A Change In Your Life !!

[OldUgly&Cranky]

I know this subject can be a bit personal so please dont answer if you wish not too ok !!! What im wondering is if any of you felt there was a time that you needed to change things in your life and how did you go about it ??ie career , where you lived just general things !!! im 41 now and i guess i feel time creeping up on me and by no means am i going threw a midlife crisis just thinking about a change , i know the job i have is going nowhere and it used to be ok because i knew i had to pay the bills and finish my house in the Philippines , but now its not enough i want to do something different something that i can be proud of and say I DID THAT !!! a couple years ago i moved to the East Coast of Canada and i was commercial Fishing for 6 months and it was such a great experence but just too hard of a job for me getting up 3 am driving a half hour to get to the boat only to work sometimes 18 hours on the sea , i have been thinking about going back to school and getting my tesol to teach in asia so that i can be closer to my family in the Phils but i Honestly dont have any idea about doing this !!! if any members who did this please respond back ok thanks !!! i really envy those members that moved to the P.I. and have a happy yet simple life and thats what i want too , like my fellow country man ekimswish i seen some of his pics in the gallery and he looks soo happy there and thats how i feel too !!! maybe im just a little home sick now but im ok guys !!! So if any of you have ideas or advice for me please feel free to respond thanks everyone !!! O-U-C :728:

[Mr Lee]

It seems many of us get ourselves into a quagmire and may not be sure what direction to go. I was in such a situation about 20 years ago when I was 43 and first starting talking to my wife via letters and telephone. I hated life in the US and wanted to get away from the US in the worst way, and I had a pension to do it on, but due to a divorce, legal, work and property issues, I could not figure out a way out of the mess I was in, even though I tried and tried, and that went on for 3 years until I followed my heart and decided it was time to do something, anything, so I brought Nila back to the US and made the best of the situation and then visited the Philippines as often as we could, and kept expanding those visits until I finally got my way clear of all the issues which unfortunately took many years, but as of the last number of years we finally have what we want, a life consisting of living in the Philippines part of the year which makes my wife very happy, and a life living part of the year in the US which allows me to keep my lifelong friends and spend time with them. That too has changed over time, as some of my friends have passed on, so possibly down the road we will eventually live full time in the Philippines, but in the mean time it keeps getting more modern here, which will eventually make living here full time even more comfortable for us. Good things come to those who wait, but sometimes we have to settle for an in between until we can see our way clear to do what our heart desires. My only advice to you younger guys is to follow your heart, but to also use your head to think clearly what is the best overall solution for your desires, because you are young and time has a way of making it possible to finally have your cake and eat it too, but at the same time always remember that tomorrow may never come in this current crazy world, so for the older guys, possibly get going while the going is still possible, and no I do not mean dying, I mean things do change as we get older, but at the same time dying is a real possibility too, because IMO the only two things in life that are certain is death and taxes. I am sorry if what applied to me years ago may not also apply to the current world situation, but if you have faith in your country and fellow human kind, then slow and steady and you will eventually live your dream life. O&C and Ekimswish as well as the others who are still young, you all have your whole lives ahead of you, so hang in there and before you know it you will be looking back wondering why you worried in the first place.

[Art2ro]

Everyone has to pay their dues through hard work so that one can reap the benefits of their labor! I was just fortunate enough to work 30 yrs straight for the U.S. Government between my military and civilian carreer and was able to retire 6 yrs early at age 49! At that ime, my pension wasn't enough to live on in the U.S., but it was adequate to live on in the Philippines until my other pensions kicked in at age 60 and 62. I'm now 62 and my other 2 pensions has finally kicked in making our life a lot more comfortable and we are now financially stable with my 4 U.S. Government pensions and we have a 70% reimbursable medical coverage here in the Philippines through TRICARE, from my military benefits which I don't pay any monthly premiums! Good things do come to those who wait patiently! But as I always say, "Different Strokes for Different Folks"!

[Dave Hounddriver]

My father gave me advice that I followed. Throughout my working life I thought the advice was outdated but I followed it anyway.Get the job with the best pension plan and stick it out for 30 years. Buy the best house you can afford and pay it off by the time you retire. If you do that you can relax in your retirement.It worked. I am living here on my pension and my exwife has the house. Good thing I followed both halves of the advice or I would only have half a pension.

[Jake]

I know this subject can be a bit personal so please dont answer if you wish not too ok !!! What im wondering is if any of you felt there was a time that you needed to change things in your life and how did you go about it ??ie career , where you lived just general things !!! im 41 now and i guess i feel time creeping up on me and by no means am i going threw a midlife crisis just thinking about a change , i know the job i have is going nowhere and it used to be ok because i knew i had to pay the bills and finish my house in the Philippines , but now its not enough i want to do something different something that i can be proud of and say I DID THAT !!! a couple years ago i moved to the East Coast of Canada and i was commercial Fishing for 6 months and it was such a great experence but just too hard of a job for me getting up 3 am driving a half hour to get to the boat only to work sometimes 18 hours on the sea , i have been thinking about going back to school and getting my tesol to teach in asia so that i can be closer to my family in the Phils but i Honestly dont have any idea about doing this !!! if any members who did this please respond back ok thanks !!! i really envy those members that moved to the P.I. and have a happy yet simple life and thats what i want too , like my fellow country man ekimswish i seen some of his pics in the gallery and he looks soo happy there and thats how i feel too !!! maybe im just a little home sick now but im ok guys !!! So if any of you have ideas or advice for me please feel free to respond thanks everyone !!! O-U-C :AddEmoticons04230:

