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Reasons to come
, 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 Filipino 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 Filipinos speak an excellent English !! Illiteracy is
extremely low and educational level far above average worldwide.
Communication with all friendly Filipinos - 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 Filipinos
and go traveling every once in a while - here and there - north or
south, 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 ??
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 !
http://www.kriyayoga.com/philippines/expert_forum/posts/8.html
This page was
last updated
February 07, 2007
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