# Importance of living near other expats.



## joenasia (Jul 5, 2013)

This could be a very diverse and up or down thread! My question to anyone living here in Ph .... Do you find it good, bad, helpful, more secure, less secure living in an area of expats? For me I find no solace in living near or within an area of expats. My nature is to be suspect of " why are you here?" !! We all have our reasons and I know personally plenty that are not good and in fact bad. Needless to say I'm also very sure are plenty that are as myself and reasons similar to mine, yet I have not met any in person and in fact make a point to be more careful with expats from anywhere than with the native people. Near misses in my acquaintances in Mexico could have been very life changing for me and not in a good way, what happens along the way makes our mood for tomorrow! So lets hear!


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I have enough acquaintances that I can interact with as little or as much as I desire. Usually in public venues. Most of the people that I know are like that. We like our space but enjoy some western company for some sanity sometimes.

The main side effect of living in an area where there are expats is prices go up.


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## JimnNila143 (Jul 23, 2013)

Same here, my wife and I have both friends and neighbors who are expats and it is good to have them. joh1 is correct. Anytime a foreigner comes around, Filipinos think $$$$$. This is why you need your Filipina asawa there with you to haggle prices. Most Filipinas hate to be taken advantage of. When I first met my wife face to face, we stayed in Manila together for the 1st 43 days we were together. It was funny to watch her haggle with a taxi driver. She is very frugal and would get out of a taxi and hail another so fast that the taxi driver's nose would bleed. If he looked at me I'd point my thumb at my wife and he'd hang is head down.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

joenasia said:


> This could be a very diverse and up or down thread! My question to anyone living here in Ph .... Do you find it good, bad, helpful, more secure, less secure living in an area of expats? For me I find no solace in living near or within an area of expats. My nature is to be suspect of " why are you here?" !! We all have our reasons and I know personally plenty that are not good and in fact bad. Needless to say I'm also very sure are plenty that are as myself and reasons similar to mine, yet I have not met any in person and in fact make a point to be more careful with expats from anywhere than with the native people. Near misses in my acquaintances in Mexico could have been very life changing for me and not in a good way, what happens along the way makes our mood for tomorrow! So lets hear!


I would have to agree with your assessment of many of the expats and visitors to the Philippines. Especially due to the fact that we live a stones throw away from the red-light district of Angeles/Balibago. 
We had the option of a gated community years ago and decided on a poor Mt Pinatubo resettlement so as to be with and close to local people. There are several foreigners that do live in our town and we are friendly with only two couples. Personally, I feel and have been completely safe and secure here in this town more than I ever was in California as well as safer than we would be in a gated sub division here in the country.
Even through the years that both my wife and I have served on the local police, we still feel better and safer than we would elsewhere. Funny, some of the people I have personally put in jail have become good friends while others, although not really friends, will still visit with us at the market and even stop by the house and bring us extra mangos or whatever they might have extra at the time. For us, I think we'll stay right here. Just wish it was close to the ocean...


Gene


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

lived in many places without foreigners. For me it was near as good. The upside is it does occasionally help to vent with others of like minds. Im among a big retired military community here so we are all very similar.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

I want to live in an area I can afford, if I'm stuck in a gated community full of westerners then it's gonna cost me... so for me what matters is my family and how I get by, if I want conversation there is a meeting spot in another municipality and I have been invited but it's a 30-40 minute drive on-way.

I do miss conversation.... I don't have any English-speaking people near me, they don't speak much English, they might understand what I'm saying at times where I currently live and even the surrounding area's, I have seen posting's that some claim most people speak English... well that's not true at all for me the Southern Luzon area has very little English-speaking people they might at times understand what i'm asking but the words are not there for conversation and my area starts from Calamba Laguna all the way to Pagsanjuan Falls.

