it’s just so damp for months on end, no matter where you live you shall have bills to pay, so by just paying for flights each year maybe this could work for the both of us, until something else comes along.

 

[Jack Peterson]

1 hour ago, stevewool said:

Spain has been mentioned before , let’s try and see what it is like living there, who knows.

 Steve, I lived there for over 17 years and believe me it is nothing Like having a Holiday there, the Bureaucracy in Spain can be far worse than it is  here in the PI. But remember mate after March 29th, you may be a Foreigner there and things will definitely be a lot worse than they are Now.

Steve Mate, we have had all this before, "he who hesitates is Lost" Springs to mind So for me mate, make your mind up which side your Bread is buttered on

[Gary D]

Our current plan is the winter in the Philippines until the time come that the travelling is too much. Philippines or UK after that only time will tell.

[stevewool]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Steve, I lived there for over 17 years and believe me it is nothing Like having a Holiday there, the Bureaucracy in Spain can be far worse than it is  here in the PI. But remember mate after March 29th, you may be a Foreigner there and things will definitely be a lot worse than they are Now.

Steve Mate, we have had all this before, "he who hesitates is Lost" Springs to mind So for me mate, make your mind up which side your Bread is buttered on

I hear you Jack.

[Eddie1]

16 hours ago, stevewool said:

The time is getting so close to our retirement date and it’s where shall we go, holidays and site seeing over the coming months and other things are in the pipeline, but where shall we call home.

There has been a great thread about repatriation back to there homeland, but what happens when either partner does not want to go back or ever leave there homeland.

Emma in such a short time has made so many new friends , has got more things then she has ever dreamed of and loves the weather here in England so why would she ever think about moving back to the Philippines .

We will be in the Philippines for around 3- 4 months towards the end of the year to try to complete the house for our living and after that who knows what may happen, Spain has been mentioned before , let’s try and see what it is like living there, who knows.

The new thought is let’s see what happens about living in the Philippines when the weather Changers here in England ie winter when it’s just so damp for months on end, no matter where you live you shall have bills to pay, so by just paying for flights each year maybe this could work for the both of us, until something else comes along.

 

Steve,  Its difficult to answer your post in all honesty.  I have been a member of PEF for about 3.5 years, you have been a member for about 6.5 years.  Since I have been a member you have wrote many many posts, many with a negative slant,  for example... Money issues i.e cost of living/budgets  etc, family issues i.e. Emma's family, housing issues, building a family home on Luzon , being taken advantage of by her family etc.  You are just about ready to retire and you still don't seem to be any closer to knowing what it is you want to do and I for one feel sorry that you still find yourself gripped by indecision.  Its easy for people to just say do it, get on with it but its just not in everybody's make up to be able to easily decide such a monumental life changing decision.  Both you and I  have worked for decades for our respective companies, I had 30 years on BT, you similar for your company, change isn't always easy for us that are set in our ways.  I haven't been here very long myself yet, about 16 months so I am not the most experienced person here to comment but I cant help but feel that you will struggle here.  Why?  You have to commit, you have to go for it and that doesn't seem to be in your make up.  I truly feel that in your situation if you can afford it, try and live 6 months in each country, half a year in the UK and half a year in the Phils, that would satisfy both of your needs and also give you time to see what you really like.  People often say that living here is different to being on holiday here, its true, it is different, it's a hundred times better living here than being on a holiday, you get to wake up in this wonderful country everyday, have time to enjoy and embrace what it has to offer and also time to work out what you dont like and have the time to put it right, to make it work.   From what I have gathered from your posts over the years I think that your problem will be living to close to your wife's family, I think that you will be actually living with them if I remember correctly.  The  impression of them from what i have read is that most of them are a good for nothing bunch that are going to give you nothing but grief which can only make your situation even more difficult.  Get away from them, as far as possible, choose another island and make a fresh start.  Try and get down to Dumaguete and meet up with the guys, I feel that you would get a lot out of it, we aren't in each others pockets but its great to have people here that you can turn to when you need help or advice, let off steam or just chill with a beer or two. I dont think you are going to find that support living with your wife's extended family.   Having said all that though Steve, I truly wish you a happy retirement, you have earned it, now it's up to you to make the tough decisions to help you deliver it.  If you can work out what will make you happy here and equally what will make you unhappy here then you have cracked it, just take the bull by the horns and deliver it. It's the best decision I ever made, yes its still relatively early days for me but I love it here and so far it's just slowly building and getting better and better.  Good luck mate.  

  

Edited February 18, 2019 by Eddie1
Change of wording.

[sonjack2847]

My wife did not want to move from Dalaguete,small town,to here she said she would have no friends.Well we moved here to Dumaguete and she soon realised that because of the visits we had made here over the years she did in fact know quite a few people.My daughter then started school and then my wife came into contact with the other mothers  and she had more friends.So Steve you can rest assured Emma will make quite a few friends here in a short while.Eddie is correct in that he says your doubt about moving here seems to come mostly from your interaction with family ,you need to be far away from them and keep contact to a minimum. 

I moved here in September 2011 and it was one of the better decisions I have made in my life,is life perfect no, but for me it is near damn perfect. I think you need to sit down and work out exactly what it is you want, or I can see you wandering for the rest of your life. Steve,you need to make up your mind to make up your mind as I feel that you will drive yourself crazy with all this indecision.

Whatever you do I wish you all the best and good luck.

 

 

[hk blues]

I'm an all or nothing guy so the 6 months here and 6 months there approach wouldn't work for me - the logistics just seem too much for me to handle.  Also, I worry that it would be the worst of both worlds rather than the best for me, just based on my character which likes everything to be structured.  However, that's me and we are all different. 

All I can add is, when we are in two minds as to what is best it's perhaps best to do nothing! 

[stevewool]

Thanks Eddie

You must have had some time on your hands to have thought and written down all you have said, I would like to thank you for that.

Only time will tell where I shall be in the future, but I am sure where ever that will be I shall be fine.

 

[Arizona Kid]

Haven't you heard? It's more fun in the Philippines. I must have agreed since I've been here since 2002.

[graham59]

Give it a go for at least 6 months Steve, but DON'T burn your bridges back in the UK just yet...  especially as regards property and banking.

Your 'family' stuff,  and location in the Phils relative to them, only you can decide.  All our situations are different.

My wife's family are close by, and are lovely people who probably give more than they take. I feel loved and 'included' by them. Other families can of course be very different.

How your wife will feel about giving up her new (considerably wealthier ?) life in the UK is something else to consider.