Why I Picked the Philippines

Interesting story mugteck and a place in your heart, my dad was occupational forces in Japan for some 12 months, I never knew as he never talked about the war and aftermath but in my 30's he opened up with sad and horrific tales of what went on with the war and Japan, very sad.

One only needs to look at the crap going on now and wonder "why"

Not going to get into the beliefs but they don't need to happen. I have enough drama with one pig headed Filipino but we always mediate and find a middle ground.

Money and egos create war.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

          After Manila fell and the remaining Japanese moved north into the mountains, where they hung out until the surrender on the Missouri in September in Tokyo Bay.  My father was still driving between Lingayan Gulf and the troops, who just sat and watched the Japanese.  He told me if you had a vacant seat and a guy was hitching, picking him up was the proper thing to do. They called it alternate transportation.  He regretted that in 1968 when I started hitching to Forbes Field in Pittsburgh for Pirates baseball.  During the Vietnam war I had no trouble getting rides and also gave plenty myself.  My dad picked up a guy who claimed he had spent over 2 years in a Japanese prison camp, and he was not going to survive that only to die on the lousy roads in the Philippines.   He insisted that my dad drive no faster than 10 miles an hour.  My dad said it was his patriotic duty to not frighten the man who had suffered so.  He got back to camp late that night.

Back to the topic.

As a bit of a loner/hermit and care little for socializing I realized the better was missing his family (we were living in Oz) even though we visited 2/3 times a year I personally had little to hold me to Australia, so we purchased and moved here, I find it fine aside from the stupidity offered up and my dying days will be here, good people, good climate, on the beach and well under half the price of Oz, living like a king as they say.

I do miss a decent bit of beef though.

Cheers, Steve.

           I understand what you are saying about the draw to the PI, especially the prices while living on a fixed income.  We are living on a little more than half of my monthly social security check, of course the wife has her own much lower monthly check, but it is all extra cash for her, so she can help the family while complaining about how dependant they are on us, goes with the territory. Was drawn by no more snow, now appreciating the contrast of spending months in Baguio.  I miss the vegetarian food I can get back in Bethlehem, much greater selection in food stores and restaurants.

               I understand what you are saying about the draw to the PI, especially the prices while living on a fixed income.  We are living on a little more than half of my monthly social security check, of course the wife has her own much lower monthly check, but it is all extra cash for her, so she can help the family while complaining about how dependant they are on us, goes with the territory. Was drawn by no more snow, now appreciating the contrast of spending months in Baguio.  I miss the vegetarian food I can get back in Bethlehem, much greater selection in food stores and restaurants.        -@mugteck

I totally get you about the snow, yesterday was the first day that I had to de-ice the car this winter and the temperatures in the UK are set to plummet with the first snow fall of winter already arriving in certain parts of the country. Snow looks great in Austria and other winter holiday spots but when you have to drive in it, it is a pain in the arse.

There is also the extra costs involved to stay warm inside your house and the fuel bills in winter go up considerably.

I first came to the Philippines in 1978.  I was on a rapid deployment force with the marines. subic bay was our first stop. It was supposed to be for a week,  but Carter and Congress couldn’t get together on the budget,  and we were here more than four months.  I loved it here, the people liked us,  especially the pretty girls,  I was getting 17 pesos for a dollar,  and everything was cheap.  Even though it was under martial law,  we never had any problems with the PC,  as they were called then under Marcos.  Curfew was from midnight to 5 am. If you were in a bar,  they just locked you inside and the party kept going.  Beer was between 10 to 15 pesos.  An all night stay with a girl in Subic City would set you back 100 pesos.  I ended up meeting a nice girl in Olongapo and got married in a church there.  Brought her back to the states.  Been around Filipinos ever since, what with family and friends I made.  The housing crash in 2007/8 wiped out most of my retirement savings.  I had to start over.  Figured out that financially I would be better off living somewhere cheaper. By this time I was long divorced.  Didn’t really have many ties to chicago,  either.  So, in 2013,  I decided to vacation in Manila for 10 days.

Really was impressed with how modern it had become.  Got back from my vacation just in time for my company to announce that they were going to close our plant,  and move all the equipment to Indonesia.  They said if we stayed until the end of our positions,  they would give one month severance for every year of service.  I had 13 years.  I stayed until they cut me in July of 2013.  Suddenly I had lots of money,  and time on my hands.