Manila on the other hand seems like the US to me, I come there once a year to update my Immigration ID and see more educated people everywhere and they can hold a conversation it's when I return back home and the first sign I am back home and traveling through Los Banos Laguna people selling the Buko pie that's what everybody here looks and acts like, there's no jobs other than reselling stuff or working for somebody, most people here don't finish their education and what little school they had was with really bad attendance.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mcalleyboy said:


> I want to live in an area I can afford, if I'm stuck in a gated community full of westerners then it's gonna cost me... so for me what matters is my family and how I get by, if I want conversation there is a meeting spot in another municipality and I have been invited but it's a 30-40 minute drive on-way.
> 
> I do miss conversation.... I don't have any English-speaking people near me, they don't speak much English, they might understand what I'm saying at times where I currently live and even the surrounding area's, I have seen posting's that some claim most people speak English... well that's not true at all for me the Southern Luzon area has very little English-speaking people they might at times understand what i'm asking but the words are not there for conversation and my area starts from Calamba Laguna all the way to Pagsanjuan Falls.
> 
> Manila on the other hand seems like the US to me, I come there once a year to update my Immigration ID and see more educated people everywhere and they can hold a conversation it's when I return back home and the first sign I am back home and traveling through Los Banos Laguna people selling the Buko pie that's what everybody here looks and acts like, there's no jobs other than reselling stuff or working for somebody, most people here don't finish their education and what little school they had was with really bad attendance.


Have to agree with your post and thinking. But send me two or three of the buko pies. The ones from your area are a lot better than in the Angeles area or anywhere else I have tried them. Good stuff!


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## pac (Jul 27, 2013)

JimnNila143 said:


> Same here, my wife and I have both friends and neighbors who are expats and it is good to have them. joh1 is correct. Anytime a foreigner comes around, Filipinos think $$$$$. This is why you need your Filipina asawa there with you to haggle prices. Most Filipinas hate to be taken advantage of. When I first met my wife face to face, we stayed in Manila together for the 1st 43 days we were together. It was funny to watch her haggle with a taxi driver. She is very frugal and would get out of a taxi and hail another so fast that the taxi driver's nose would bleed. If he looked at me I'd point my thumb at my wife and he'd hang is head down.


A like wasn't good enuff for this one, Jim...laughing out loud, this was funny!

Thanks for the laugh!

pac


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Buko pie*



Gene and Viol said:


> Have to agree with your post and thinking. But send me two or three of the buko pies. The ones from your area are a lot better than in the Angeles area or anywhere else I have tried them. Good stuff!



On the hwy outside my Municipality they sell Buko pies, probably the ones the sell in other area's and they try to get a large price but their only worth 50 peso's the better pies can only be bought in Los Banos Laguna and I think they run 250 peso's each, these are larger and thick full of coconut meat and I think eggs might be a part of it, I noticed that recently when traveling through the venders are selling mini buko pies for 5 peso's, those seem to be popular now.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mcalleyboy said:


> On the hwy outside my Municipality they sell Buko pies, probably the ones the sell in other area's and they try to get a large price but their only worth 50 peso's the better pies can only be bought in Los Banos Laguna and I think they run 250 peso's each, these are larger and thick full of coconut meat and I think eggs might be a part of it, I noticed that recently when traveling through the venders are selling mini buko pies for 5 peso's, those seem to be popular now.


When we were in your area last year it was with my wife's company as an outing. She jumped outa the van and bought like four of them but I don'd know how much they were. I just know that they were really good when we got home. Those small ones for P5 would be good for kids to take to school for snacks. Well, eventually we'll get back over that way and stock up again.


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## Billfish (Apr 13, 2013)

This really is a "horses for courses" topic.

Personally I love a multicultural life so enjoy having a mix of foreigners about as well as locals. Mixing with expats has left me with very good friends from all the continents bar one (which only has penguins for citizens) and each brings flavour to a conversation. We had a laugh at a bar the other day when we realised out of the nine of us we had an Australian, Japanese, Norwegian, American, English, Nigerian, Mongolian, Singaporean and a Cambodian. All great mates, all having fun. I'd miss that in a more homogenous setting.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Billfish said:


> This really is a "horses for courses" topic.
> 
> Personally I love a multicultural life so enjoy having a mix of foreigners about as well as locals. Mixing with expats has left me with very good friends from all the continents bar one (which only has penguins for citizens) and each brings flavour to a conversation. We had a laugh at a bar the other day when we realised out of the nine of us we had an Australian, Japanese, Norwegian, American, English, Nigerian, Mongolian, Singaporean and a Cambodian. All great mates, all having fun. I'd miss that in a more homogenous setting.