If I may quote from Kuya Lee: "good things come to those who wait" is such a realistic outlook on life, especially when changing a career or lifestyle. You should be grateful that you and your family are still young and have many years to plan other contingencies if plan A does not work. I would suggest that you communicate your inner feelings of anxiety to your young wife. You may be pleasantly surprise in what she could come up with. It's a major decision at mid-life and she deserves at least to comfort you as you toss and turn in your sleep.I think Kuya Lee would agree with me that the only difference between you younger studs and us old farts is that we have made a million more mistakes than you guys (at least 20 more years worth of mistakes). We would like to think that older men are wiser, provided we have learned from those mistakes.You're at a serious decision at a major crossroad. Read your fellow Canadian Ekimswish's blogs and realize that life sucks sometimes. It's a never-ending growing process and we all appreciate your personal thoughts revealed in open forum. We are here for you buddy......just don't turn out to be like your uncle Jake as a DOM forever.......he, he.Respectfully -- Jake

[roy2cebu]

TESOL cert....I got mine a couple of years ago in Australia. Did 120 hours online study / exams then a week in HCMC to finish with in class teaching. You should have similar organisations in your country.Not much chance of decent work with it here though. Very poor pay as well. Also, now , most Asian countries insist that besides TESOL qualification you have to have a graduate degree. Doesn't seem logical to me as one could have a degree in chemistry, for example, and what the heck is a connection between chemistry and English? Would you study chemistry to become an English teacher?As for life change, have given the gist as to why mine is changing now elsewhere on this forum so won't repeat, repeat.I do have a plan in mind which will involve 6 months work in Australia and 6 months here.Am 54 now but despite having enough life experience am actually terrified of what's ahead. Fear of the unknown perhaps. Time will tell.

[Old55]

Some of the others mentioned a pension. IMO this is key to future security. My suggestion to you is find what it is that you have a passion for in the workplace then find a somewhat secure job doing what you like for a reasonable wage and pension in Canada that should not be imposable. At your age you should expect to work twenty or more years. If you have little or no savings at this time twenty years is enough to provide a good life in Philippines but only if you plan ahead. From what I have read online and from friends living in China teaching English is not a profitable venture. Not only that the Chinese schools treat foreigner teachers poorly and the working conditions are not good. There are very few teaching jobs in Philippines I do know of one guy teaching English in Cebu City under the table but he makes very little.From what you have posted I think I remember that you and your wife do not have any children? Not having children will make things much easier but most Filipinas want children.If you were to work fishing for half a year then visit Philippines the other half could you save enough money and live in Philippines full time in ten or twenty years? I know fishing is a young mans job mostly.Maybe you should move your wife to Canada and both of you work for ten or twenty years with the idea you will move back to Philippines when you have saved enough to live there on pension. Sadly there is not easy way to live in Philippines without money. You can survive there on a small amount but would you be happy?

[Mavrick]

I am only 34 was married young. Tried to go back to school for a different career. Found out I was either too old or over quaified.Help her family.( hispanic big one ) No respect from step kids that I help. To many fights with the Ex over them. Ex got the house. Moved on. I do not know if you can have a mid-life crissat my age. I am at a cross road to stay here in the rat race. Or see what is over there. If I may quote from Kuya Lee: "good things come to those who wait"I want to do the math first. See if it adds up to the right road not just a wild hair.:AddEmoticons04230:

Edited April 11, 2011 by Mavrick

[OldUgly&Cranky]

Thanks Guys for all your advice !!! yes thats true good things do come to those who wait !!! and im sure thats what i will end up doing im really a person who doesnt make rash decisions , i have been thinking about changing jobs in the near future because what im doing now isnt going anywhere and with the cost of gas , electric , food all going up its hard to make ends meet these days never mind saving for the future , but i guess there is light at the end of the tunnel because my house in the philippines is almost paid off only about $ 3000 cdn left and were free and clear of that , my wife did and amazing job paying it off in almost 6 years plus getting renovations done so im happy !!! Old55 my wife and i dont have any children of our own but she does have 2 kids , one getting ready for collage now hahaha more stress :AddEmoticons04230: hahaha but its all good im just going to think positive and know there will be a time for everything like the Book of Ecclesiastes says to Everything There Is a Season and a time and purpose under heaven , so i will keep plugging away until i get done what i have too !!! i really am greatful for all your advice guys its great to have good friends like you all , and its great to have a place to vent whats on your mind and get others opions on what they did in there life to make it too the place where you are now !!! THANKS MY FRIENDS and for you UNCLE JAKE I WILL ALWAYS BE A DOM FOREVER HAHAHAO-U-C :any-help:

[Jake]

I am only 34 was married young. Tried to go back to school for a different career. Found out I was either too old or over quaified.Help her family.( hispanic big one ) No respect from step kids that I help. To many fights with the Ex over them. Ex got the house. Moved on. I do not know if you can have a mid-life crissat my age. I am at a cross road to stay here in the rat race. Or see what is over there. If I may quote from Kuya Lee: "good things come to those who wait"I want to do the math first. See if it adds up to the right road not just a wild hair.:AddEmoticons04230:

Ahh.....to be young again at age 34! I was also divorced around that age, spent nearly 5 years playing the field until I finally met my current wife Judy. She gave me four beautiful children and we will becelebrating our 26th anniversary this coming June. Hopefully everything is behind you now, enjoying freedom to explore again in a tropical paradise callthe Philippines. I envy you in many ways. Once you save up some funds to explore for a few months,please try not to fall in love immediately upon arrival. You need to sample all the spices of life.Go get 'em tiger -- Jake