How Did You End Up In The Philippines?
That is a question I get a lot. Especially from my high school friends. I keep answering that question over and over so I thought perhaps I should just write an article about it. Retiring to a foreign country is something you might want to consider. Retiring in the Philippines is something I would recommend.
The short answer is I ended up here by jet. LOL Sorry, I couldn’t resist, I’m a natural smart mouth. Basically, I turned misfortune into opportunity. My health has been poor most of my life. I finally sought disability through my job with the IRS around 2002. I would never qualify for SSN disability but I was under the old civil service retirement system and the requirements are much different.
Around 1992, I was diagnosed with lupus. From there I picked up several more related syndromes, most lupies do. For me, it mostly makes it impossible to live on a schedule, especially someone else’s schedule. I worked until 2002 and then decided it wasn’t worth it any more. Everything in my life was about getting to work. Wasn’t much of a life.
Then my second marriage failed. I suddenly had a huge drop in income from the loss of 60% of my income and 100% of my wife’s income. It was going to be hard to live in the US on a couple of thousand dollars a month or so. The home I was buying was taking half that. With my huge medical bill each month, there wasn’t going to be a lot of money left.
A fellow webmaster had told me I should move to Asia. I thought he was nuts. Then over the years, the idea began to grow on me. The Philippines seemed like a great place for me. Why the Philippines, well that’s pretty easy. One word answer is: Filipina. 
Besides the “simple Filipina Beauty” that is often found in the women of the Philippines, some things that are a limitation with American women are a positive for Filipina. The priorities of Filipina are very different than Americans. I don’t do alone very well, at least based on prior experience, though I think I could probably handle it better now than I did in my past. I’m never really alone now.
The second major reason for my being here is the cost of living. My income, though meager in the US, makes me well off in the Philippines. Most Filipino earn less than $200 a month, far less. There are some wealthy Filipino, don’t get me wrong, it just is not the norm.
Let me give you an example of the cost of living. The best example is my home. I rent it, only citizens can own real estate. It is 
possible to buy a condo though. Others use long term leases. I rent a four bedroom home. It has three levels. The ceilings look like they are 20 feet but I think someone said 16. I’m not certain. The floors are wood and marble in most areas of the home. There are two bath rooms. We are surrounded by banana bush in the rear and a couple of palm trees in front of the marble terrace. We are within walking distance of the coast. It is less than one-half mile away. The monthly cost of this is less than $300 and that’s pretty expensive in the Philippines.
Another example is a doctor office visit is about $12.00. A private room in a private hospital is about $30.00 a day. My medications in the US before insurance were over $1000 a month, my medications here are about $300 a month before insurance.
Eating out is really inexpensive. A trip to the BBQ by the Bay for three is less than $10.00. I know these numbers are hard to comprehend for most westerners but they are not typos.
A third reason is I wanted to explore the world. A few years back I decided I wanted to go to Alaska. Heck I still do, but have you seen the cost of living in Alaska? My 20 year old 4-runner would likely have made for an interesting trip. So I sold my 4-runner and used the money to buy my ticket to the Philippines.
I didn’t know if I’d like it here or not. Some would not. You gain a lot but there are trade offs too. I love it here. I hope nothing forces me to return to the states long term. I would love to visit for a month or so, especially now that I have been able to reconnect with so many old friends. For now, that will have to wait. I have a good, happy and rich life in the Philippines. I don’t mean rich in financial terms, I mean in quality of life. I’m not rich, I can’t afford to partake of many of the things I want to, not yet. I will be able too. I just have to be patient.
I will be writing a book about moving to the Philippines. Everyone should visit this country, especially guys. Women may miss some luxuries of western life. I miss them, but not enough to turn around. The Philippines are fantastic.
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well it sounds great. david king and jimmy wiiiamson were both stationed there during the navy. i am going to go there someday and it wont be long… where do i need to fly into. het bud i give you all the credit in the world for taken that step.. what could i do for income…what do you do
Hey Roger!
I’m so glad I avoided the military. LOL Thanks to the guys that did it!