I have a similar experience at my favorite watering hole (3-4 Aussies, 1 Brit, 1 Belgian, 1 American a couple of Danes). It's more interesting to get the flavors of conversation going. 

Experiences like these would be hard to come by in our home towns....


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

jon1 said:


> I have enough acquaintances that I can interact with as little or as much as I desire. Usually in public venues. Most of the people that I know are like that. We like our space but enjoy some western company for some sanity sometimes.
> 
> The main side effect of living in an area where there are expats is prices go up.


I'm about the same as Jon. I live far enough away from him so that I can avoid buying him the beers I owe him.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

mcalleyboy said:


> I want to live in an area I can afford, if I'm stuck in a gated community full of westerners then it's gonna cost me... so for me what matters is my family and how I get by, if I want conversation there is a meeting spot in another municipality and I have been invited but it's a 30-40 minute drive on-way.
> 
> I do miss conversation.... I don't have any English-speaking people near me, they don't speak much English, they might understand what I'm saying at times where I currently live and even the surrounding area's, I have seen posting's that some claim most people speak English... well that's not true at all for me the Southern Luzon area has very little English-speaking people they might at times understand what i'm asking but the words are not there for conversation and my area starts from Calamba Laguna all the way to Pagsanjuan Falls.
> 
> Manila on the other hand seems like the US to me, I come there once a year to update my Immigration ID and see more educated people everywhere and they can hold a conversation it's when I return back home and the first sign I am back home and traveling through Los Banos Laguna people selling the Buko pie that's what everybody here looks and acts like, there's no jobs other than reselling stuff or working for somebody, most people here don't finish their education and what little school they had was with really bad attendance.


I lived in Cabuyao Laguna from October to April and I could not wait to get out of there. I felt very isolated after a while. There was only one neighbor that I could have a decent conversation with, and he was not around much. I was the only Caucasian around thus the "stare" factor was huge. I didn't have a car then and there are no taxis, so travel was by trike and jeep. I basically got asthma from the pollution.

So I swung to the other extreme and moved to Subic. Except for the higher cost, I love it!


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## JimnNila143 (Jul 23, 2013)

Haven't had buko pie in a long time, we can't get them here in Gen. Trias, we have to go to Tagaytay to get them and they are not bad at all. Tagaytay is 1 hour away from Gen. Trias.


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## JimnNila143 (Jul 23, 2013)

DonAndAbby said:


> I lived in Cabuyao Laguna from October to April and I could not wait to get out of there. I felt very isolated after a while. There was only one neighbor that I could have a decent conversation with, and he was not around much. I was the only Caucasian around thus the "stare" factor was huge. I didn't have a car then and there are no taxis, so travel was by trike and jeep. I basically got asthma from the pollution.
> 
> So I swung to the other extreme and moved to Subic. Except for the higher cost, I love it!


My first 3 months back in the Philippines, Nila and I lived in Dipolog City. We were close to her family there and we knew several ExPat Americans who lived there as well. Nila's family is 3 hours away from Dipolog and they live in an extremely rural area. They have electric power but no telecommunications and no Internet. :typing: When my wife got notification that she qualified for an interview at the US Embassy, we moved to Luzon and have been here ever since.