My next decision was to spend a year in the philippines.  Even longer story shortened,  I made friends I still have today,  and when I retired in November 2018,  I was ready. Flew in on January 3, 2019.  Been here ever since.  And I’m happy.

I will never forget what a taxi driver told me on the EDSA.  He said he envied me.  I asked him why? Because you are tall, foreign and handsome,  and that’s what all the pinays want.

        I had a friend in the US Navy who was stationed there 1971 to 1974, the beginning of martial law.  He said the same about how they managed to avoid the curfew problem by registering as the official boyfriend of one of the girls.  He helped get me up to date on the Philippines when he returned to civilian life in 1975.  After I married in 1994, he expressed an interest to return to the PI.  My wife sat him up with one of her nieces, he flew to Manila when we did in October, 2003, met her, filed for fiancee visa and she arrived in the USA in July of 2004.  They retired to Florida with a daughter and son, now 18 and 16 years old.  He died 10/10/22, never stopped drinking, he was 72

          While my friend in 1975 filled me in on martial law and events in the Philippines he taught me some things about everyday life in the Philippines.  He told me that when a Filipino waves to you, it may appear that he is telling you to go away, but he is really saying "come here"  I got him up to date on the music I was listening to, he was a big Hendrix and Ten Years After fan.  I told him of the concert he saw in 1974 at the Spectrum in Philly, Bob Dylan and the Band.  It was his first concert tour since his motorcycle accident, been touring ever since.  I was surprised when he sat to the piano and played from 1965 Just Like Tom Thumb Blues, played the album for my friend.  He said that he knows the song is about Mexico, but it sounded like the Philippines to him.  Thought I would print the words and see if anyone else gets the same idea.

Well, you're lost in the rain in Juarez and its Easter time too

And your gravity fails and negativity won't pull you through

Don't put on any airs when you're down on Rue Morgue Avenue

They got some hungry women there who really make a mess out of you

If you see Saint Annie, please tell her thanks a lot

I cannot move, my hands are all in a knot

I haven't the strength to get up and take another shot

And my best friend the doctor won't even say what it is that I got

Sweet Melinda, the peasants call her the godess of gloom

She speaks good English as she invites you up into her room

And you're so kind and careful not to go to her too soon

For she'll take your voice and leave you howling at the moon

Now all the authorities, they just stand around and boast

How they blackmailed the seargent at arms into leaving his post

And picking up Angel who just arrived here from the coast

Who looked fine at first, but left looking just like a ghost

Build a house on Prospect Hill, its either fortune or fame

You must pick one or the other though niether of them are what they claim

And if you're lookin' to get silly you better go back to from where you came

Cause the cops don't need you, and man they expect the same.

I started out on Burgandy but soon hit the harder stuff

Everybody said they'd stand behind me when things got ruff

But the joke was on me, there was nobody even there to bluff

I`m going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough

Wow mugteck, you are very left field, my type of person, not afraid to share nor tell it how it is.

Hendrix yes, Ten years after a super yes My fave was always "I'd love to change the world".

Cheers, Steve.

Mugdock

We're you a Shane MacGowan fan.

We're you a Shane MacGowan fan.
        -@richardjinks710

I heard he cut his teeth on The Clancy Brothers and Paddy Reilly.

    Mugdock
We're you a Shane MacGowan fan.
   

    -@richardjinks710

No

Why I picked the Philippines?

Here are the choices I have in my mind.

1)

Live a better lifestyle.

Lower cost of living.

Live like a king.

Smiles. Friendlier locals.

Since I do not have health issues, I would not be needing specialist medical attention.

Go to the beach for a lot less than $1,000.

OR.......

2)

Do all house chores.

Stuck in the house a third of the year.

Less eating out.

Excessive tipping at restaurants.

Excessive tipping at hairdressers.

Tipping culture at some fast food?!?!?

Spend more than $1,000 to go to the beach. (I am >400 miles from the ocean.)

@mugteck  Would you mind sharing what you estimate living expenses are?  I'm considering a move. Thanks!