Lot of military guys come back to the Philippines after retirement. Most of my income is in the form of a pension. I’m retired early! I single guy can live very well on a grand a month but if you have two grand a month, you’ll live very well. Four grand and you’re a freaking king dude.
I supplement my income with Internet activities. Even $100 goes a long way here. I’m writing a series of articles about moving to the Philippines, the good and the not so good.
Dude that car on you Facebook rocks. Its a good thing we couldn’t afford such beast in high school, huh?
You are welcome to stay with me when you come, but my house is freaking empty. You coming for a long term stay or a visit?
I don’t remember the names you mention. Now I knew a Jimmy fairly well but I can’t remember his last name. Tall guy, really long hair, very smart.
Hey Joe you tryin to steal my thunder?
Now nobody will read my stuff 
Roger if you are planning a trip to the Philippines I would recomend you fly directly into Cebu City and avoid Manila. Unless you are planning on traveling around on Luzon.
I’d fly into Cebu even if I was planning on going to Manila. Might save you some hassle from going through customs more than once, like I did. I don’t think I was suppose too but they told me to so I did.
Dear Rusty,
I am engaged to a young lady who lives on Mactan Island. We got engaged through the mails. I plan on leaving the USA for good in about a year. Spring of 2010. I do have some questions that I would like to have answered confidentially concerning Immigration. This is a genuine problem I have, but I would like to keep it private between us if you’d be kind enough to help me. Could you please let me have an e-mail address, where I could write you, and not have it spread al over the web-site for all to read? I would be most grateful if you could help me out in this way.
Sincerely,,
Thomas Howard.
Hey JR,
I sent you an email. If you don’t get it, click on The Breeze at the top of the website and there is an email form there that you can use to email me.
JR. I know you do not want your intentions be broadcasted but I am a Filipina, got maried to an American citizen (white). My advice for you is to marry he in the US, stay for a while to get her citizenship (3-4 years) and it would be easy for her to visit the US and in case you will have kids, she will not be left behind. I know most filipinos want to go to the US – even in recession in the US, still filipinos want to see the US. do not deprive her of that, besides you want her to experience life in the US and then she can make a comparison. I too, want to retire in the Phils. I have been here for 15 years and I see the difference in life between the 2 countries. Life in the Phils. is much easier but there are things in the US that I could not give up…unless I am really old and I do not want to end up in the Nursing home.
Education is very important to me and my husband and we want our daughter to have the best education. US offers that, so I could not uproot our 14 year daughter and send her to colleges in the Phils. UP is one of the best in the Phils but still there is the difference in going to ivy league schools here in the US.
Well, it is your decision and goodluck.
Thomas,
If you are considering moving to the Philippines I hope you will take the opportunity to visit first so you can get a first hand impression before you move. It is very different than living in western countries.
Good luck whatever you decide.
Funny, I tell people they need to visit first. But I didn’t! I just moved right on over. I did it on the cheap though. I left my stuff in the US.
I was certainly not expecting what I found. When I pictured life here I saw it like someone that spent all their life in the USA.
If you can come here with an open mind, ready to change and embrace the differences rather than mock them, you’ll be fine.
It is really good way to help you see what is important in life. It isn’t money, it isn’t things. They are nice but not important.
There are a few people who successfully do that but many who do it without prepration wind up back home again. Don’t tell me there haven’t been a few times you wished you had done things differently. Not that you regret being there but that you wish you had prepared a little more.
I wish I had more information about container shipping but that’s it. I don’t think more visits here would have helped me much.
That’s the only thing I can think of i would have done different.
However, this is clearly a case do as I say, not as I do. I don’t recommend it for most. I’m not normal. LOL
People should visit before shipping everything they own over here. My situation was different though than most people. I had to move some place, I had to get rid of most of what I owned, not really what most people do. And I had Jessie, makes a huge difference.
