Reasons to come or stay and live and the Philippines
First a few reasons to stay away:
- If 25 degrees C is the maximum you can bear,
- if swiss precision and reliability is a must in your life,
- if your well being depends on traffic lights and speed limits on the road,
- if delicious local food - like in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Lebanon, or other gourmet countries on this planet is your daily food requirement,
then the Philippines are most likely the wrong country for you !!!
If however
- freedom to move around,
- Islands of tropical beauty, surrounded by thousands of miles clear deep coastal waters and mountains up to 2900 mtrs above sea level,
- clean warm tropical ocean, year round about 26-29 C,
- year round temperature of 28 - 33 C or more,
- lush vegetation and millions of year round blossoming flowers, orchids, bushes
- sweet and delicious sun ripened tropical fruits, like some of the really sweetest and most delicious mango on this entire planet, papaya, coco nuts, year round strawberries and seasonal blueberries from the mountains of Baguio city, star apples, avocado and many more tropical delicious natural jewels,
- affordable cottages or apartments - or even really affordable houses with garden or beachfront
- freedom to enjoy life, sing or be loud and happy
- tropical mountains and thousands of islands to walk, explore and enjoy
- millions of smiling eyes, friendliness toward all foreigners and to be truly welcome - more than in most other countries in the world
- affordable recreation, food and drinks - with other words affordable life in general
... and quality of life within your heart is of only true importance to you
then Philippines may be a country of choice for you !!
In the Philippines you may find some 500'000 US citizens, many thousands of Europeans, Australians and people from all around the world.
Who and why to people come to the Philippines ??
Most foreigners most likely are retired, receive a pension and spend their most beautiful years of life here.
For people in Europe or similar places life may be easy at home while working at full salary. Once retired from job and living from your pension - all looks very much different. However with the4 low cost of living and high quality of social life among friends and native neighborhood - all retirees enjoy a life dozen times more pleasant than at home. With houses starting around 100 US $ a months even beach front - with average being about 150 - 200 US $ monthly - here is a place with many free houses or apartments to enjoy the evening decades or years of your post working life.
If you are publisher, author, freelance writer or photographer you may also find opportunities to do your work here in peace and among a natural ( wild ) environment ...
IT professionals may have all connectivity to do their work from islands instead of out of your usual (stinking) city office in New York, Paris or London, ..
Many retirees start a new life, new partnership / relationship, new recreational activities like sailing, fishing, boating, surfing, windsurfing, SCUBA diving, snorkeling, bowling, billiard, singing, music, ...
But what about language ?
Philippines have NO Philippino language ... They have MANY languages - fortunately for you - dozens of dialects - many so different that often English is the only communication language among local nationals - thus,
millions of Philippino speak an excellent English !! Illiteracy is extremely low and educational level far above average worldwide. Communication with all friendly Philippinos - even in most remote provincial islands is easily done most of the time in fluent English. Most major national daily newspapers are published in English - such as Star, Manila Bulletin and Inquirer. Taxi drivers, Bus drivers, sales persons in malls or supermarkets or stores, almost all speak fluently English.
How or what to do when you think "may be ..." Philippines sounds good for me ?
Many foreigners make a common mistake, they arrive here at one place and immediately settle down, renting houses - furnishing houses, creating new attachments before even knowing part of the country.
Imagine a country with some 7100 islands and islets - almost 1000 nautical miles north - to south ... with only some 80 Million population ... of almost entirely smiling people welcoming YOU ...
If you love to find YOUR place - take your time, arrive, stay in one of the many resorts, most offer monthly rates FAR below average daily rates - specially if you arrive during off-season - i.e. during summer months. Fully furnished apartments, cottages or houses - even inside a well maintained Hotel Resort offering convenience, security and logistic that you may need or wish for an active life may cost as little as 200 - 500 US $ a month.
Hence the best is to arrive, stay in a secured place with all logistics needed to gather more information, meet other foreigners and Philippinos and go traveling every once in a while - here and there - north or south,l beach front or mountains, remote islands or tourist areas, quiet places or 24 hrs happy active life, all is possible - and you may love to see how or where you feel most happy and most comfortable.
Generally in all remote areas or islands you may encounter many locations without electricity - some hours of generator each day and the rest quietness and nature. But even in major cities such as Angeles city, Metro Manila or Baguio city brown outs and power failure lasting hours, half nights or all nights may occur frequently. In metro Manila less - but all other major cities i seldom spend a few days without one or several many hours lasting power failures !!
Hotels and all important larger business facilities usually are prepared with a generator that starts within minutes.
Got hungry for an adventure trip to a little hidden paradise ??
More in other posts on this forum in a short while,
but
..
just to keep you open and ready for the upcoming adventure into the Philippines ...:
Most nationals require no visa for entry as a tourists. Most retirees are here on a tourist visa. You may want to check with the Philippine embassy in your country - but for most ( all ? ) Europeans, and US / Canadian / Australian / New Zealand citizens arrival with a valid passport is enough and you receive a 21 days visa free of charge at the air port.
Then during this 21 days - usually with the help of your Hotel Resort - you easily extend to a full 59 days (from actual arrival) and after this first 59 days - tourist visa usually is 60 days at a time. Each such extension is approximately 40 - 60 US $ depending on what extension - 1st or 2nd or later each has a different price ....
For example here in San Fernando La Union, the immigration office is inside the bowling building near the central post office in Catbangen - about 1 km outside the center of the city - requests processed here at this local immigration office are always processed most friendly and in minutes or just a very few hours - usually always the same day. That is also the place to apply for an EXIT clearance - needed if you extend MORE than 6 months without leaving the country. Leave your fingerprints, one or several ( max 4 ) pictures and a few minutes later you have your signed official document to leave the country again - free of charge !
You apply for visa extensions or similar procedures such as exit clearance at any immigration office in the Philippines - where ever you live ! Thousands of travel agencies country wide offer visa assistance - meaning THEY do all the work or waiting for you for a very nominal fee within a very few days - usually 3 or so working days.
Give yourself another chance in life - give your life another new content - start being happy after years or decades of most heavy work !! Learn to take care of your heart and soul - learn to smile and to love and be happy ... many places to do so - here in the Philippines is one of the most beautiful to learn and enjoy the art of life !
