If you grew up in the United States, you know exactly what to expect on the Fourth of July: parades in the morning, BBQs in the afternoon, fireworks when the sun goes down, and the whole nation calling it a night by 10 p.m. sharp. One day, one celebration, one set of traditions. Then you … Read more
In the U.S., when the power goes out, we call it a blackoutāwhich makes sense. If it happens at night, everything goes dark, and thatās usually the moment people start imagining monsters coming out of the shadows. Americans even have famous blackouts that live in the national memory. The 1977 Great New York Blackout turned … Read more
Ever notice how what we expats call flip-flops are pretty much the national footwear of the Philippines? Sandalsātsinelasāare everywhere. Jeepney? Sandals.Market day? Sandals.Mountain trail that would make a goat nervous? Still sandals. Not tennis shoes for traction.Not boots for motorcycle safety.Not galoshes for the mud. Just those trusty rubber sandals, slapping along like itās the … Read more
Most guys on YouTube will tell you why you should retire in the Philippines. Iām going to tell you how I actually got hereāmistakes, bad bets on love, busted expectations and allāand why that long, messy road eventually pointed me to Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. This isnāt theory. Itās twelve-plus years of boots-on-the-ground experience from … Read more
Retiring in the Philippines turned out to be one of the best decisions of my lifeābut not for the reasons I expected. After years of living here, these are the ten things I wish someone had told me before I packed my bags and boarded the plane.
In the U.S., malls are dying. In the Philippines, theyāre packed. For many expats, these giant, air-conditioned palaces feel like the American malls they grew up with ā only busier, friendlier, and very much alive. If you grew up in the era when āgoing outā meant getting dropped at the mall for the afternoon, you … Read more
YouTube is full of videos promising that you can retire in the Philippines for next to nothing. The reality is more complicated. Here’s what I’ve learned after years of living here.