HI, Rusty. Hope this finds you and your GF well. it’s verrrry cold here and hasn’t stopped raining. Still, it’s nice to hear the rain falling. I’ve been reading some of the many interesting articles you ve come up with and judging from what I’ve read, you are in fact enjoying life in Cebu. Thanks to you for seeing some very positive aspects of the Philippines, Cebu in particular. Indeed, you were right in making the move to tropical Cebu. I had no idea how bad lupus can be. Still, your determination to enjoy life in another far-off country is very commendable. Hope you stay always healthy and continue writing and informing your readers/bloggers/posters about life in your adopted country. There’s more to life than material wealth. Health IS wealth, not many people seem to realise it. The rented house you are living in sounds very well-constructed, with quality materials to boot. You may not have the snow but you have the beautiful white beaches on your doorstep—practically.
Hey Rusty, Hope you had a great Christmas with Jessie and your family! Maybe you can post some pics of the children. Rusty, what is the name of your barangay? Is it far from the city proper? Might stop in sometime or at least see you guys out and about!
Hill,
Thanks for reading and contributing! I love the sound of a monsoon pounding on our metal roof.
Haven’t heard things like that since I was a little boy at my grandparents home. Hard to hear the TV when it comes down.
Bob pointed out some cooler places that might be better for me, up in the mountains. I’d miss the beach at my back door but 25C would fit me much better. We may be heading for Luzon and who knows, maybe even Mindanao. Probably Luzon.
Not any time soon though.
I don’t remember writing about lupus much here but yea it can kill, not likely to do that to me now, at least not directly. My weight is my biggest danger.
Queenie, you should probably text us before you show up.
Use the Questions link at the top to send me your text number and I’ll send you a text message.
Glad to have you back, I thought I had scared you off. I’m always scaring the Filipina. LOL
Pictures of the kids are defiantly out there. Check my personal blog http://www.rustyferguson.com. I took lots off video of the kids at Christmas time but I don’t have a way to capture it to my computer right now.
Rusty–How do you know I’m a Filipina? I just wouldn’t drop in, but I don’t know how to text. I know I’ll see you sometime or other sooner or later! I’m not from Bogo, but I get there every so often.
Awww, I c Queenie, I thought you told me you were here or maybe you told me you had seen me before. I’m confused. Anyway, I did email my cell phone number to you. Hope you got it. I would love to meet you, the email invited you to join Jessie and myself for BBQ but no specific date.
Let me know if you got the email.
Hi Rusty!
Maybe Queenie Bee is not a Filipina. She said that she doesn’t know how to text. I think that texting is an inborn ability of the Filipina. LOL Before choosing a place to relocate you might research the cost of living for those areas. I know that there is a big difference in prices from Mindanao to Cebu and the prices around Manila are much higher.
Boy Tom, you’re quite quick! I think you’re right about texting being an inborn ability!
I of course will go visit. They are not that close, one is a three hour trip. YUCK.
I thought the same thing about Queenie not being a Filipina when she said that. LOL
Queenie, I will teach you if we ever meet.
You just need a Philippine based cell phone. Doing it from a US based cell phone is expensive. I got my phone unlocked shortly after getting here and P50 to get a local sim card.
Texting is essential communication in the PI and Filipina seem to have one embedded into their hand.
bud im going to think about taken a trip over to c you…sounds like a beautiful place.and i know what you mean about the women they or beautiful
oh yeah that is the same car i had in high school…lol. can you beleave i have had it that long
Roger, you drove that to school? I guess I never saw it. I didn’t know you had put these last two replies. Sorry I missed them some how. I would have killed myself in that car. Was it there during the flood?
I may not have that room for you. I’m about to put another woman in there.
Hi Rusty…
I’m glad that you fell in love with our country the way I do.. I just want to say that I’m leaving my American Dream here… Yeah..
Hmmm, can’t say it is an American dream but it is awesome.
Its a tropical dream with beautiful island girls and wonderful people for me. 
Hey Rusty.. U have so many blogs.. How do u keep up??
wish i could exchange links with u..
It is hard to keep up.
If you will like to this site and http://www.cebuexperience.com I will link to you from http://www.rustyferguson.com it is better if we don’t do direct reciprocal links.
I’d rather have a link from your Multiply site as they use do follow. Of course I’ll not turn down a link from any of your sites.
