Our New Life

[Panserhansen]

It has been more than 6 weeks since me and my wife arrived here, and I thought I'd tell you how we've managed so far. We're still living in our hotel condo. We haven't been lazy or had trouble finding nice places, it's just that we love staying in the condo. The hotel, the staff and everything makes it so convenient for us. We have the condo cleaned three times a week, they even do the dishes if he haven't done it ourselves. Water is being delivered to our room for a decent price, the furnitures are nice, we have a balcony and two bathrooms. Internet included, but the line has been about 800-1000 kbs. That will change in the next days, we are having a separate landline of 3MB installed. The IT guys helped me set up my IP phone, and the line hasnt been down a minute since arrival. We have a TV set and I can watch my favorite team on ESPN or Star. We managed to reduce the rent after one month, and we only have one month deposit. Most of the owners of private condos elsewhere demands a one year contract two month security and two month advance. If you break the contract you lose the security. We can keep the room as long as we want, but we extend every two months. So, we're happy with the accomodation. So for Cebu City, where to start. Let's have a regular day. We wake up, and eat a fresh chilled mango and have some juice and usually some fried rice. Then we go downstairs and all the staff smile and welcome you. I always return the greetings back and smile. Door is opened by the bellboys and they rush to find a taxi, which often is waiting outside anyways. Sometimes I tip them a 10 or 20, sometimes not. Taxi to the gym takes 5 minutes and cost a little below 50, I alwas tip a little bit. Welcomed by the staff and some of the members I've started to know. I usually spend an hour in the swimming pool. And it has started to show - I am reducing my weight, and the sun has already given me a nice tan. Two times a month I take a massage here, for 300 peso. You may find cheaper massage elsewhere, but I find the staff here more skilled. I also tip the masseuse. They hardly make money at all and tip is an important source.After swimming, usually a taxi to a mall to have lunch. Our favorite for asian food is Lemon Grass at Ayala. The fresh spring rolls and Tom Yam Koong soup are wonderful. Or the ham and cheese omelette at Drifter's. If we want to eat cheaper, we have fried rice at Chowking. We stroll around for a while and usually go to the supermarket to buy food. What a selection they have. Fresh fish is wonderful, and we eat that at least three times a week. About 250 a kilo for the ones we like and never remember the name of. Salt, pepper, garlic, chili and a few minutes in the frying pan - what a meal. Sometimes we buy a whole raw chicken or some pork chops. We don't eat much red meat, but I found a whole imported tenderloin at Rustan's, vaccumpacked. Great meat and so tender - but ask about the date and if it's 2-3 months old, it should be perfect. Of course there are items we miss from back home, but there are also so many things here you cannot find back home, so without any hesitation I would prefer the supermarkets here from the ones back home. They pack your bags for you and if you have a lot, they carry to the taxi station. We take a taxi back home, relax for a couple of hours before we prepare dinner. Oh, and if we have a couple of heavy bags, the bellboys carry them up to our room.After dinner, I start working. Before we went, we agreed that I should have something to do, and I work 20 hours a week. 8 hours monday 15-23, 4 hours tuesday-thursday 19-23. Working late hours works perfectly. I don't drink a single beer those days, at least not before 23, and then I'm usually tired and go to bed. My salary is about 50 % of a Norwegian regular, and we can live well on that down here. Work is conducted through internet and IP phone. Phone line is usually good, but the line can sometimes be a bit blurry. When we get the 3MB installed, it will be smooth.Plenty of things to do in our spare time and we are never bored. Sometimes we go to the cinema, the casino, a resort, a karaoke bar, a restaurant or visit someone and we have already had a weekend in Hong Kong. We want to go later to Bohol, Boracay, Baguio and other places. We've started to socialize, and usually only with couples. I've find out there are basically to kinds of persons here - the ones married and the single guys. The single guys have interests we don't take part in and vica versa.Of course there are things down here I wish was different. But then again, I choose to focus on the positive things and I feel so relaxed here. My health is better, we have more spare time than before, we value every little small thing that combined make the strange thing called life, and we feel so priveleged to stay here. Our intentions is to stay for a year this time, and if things work out for us, who knows it might be longer.A little personal to put things in perspectice: one year ago we were here for a 4 weeks stay and we had to cancel after two weeks. I lost my beloved brother back home, and my wife was in hospital here in Cebu. The days before this happened, I had the same feeling as now - life was wonderful. But it felt like someone dragged me down from the hill of happiness. Well, sometimes you walk through rain and wind, and you or people you love might be struck by lightening. Stop and help them get on their feet, and if they are down for good you really need to walk on and not dwelling too long, or it might take you down with them. I continued to walk, and would you belive it - the sun is now shining again, and I can hear the sweet silver song of the lark on our way back to the hill of happiness.

[Mik]

Welcome to Cebu and thanks for sharing your experience. You have settled into a nice routine, you have more time and you are content. You may not want to return to the frozen north.

[Mr Lee]

Fantastic my friend, great post, it is so good to know that you are once again enjoying life :7_4_17[1]: and it is really good to see positive posts and positive people posting. :SugarwareZ-037: Keep us informed and I and looking forward to seeing you soon.

[tropicalwaste]

Great to see you have settled in well and also managed to sort some good accomodation.. The issues you came across with the condo advance payments are pretty common. Even with a small apartment you pay 2months in advance. Its mainly down to the fact people seem to disappear. I know in the UK if you just moved out you may still get chased by the landlord. But here maybe its a bit different which is why they seem to ask for so much up front. Either way im glad your enjoying your stay.. hope we can meet up sometime.