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## jdavis10 (Oct 1, 2012)

Well joe you got to ask yourself a question, do you really want to be around alot of expats you don't know? Passing one or two in mall is fine I do that quite often but I don't plan to get buddy buddy with anyone in particular. Gene and few here are pretty alright people but you are here in Philippines I would say never let your guard down even to someone from U.S. or 1st world area because if you give someone opportunity they will take it. Its a law of nature. You made a valid point Joe and you seem like smart guy just always have backup plan. Acqaintances sound like a better option in my book.




joenasia said:


> This could be a very diverse and up or down thread! My question to anyone living here in Ph .... Do you find it good, bad, helpful, more secure, less secure living in an area of expats? For me I find no solace in living near or within an area of expats. My nature is to be suspect of " why are you here?" !! We all have our reasons and I know personally plenty that are not good and in fact bad. Needless to say I'm also very sure are plenty that are as myself and reasons similar to mine, yet I have not met any in person and in fact make a point to be more careful with expats from anywhere than with the native people. Near misses in my acquaintances in Mexico could have been very life changing for me and not in a good way, what happens along the way makes our mood for tomorrow! So lets hear!


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

pac said:


> A like wasn't good enuff for this one, Jim...laughing out loud, this was funny!
> 
> Thanks for the laugh!
> 
> pac


Isn't it great how we can use them as the fall guy? lol


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## joenasia (Jul 5, 2013)

My " smarts" are a results of " stupids" along the way! Hahaha. Now I find it easier to read, try to understand, take some sage advice! Sometimes wonder why a crooked finger or knee or wrist seems sort of swollen and stiff........ Ahhhhhh then all comes back! Young and indestructible! NOT !!! Yep I have been approached plenty in malls and I think I'm cordial enough and maybe was the finest person " I NEVER MET!" but maybe not. I assume many have children in this forum and I think all here have some important info to offer them in the area of " human nature" , my own is very educated and traveled but in a gentle more refined way. Now she actually ask about certain places and my opinion as I was never one to say so much of what and why only that I was there! I myself enjoy this particular forum, seems like the moderator keeps it like I like " CLEAN ENOUGH TO BE HEALTHY AND DIRTY ENOUGH TO BE HAPPY"!!!!


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

joenasia said:


> My nature is to be suspect of " why are you here?" !! We all have our reasons and I know personally plenty that are not good and in fact bad. Needless to say I'm also very sure are plenty that are as myself and reasons similar to mine


My nature is the opposite...more for those outside the cities. The westerners I see while on vac all can't be retirees or penpals meeting their gals; many are younger than me and must have some source of income. I'm guessing some are missionaries. I like San Miguel too much to do that lol


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I agree with you on the rockstar wannabe's. Can't stand them no matter what country they are from and have zero time for them. Lately it seems that the Koreans are slowly taking over that role. As there are large numbers of them coming in every year.

I think some people just lose their minds when they come over and have very little accountability. Kinda like a teen with carte blanche.....


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## yakc130 (Apr 27, 2012)

jon1 said:


> I think some people just lose their minds when they come over and have very little accountability. Kinda like a teen with carte blanche.....


Just like here in the "Magic Kingdom." People come to the Middle East and do the same thing. 

People, who back home were the straightest of arrows, just go nuts doing everything they can, then stop before they go back. 

Personally, I just don't get it. They have to have something wrong with their character if they feel the need to be that way.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

[QUOTE="The people I dont like are the *******s coming here for a vacation, long or short, doing the playboy living and being arrogant bi**hes, pretending to be owners of the world. Sorry to say but there are way to many Americans doing that, thinking they are Gods of the universe."[/QUOTE]. It's not just Americans who behave this way. I have also encounted many Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Brits, Dutch, etc. Who fall into the same category!


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Playboys in S. Luzon*

I'm glad someone else mentioned that, I didn't want to go there but the Australian community seems very large in this area, it's a rare occasion if I run into an American, I also witnessed many Korean's they stand out like sore thumb by the way they dress and hang out in groups, they were acting like big players.