I think we have a mutual friend, I saw a picture of someone I know as JR. i saw his name some place but I forgot what it is, he goes by JR so that’s what I call him. At least I think it was him.
Me and my filapina wife have been together since 2000. We did the fiance visa and married 2002. She was workin in Hong Kong at the time of our meeting. I always loved to travel and agreed to meet her for a two week stay. I have been to third world countries so i kind of knew what to expect. I arrived during a typhoon. Life is a little less hectic there that is for sure. i am lookin to move there in the next two to three years. We are lookin to buy land and build our own place.
Good to see another case where someone met a girl online and had things work out. It can happen as it did for you but it is also a tricky road to go down.
I really dislike renting but for now, that’s what I must do.
Any idea were you will by some land for your wife?
Steve, when you buy properties in the Phils, this will not be in your name. If your wife changed her citizenship, I doubt she will be able to buy one as well unless she has dual citizenship. Your father in law would be the best bet to have his name on it. also you are better off living away from big cities- your expenses will be lower unless you have a lot of dough to spare. City is good when it comes to edcucation…there are international schools in Manila and Cebu. I do not know about Mindanao…you can ask Mindanao Bob….that if you have kids/
Steve, if your wife gets foriegn citizenship, she is allowed to own a maximum 1000m2 city block, and she can only do this twice, not more than that. If she gets dual, then it’s anything goes. If you are going to put the property in someone’s name other than yours, make sure you’ve got some sort of a 50 year lease contract and make sure the contract is gonna be as tight as a fish ass, it is waterproof, no one will be able to throw you out that easily, just in case, if you know what I mean? Probably be best to talk to an Attorney before any signing/buying happens.
Rusty,
After being in you car pool in High SChool and seeing where you have landed, you have definitely made wine from grapes. You have always had the ability to ge by where most would not have a clue. I am proud of the fact that at least you found your way or the way that many could never venture to find. I will be talking to you in the very near fuute. Good luck and love.
I cannot express how nice it is to hear from you. Those were some of the best days of my life, taking you and Sharron’, Sharon and Lugena to school. Would love to heave from every one and Tony Sharp too. I remember when you got your own car, I was so depressed cause I thought you girls would stop riding with me. Remember how we use to make the car rock back and forth to get everyone talking. LOL Wish we could go back to those times.
Thanks for the kind words, yeah, I’m a survivor.
Live is good, as good as taking you girls to school.
i plan on getting married to a philipino man i live in alabama he lives in butuan philippines my question is how many american embasseys are there in the philippines do they have i hear a lot of negative things about manila it scares me .and the next question i have is were can i learn about pesos verses the dollare and it’s worth thanks tracy
Hey Tracy,
Your an anomaly! That’s okay, its a good thing.
I haven’t spent any time in Manila except at the airport. I look forward to doing so I can decide for myself.
When you come here, you are likely to be shocked by the lifestyle here. Manila may be the best place for you but it depends on what you are use too. I think most American women would have a hard time adjusting but it depends completely on you and your outlook. You might learn a lot about what is important in life. I wouldn’t get rushed to get married. You should spend some time here before doing that.
This site is probably one of the best places to learn about the Peso Vs. The Dollar. Right now one dollar is worth about 48 Philippine Peso. In the last 16 months the value has gone as low as 39 (perhaps a tad lower) to P50. It didn’t stay at 50 very long. Two to three years ago it was at 55 peso. That’s the highest I’ve seen it.
If you have a retirement pension or a huge amount of cash in the bank it is important. Or money from the states coming in some how, you’re money is going to go further here than it will in the USA. I have only a pension and a little income from my websites. Earning money here is not an easy thing to do. Many people enter on a tourist visa which means just your passport, you can’t work or run a business here on that.
You will hear a lot of negative things about the Philippines, especially from foreigners, ask yourself this, why are they here then? I love it here.
Manila has problems with smog, traffic and poverty. Sometimes they have terrorist attacks but those have been largely brought under control. Before I came, it seemed like a bomb was going off in a mall every week. The government quickly shut that done quickly. Kidnapping is also a bit of a problem. But much less so in Manila than it is in the southern island of Mindanao. Some areas in Mindanao are extremely dangerous while other areas, such as Davao City may be the safest place in the Philippines. Just outside of Davao is fairly dangerous as well. The mayor of that city clamps down hard on criminals, especially repeat criminals. Their life expectancy is not so good. So the negative element tends to keep just outside the city.
