Where do you live

[stevewool]

You have found the love of your life now it’s finding the place you both would like to call home, so have you moved to the place your partner was born or has live in for so many years and has got to know the area well, or have you both moved to a new place far away from anything she new before but are still in the Philippines and have both worked hard to make the new place home .

Was there any teething problems like a new language, don’t know any people/friends, missing the old neighbourhood for your partner and maybe for you too.

[manofthecoldland]

Good one, Steve.

This thread ought to prove interesting if it gets any traction, gets off the mark and goes anywhere.

Us ex-pats usually can transition from one geographic part of our home country to another, despite having to stretch a bit on regional customs and idioms.  

Not so sure how flexible Pinays are, even though many have lived and spent time abroad. Back home in their native land, I think they wouldn't want to live in a region that has a local language they would have difficulty communicating in with neighbors and at markets. Even with English and Filipino (which is Tagalog based) in general use,  locals prefer to use localized language. If you don't use it, you are an obvious outsider. Still a fellow Filipino, but still a bit more suspect than a local in some situations.  Initially you probably won't get the 'best price' until you establish a suki relationship over time.... building up trust.

Even in the USA, Pinay enjoy having same language barkadas if possible.

I would guess that very few Pinay would willingly move too far from their linguistic and extended family comfort zones unless the advantages gained could vastly outweigh the disadvantages. I know of several of our male cousins that left the Visaayas to live with their wives in the Bicol, Palawan, Greater MNL etc. where their wives are from, but most of the gals stay close to their birth provinces.

Of  course you might have an adventurous wife who is willing to give it a try. 

Most foreigner husbands can and will adapt to which ever part of the PI they end up in.... but I have my doubts about the willingness of most Pinays to do so. If given the option of staying where they know the local systems and can easily operate there with their connections and a deep understanding of their regional people. places and social networks... they will prefer what they know and can work with advantageously. 

That said,  the Pinays I have known stick with their man no matter where he wants to venture. They may not like it, but feel they have little choice. Many will silently tolerate their zany husbands adventurous dreams and go along for the ride, hoping for the best. The marriage stability always takes priority over  their personal preferences. But if hubby has to live with many tampo fits, he's probably tracking a bad trail that will not lead to the happily-ever-after. Better make sure your wife is willingly and soundly on board when traveling to a new homestead.

 

[hk blues]

I'm in Iloilo - my wife's home area.  We never considered any other part of the Philippines, or indeed any other part of the globe for that matter.  

I was able to adapt easily enough, probably because I had already adapted to life in strange countries before (England and then Hong Kong) and due to my wife of course.  Language issues don't really come into it - enough people speak enough English for me needs and my wife can deal with any situation where I cannot.  I suppose if we'd gone elsewhere in the country it would have been different - I feel people here can be somewhat insular.  

Do i miss the UK/Hong Kong?  Well, some bits of them I do but certainly not enough to make me rethink.  

[GeoffH]

SWMBO prefers to be in Bisaya speaking areas and somewhere where some of her family are near.  In her case that means Ozamiz (in the red area so don't really want to live there) or several hours drive south of Cebu (which is pretty but the towns are small and lack good hospitals and no malls) or Cagayan De Oro (which isn't perfect by any means and it is in the yellow area) but it does have a few decent hospitals, a few large malls, a reasonable airport with regular flights and shops with most things available.   I get along with most of the family in CDO too and the ones here almost all work which isn't necessarily the case in the other two areas.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

We live in Iloilo, my wife is from Antique (the other side of the mountains). I tried out in the province and could not make it there. Total boredom, way too loud, and a 2 hour bus ride to the nearest grocery store.  Here in Iloilo we are on a family compound, with aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is ok with it, but has made it clear that when I am dead (no hurry on my part) she will go back to the family land in the province. Makes it easy, because there is no reason to buy a place or build anything large. Neither one us speaks Ilonggo, but that is not a big problem (she speaks a little, I speak just enough to ride a jeepney).

Five years ago my old job wanted me to come back and I offered her to move to the US for a while. She could get a job to send money back if she wanted, could get into the Social Security system, and get a nice American passport. She had no interest in that, so we stayed here (which I preferred anyway).

Edited March 2, 2020 by Tukaram (Tim)

[Gary D]

My wife is a bit of a Heinz 47. Her father was in the military and when she was born was stationed in General Trias Cavite. Her farther and his family are from the Dumageute area where she was brought up but her mother is from Baybay Leyte. The family moved back to Luzon about 30 years ago to live on the grandfather's land. That's basically where we live with the mother in law and siblings. Negros would be out if the question as they woukd be the family from hell. Leyte I've visted a couple of time but not a likely option. UK, she spent 23 years there and we plan to spend the summers there.

[Eddie1]

43 minutes ago, Gary D said:

My wife is a bit of a Heinz 47

What happened to the other 10? 

[Snowy79]

1 hour ago, Eddie1 said:

What happened to the other 10? 

Out of stock Sir. 

[Onemore52]

We live in Daet, Camarines Norte, the birthplace of my partner and her 7 other siblings, of which 4 are still there.

I would never even think for a minute of taking her out of the country, as she like others in the Philippines are very family orientated, life is family to them.

I thought I would adjust very easily into living in the Philippines as being ex military and then working offshore I thought I could adapt to anything, anywhere, how gnikcuf wrong was I.

Currently I am back in Australia for some medicals from the governments purse, and have been driving around heavy traffic in Melbourne for the last week, and doing a lot of walking in the streets to get to different appointments. So anyone reading this would probably realise how I feel at the end of the day of doing these appointments

I don't have to rush inside where I am staying and drink half a dozen beers to settle my nerves, don't have to update my will and don't kick the dog.

Imagine a place where there is not one tricycle, where drivers stop for you when crossing the road at a zebra crossing, I could go on and on and on, but I wont. Yes I dekcuF up big time.

[RBM]

1 hour ago, Onemore52 said:

We live in Daet, Camarines Norte, the birthplace of my partner and her 7 other siblings, of which 4 are still there.

I would never even think for a minute of taking her out of the country, as she like others in the Philippines are very family orientated, life is family to them.

I thought I would adjust very easily into living in the Philippines as being ex military and then working offshore I thought I could adapt to anything, anywhere, how gnikcuf wrong was I.

Currently I am back in Australia for some medicals from the governments purse, and have been driving around heavy traffic in Melbourne for the last week, and doing a lot of walking in the streets to get to different appointments. So anyone reading this would probably realise how I feel at the end of the day of doing these appointments

I don't have to rush inside where I am staying and drink half a dozen beers to settle my nerves, don't have to update my will and don't kick the dog.

Imagine a place where there is not one tricycle, where drivers stop for you when crossing the road at a zebra crossing, I could go on and on and on, but I wont. Yes I dekcuF up big time.

Strange this is mentioned as its the one point that really sticks in my memory after returning from NZ.

Here the pedestrian crossing means nothing, back in kiwi land cars will even slow preparing to stop before one has a foot on the Zebra...

half a dozen beers in NZ at a pub is beyond the budget I'm afraid. So guess one could say a trade off.