On Lighter note I had an Australian man with his girl friend invite me to ride with them to Manila to pick up sausages, lol... I do love sausage he sure knew all our wants and food needs, I had just met him and didn't want to go with him anywhere, I have a car and something didn't seem right, he was in the store before us just hanging around with his girl, about 45 minutes and then when we left he was waiting for me it seemed, they never bought anything, maybe he was lonely for new friends? But there's many in the municipality he lives in, he also started bragging about his van and mentioned he had sold his condo in AUS for 1 million dollars, he sure didn't dress like a millionaire or look like one.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

The guy was probably an okay person but you were wise to use caution. We sometimes forget about the bad eggs that wonder our home countries and that they travel also. Always best to play it safe till ya really get to know someone. Seems I read about so many foreigners here now that end up arrested for drug sales and many other things. Sure would hate to be with the wrong person when they get picked up or shot at.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Get together with expats*

I will eventually get with these guys at their meeting place and see who's who and start learning names and faces, with multiple meetings I will gain trust and they will trust me, so when I do meet up with them in the stores I can feel more confident in sharing activities or going places, could be a huge money saver and more trips.

I would rather travel with an expat to Manila we sure could save on trips with the van, traveling the bus can only get us so far and then the added costs of travel to the mall or grocery, special spots and eating out, its sounds like they are doing this already.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

mcalleyboy said:


> I will eventually get with these guys at their meeting place and see who's who and start learning names and faces, with multiple meetings I will gain trust and they will trust me, so when I do meet up with them in the stores I can feel more confident in sharing activities or going places, could be a huge money saver and more trips.
> 
> I would rather travel with an expat to Manila we sure could save on trips with the van, traveling the bus can only get us so far and then the added costs of travel to the mall or grocery, special spots and eating out, its sounds like they are doing this already.


There is a group of expats, at least a few of whom are Americans, here in Bacolod who get together monthly (every 1st Saturday) at a local resort. I keep meaning to join one of the get togethers but never seem to actually get around to it! Maybe this next Saturday? Maybe...?


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## Colt (Apr 8, 2013)

the upside is , as far as PP goes is there are safety in numbers. I admit I've lived in some off beat places..and initially sought out the expats that lived there. Unfortunately most were slime.Americans, Canadians and Brits.Oddly the only guys I found to be cool were the Aussies ,Anyway this is/was Mexico, central and south America.Asia is a diff. animal.You can blend in better in the Americas..I've lived in some very dangerous barrios thruout my travels. But PP in general is well for lack of a better description. So, yeah i'd d say it's important for ex pats to stick together just so someone that isn't part of that twilight zone, has your back.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Dangerous situations*



Colt said:


> the upside is , as far as PP goes is there is safety in numbers. I admit I've lived in some off beat places..and initially sought out the expats that lived there. Unfortunately most were slime.Americans, Canadians and Brits.Oddly the only guys I found to be cool were the Aussies ,Anyway this is/was Mexico, central and south America.Asia is a diff. animal.You can blend in better in the Americas..I've lived in some very dangerous barrios thruout my travels. But PP in general is well for lack of a better description ,,,really fkd up. So, yeah i'd d say it's important for ex pats to stick together just so someone that is'nt part of that twilight zone, has your back.


Drinking seems to bring up the worst in everybody and there's no exceptions here in the Philippines, they can get down right violent and start throwing things, we had to asked this lady to go home and sleep off her drunkenness because she was spitting on the floor, washing out her mouth and then spitting... broke a glass and she got violent.... she started throwing full bottles of beer, she busted a whole case, what a clean up that was for me.

My birthday party this year we had a man that we have partied with in the past and he gets odd and sure enough he showed up while we were getting something in the house and he looked okay, sometimes they can really hide their drunkenness, anyway he came in the house and demanded cigarettes I gave him money for cigarettes and that's when I noticed something was wrong, I provided all the alcohol and food and yet he still didn't buy his own cigarettes, then next he kept bugging the crap out of me, hanging on me tapping me touchy me, he asked me for Levis Blue jeans, I asked who's Birthday party is this? Yours or mine...I had to move to another spot, I tried to kick him out, told his friend to take him away but they didn't listen to me finally the wife let go, they got her temper she has a good one and it don't stop.... it still took these guys a few minutes to move out, dang I always try to watch out for party crashers that are way gone but it's almost impossible some people can hold their liquor long enough to get into the party and then it's down hill all the way.