The expats I know that life in Mindanao says its perfectly s safe. I go on what I read and its scary. If you haven’t been to http://travel.state.gov you should go and read the travel warnings. I think I recall that URL correctly. If not Google “US Travel Warning.”
There is only one embassy in the Philippines and that’s in metro Manila.
If I were you, I’d concentrate on Manila and Cebu City. The biggest draw to Manila is that it is a modern city. You can probably get most anything there. Cebu City is very modern too. Both cities are plagued with pollution and pockets of crime.. Your guy can help you with that.
You’re going to hear about how the Filipino people are out too rip you off. That happens but it has not been my experience. I’ve lived here since Feb . 08 and the people I have met are great people. Now the culture is different. That’s it though, its not lessor its different.
Follow your guys lead. Where is he? he can help you a lot on knowing where to go and what to do. An extended stay would be a good idea. Returning home and thinking about what your doing from a distance would be a good idea. I didn’t do that though, I came and I stayed and it has been wonderful for me. I do caution you to move very slowly. Some Filipino men are quite controlling from what I’m use too. Some want let their wives out of the house without them. Some women do the same to their husbands, especially if their husband is a foreigner, You probably need to stick close to him at first. Despite what you hear, most people you meet cannot speak English well enough to communicate with. They can often write it much better than they can speak or hear it.
My southern accent really gives them problems with all my contractions. You’ll likely will have the same problem.
I hope this helps some but you’re going to have to experience for yourself to know. There is a lot of information here to help.
Hi there Rusty. I am an American and have lived out here for about 3 and a half years total myself and then about a year and a half with my european wife and daughters. It’s been an adventure and I have enjoyed it.
I came out here for work, but I would recommend anyone to come and at least visit! I told my Dad he should come live out here as well. Life is slower paced and offers a great standard of living for those even with a modest western income, plus people respect and like Americans here, which is something that was becoming less and less common in the world.
I have learned Bisaya and to a lesser extent- Tagalog, and that has helped me to integrate (as well as cause lots of stares and laughter). I have only recently started reading your blogs but am becoming increasingly interested in them. You’ve done a great job in being informative as well as entertaining.
Thanks Nate!
I hope you’ll offer your opinions more, even when if you disagree.
Of course, that iwll make you wrong though. LOL
Learning the language is something I need to get much more serious about. I think to begin to really understand a culture it is absolutely required to know the language. I only know a few words. Living in Cebu with a Waray-Waray Filipina puts me at a disadvantage..
The standard of living is the reason to come for me, Jessie was one very nice bonus though. Would have been hard for me without her I think. Hard to say because I don’t know what it would be like without her.
Living on my retirement in the US would be a struggle. Living on my salary here would be very nice indeed!
Sometimes I have people ask me what is it like trying to get a job here. If someone is going to ask that question, I think they must be lost. Having something lined up before you get here though, that’s totally different. I haven’t run across very many that have pulled that off.
I know a guy that just lined up a job here, he’s making only about $300 a month plus room and board. A single guy can make it on that. I don’t think its going to turn out well for him though. He needs a break but he’s made a mess for himself with immigration, don’t see how it can possible turn out good for him.
Are you still working? what kind of work if you don’t mind.
Hi there again Rusty!
I am working for a foreign company that I was already for previously in the states, who decided to open a call center here, and asked me if I would be the one to manage it, so here I am!
As far as coming here to try to find a job, I suppose it is possible, but any local job would most likely be at local wages (the only exception I have heard of was a French acquaintance of mine who was offered somewhere around 4 grand per month to work for a local company– he actually turned it down though, as he apparently could make a lot more in another country).
Yeah, learning the language helps, although the funnest thing to do is actually to pretend you don’t speak it, and just listen to what people say around you. I’ve heard everything from “Gwapo siya!” to “buang ka!” (you are crazy!) from a fellow standing on his porch as a friend and I walked by.