      We have a house in Manueva, so the expenses are about 4,000 pesos a month for electricity, running only fans.  The tv cable is 1,500 pesos a month, as is not so good wifi.  We own a van and pay a driver 5,000 pesos a month plus we spend about 5,000 pesos a month on gas.  So that is 17,000 pesos a month before food, which usually runs about 20,000 a month, including eating out once a week.  That is the minimum we spend a month, and the real estate taxes are only 150 pesos a year.  This year we are spending 4 months in Baguio at 25,000 a month for a one bedroom apartment in a barangay near downtown.  The rent includes electric, wifi and smart tv.  Easy to spend about 20,000va month for food including eating out at least once a week.  We walk a lot, take the taxi home which is about 100 pesos a ride, so  either place we get by on 50,000 pesos a month, currently less than $1,000 a month. I spend about $300 /year on books, the only other major expense.  There are other incidentals, like the laundry, but is also very cheap.  I give my wife $1,300 a month and let her decide how we spend it, she often includes her family members, stretching the budget some months.  Have any questions?

              While my friend in 1975 filled me in on martial law and events in the Philippines he taught me some things about everyday life in the Philippines.  He told me that when a Filipino waves to you, it may appear that he is telling you to go away, but he is really saying "come here"  I got him up to date on the music I was listening to, he was a big Hendrix and Ten Years After fan.  I told him of the concert he saw in 1974 at the Spectrum in Philly, Bob Dylan and the Band.  It was his first concert tour since his motorcycle accident, been touring ever since.  I was surprised when he sat to the piano and played from 1965 Just Like Tom Thumb Blues, played the album for my friend.  He said that he knows the song is about Mexico, but it sounded like the Philippines to him.  Thought I would print the words and see if anyone else gets the same idea.Well, you're lost in the rain in Juarez and its Easter time tooAnd your gravity fails and negativity won't pull you throughDon't put on any airs when you're down on Rue Morgue AvenueThey got some hungry women there who really make a mess out of youIf you see Saint Annie, please tell her thanks a lotI cannot move, my hands are all in a knotI haven't the strength to get up and take another shotAnd my best friend the doctor won't even say what it is that I gotSweet Melinda, the peasants call her the godess of gloomShe speaks good English as she invites you up into her roomAnd you're so kind and careful not to go to her too soonFor she'll take your voice and leave you howling at the moonNow all the authorities, they just stand around and boastHow they blackmailed the seargent at arms into leaving his postAnd picking up Angel who just arrived here from the coastWho looked fine at first, but left looking just like a ghostBuild a house on Prospect Hill, its either fortune or fameYou must pick one or the other though niether of them are what they claimAnd if you're lookin' to get silly you better go back to from where you cameCause the cops don't need you, and man they expect the same.I started out on Burgandy but soon hit the harder stuffEverybody said they'd stand behind me when things got ruffBut the joke was on me, there was nobody even there to bluffI`m going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough        -@mugteck

I really enjoy your poetry. When I was much younger I was a fan of the poets popular in the 60's such as TS Elliott (The Waste Land), Tennyson and others in that 19th-20th century genre. Eventually I had to put the language arts on the back burner as I focused on engineering for what turned out to mark my entire career through retirement and up to now. But I always had an appreciation for the modernist prose and poetry (though I always thought of prose as lazy poetry lol). In my youth just before turning 18 I created my own collection of prose and I must say, in those days that turned out to be a good way to attract smart beautiful women! My collection was entitled "Charcoal Sketches" which I lent to, but was never returned by, a casual girlfriend of mine, Linda Johnson who became Miss Wisconsin on 1969-70. I had promised it for another beautiful girl but Linda never returned it. She had turned out to be somewhat of a celebrity and probably misplaced it lol.

Anyway, I believe I could simply transcribe the lyrics of Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan and that would instantly handshake with your writing style; the same for Leonard Cohen (Hallelujah). I consider Bob Dylan to be the most important poet. of my time, the young Bob Dylan. So I would encourage you to to publish where you can. Perhaps the social media of today provides new opportunities but you would need to be creative.

           I can't write anything like early Dylan.  I used to make a list of all the words that rhymed, such as bat, cat drat, fat, hat etc, then light up a bowl of Columbian, and start writing a poem with every line in iambic pentameter and every line rhyming with all the others.  Most of it was pretty silly, I have a copy of them somewhere at home in PA.  The other writers I admired where the Moody Blues.  Never tried to impress any women, but my fellow smokers enjoyed some of it when they were high.

Modern poets are a genius. They can rhyme all the bad/cuss words and degrade people in a poem and young people call it good music. Pun intended.