Bayanihan is more than a Filipino tradition. After a landslide struck our property in Puerto Galera, I experienced firsthand what happens when a community comes together—and why an American retiree may come to the Philippines alone but doesn’t have to remain alone here.
If someone in the Philippines tells you the party starts at 6:00 PM, does that really mean 6:00? Here’s what American retirees should understand about “Filipino time,” why it exists, and when being late definitely isn’t acceptable.
For forty or fifty years, somebody else owns your time—the boss, the mortgage, the deadlines, the commute and the alarm clock. Then you retire. Moving to the Philippines taught me something I hadn’t expected: there’s a huge difference between having nothing to do and having nothing you have to do.
You hire someone in the Philippines, the work gets done, and when you ask what you owe, the answer is: “Bahala ka”—it’s up to you. For a new American expat, that’s where the confusion begins. How do you pay fairly without being a Cheap Charlie—or accidentally establishing the American Rate?
Why is he pointing with his lips? Why did that child put your hand to his forehead? And why does “come here” look like “go away”? Filipino gestures can puzzle American newcomers, but learning a few of these silent signals makes everyday life in the Philippines much easier.
One of the first surprises many foreigners encounter in the Philippines isn’t the weather or the traffic—it’s the stranger who quietly says, “Sir… I can help you.” Here’s what every retiree should know about fixers and why the safest shortcut is often no shortcut at all.
Every American retiree remembers their first Philippine Comfort Room. The bucket. The tabo. The missing toilet seat. The trash can beside the toilet. At first it’s culture shock. Before long, it simply becomes another part of everyday life.
Credit cards and digital payments are becoming more common, but cash still runs much of everyday life in the Philippines. Here’s what every new retiree should know about exact change, small bills, tipping, and the mysterious way Philippine coins seem to multiply.
Many Americans think they’ve experienced hot weather before moving to the Philippines. Then they discover tropical humidity. Here’s why the heat feels different, how to stay comfortable, and why air conditioning becomes one of the best investments you’ll ever make.
Retirement in the Philippines comes with surprises. This week’s surprise involved a missing denture, a family investigation, and a rat that apparently decided to steal YaYa’s teeth.