You know how life is; every time we walk outside to go to the grocery store it is like another adventure. Something interesting happens!
I have never been as far north as Bogo on the island of Cebu. From the rent prices it sounds like I should go there!
For what it sounds like you have there, you’d be paying probably about three times that much here in Cebu City. I would actually prefer living in the province if it were just me probably, but with kids they need the international schools, etc, and the wife needs the malls! The upside to living in the city is the access to good healthcare (even with ambulances), western-style supermarkets, restaurants, etc. The downside is the pollution, the crime (although I have luckily never had any problem with that- knock on wood!), and the traffic. Before my current job, when I was here back in ‘99, I spent a lot of time in the province- out in various places in Bohol, Negros Oriental and Cebu. I am very happy in the simple life in the province, but there’s no work there unless you have some other type of income (such as retirement!).
That’s cool that your wife is Waray Waray. I have met a few of them. Knowing bisaya I can understand quite a bit of it, but it’s pretty different as well. I’m sure it didn’t take Jesse more than a few months to get fluent in bisaya. I know “Maupay”, but not much else! So is she from Samar or Leyte?
Pag-amping-amping mo diha!
Nate
No doubt with a family, especially western kids, the big City is required. Even Cebu City would be a stretch for most Western women. The women I’ve always known might fight it a little hard here. There are of course exceptions. The malls in Cebu though should keep any woman happy or any shopper for that matter. I’m kind of anti-shopping. I[‘m much happier to do my shopping online. The only thing missing there are the Filipina.
I like Bogo. I came from Memphis so I miss being able to do my shopping at 2am. That was my time to go out. I’m not an insomniac, I’m just nocturnal. LOL Cebu doesn’t offer that so Bogo is just as good for me. I wish I had my own transportation. These buang bus drivers we have in Cebu going to be the death of me. I don’t go often though. Jessie likes to go so its a time for her to get me out of her hair.
I’ve written a lot of article on http://cebuexperience.com and my walks. I’ve not been walking as much lately, not sure if I’m sickly or lazy. I’m leaning toward lazy.
I learned buang the hard way. I once was trying to ask a girl if she was mad in a text message. So I whipped out my English to Cebuano handbook and asked her if she was buang. She didn’t reply. A few days later I looked mad up again and looked a bit closer and realized buang meant mad, as in mad dog! LOL I had Jessie talk too her and explain.
Jessie can converse in Cebuano but when they go deep, as she calls it, she’s lost. The language is significantly different. She’s Italian Waray-Waray, talking about an emotional combination! LOL Waray-Wary was explained to me by another expat as the warriors of the Philippines. He went on to say they are also the “redheads of the Philippines!” She’s actually pretty laid back but she does have that streak in her. They are dangerous with knifes!
She treats me very good, she’s an Angel, although sometimes she’s an ornery angel.
It could be worse, she could be like me, just ornery. It works out well, we understand each other when others might get offended.
Now that last sentence, I have no idea what that means.
Perhaps you can make a mini-vacation up this way. Ii highly recommend Bantayan Island!
It is hard to find a place here to rent. I would be hard pressed to find another place as large as this. I’m luck, my retirement is a lot more than what many Americans make working but those Americans often are force to get two jobs. I retired early for medical reasons and earn 40% of what I did working.
Starting all over is making it a little difficult financially but it beats what my life style would be in Memphis.
Hey Rusty I will be moving there soon, can you send me your email so I can ask you some questions? Thanks.
I love reading about the phillipines what a facanating people but it does seem like a lot of products come from the phillipines are there a lot of factorys there and what are the chances on finding a retirement home there cheat thanks Terry.
I don’t see a lot of factories in Cebu but maybe I don’t know where they are.
You need to do much research about working here. Its easy to come here, working here is far more difficult and if you don’t like the work up before you get here, you’re likely to get paid in line with what Filipino get paid and its not buch. Suppose to be a minimum wage of about $6.00 a day but a LOT don’t get that.
A lot of Westerners come to the Philippines to retire as your money will go much further here.