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## Mug (Sep 28, 2012)

When we have parties we provide water, coffee and tea. We tell people this ahead of time, and they are free to bring along whatever else they want to drink, knowing they are also responsible to keep the drinks cold if they so desire. This does not eliminate all the problems, but at least I don't have to deal with drunks I helped create. I do not drink any alcohol and my wife has one or two drinks per year, so we don't miss the cheapsters who think party = drinking someone else's booze.


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## MikeynJenz (Oct 8, 2012)

JimnNila143 said:


> Same here, my wife and I have both friends and neighbors who are expats and it is good to have them. joh1 is correct. Anytime a foreigner comes around, Filipinos think $$$$$. This is why you need your Filipina asawa there with you to haggle prices. Most Filipinas hate to be taken advantage of. When I first met my wife face to face, we stayed in Manila together for the 1st 43 days we were together. It was funny to watch her haggle with a taxi driver. She is very frugal and would get out of a taxi and hail another so fast that the taxi driver's nose would bleed. If he looked at me I'd point my thumb at my wife and he'd hang is head down.


This made me laugh, simply because that is exactly how mine is.

She will drag me out of a taxi if she thinks we are getting the old "traffic traffic" need extra money lark. Her father used to be a taxi driver for most of his life, so she knows what things should cost and knows what the tricks are. If the meter isnt working, we don't use the taxi.

Filipinos like you say, put prices up to take advantage of us but fellow Filipinos hate getting taken advantage of and will fight tooth and nail if they think that it is happening.

Mine once argued in the market over being over charged just 5 peso. Embarrassing at the time but i guess it is a good sign as they are looking after our wallet in some respect.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

let em haggle(tawad)our money is also theirs.......best they know it.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Paying the correct price*



MikeynJenz said:


> This made me laugh, simply because that is exactly how mine is.
> 
> She will drag me out of a taxi if she thinks we are getting the old "traffic traffic" need extra money lark. Her father used to be a taxi driver for most of his life, so she knows what things should cost and knows what the tricks are. If the meter isnt working, we don't use the taxi.
> 
> ...


Good for your wife, nobody here pays full price but OFW's or tourist. I had a man try to sell me a very nice Knife, I had my eye on that knife for a long time already and they sell it at the hardware stores and some Chinese spot for 180 peso's he tried to sell that knife for 900 peso's, I didn't want to travel to the hardware store and got the knife for 200 peso's, lol.

After years of living here the other town vendors do get know you and we need to pay what everyone else pays and not peso more, every time I pay way too much for something I think of all the things I need to buy for my grandson, such as diapers, milk it adds up.


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## Mug (Sep 28, 2012)

My wife asks me to NOT go shopping with her, as my presence has a negative effect on her haggling power. Trouble is in the province she is now referred to as Mrs White, so she cannot bargain very well with such a title. She prefers a 30 minute bus ride to Vigan, where she is not as well known, to get better prices. The extra time and bus fare do not seem to make it worthwhile in the long run, but she feels better to partake successfully in the tradition. I just bide my time at the internet cafe or read a book while sipping coffee at Jolibee.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Married to Foreigner*



Mug said:


> My wife asks me to NOT go shopping with her, as my presence has a negative effect on her haggling power. Trouble is in the province she is now referred to as Mrs White, so she cannot bargain very well with such a title. She prefers a 30 minute bus ride to Vigan, where she is not as well known, to get better prices. The extra time and bus fare do not seem to make it worthwhile in the long run, but she feels better to partake successfully in the tradition. I just bide my time at the internet cafe or read a book while sipping coffee at Jolibee.



Isn't that something, I have been told by family member, that no matter what if you're an OFW or married to a foreigner they will always shake your spare change, it's a oppurtunity for extra money and it's their business, reason I had to buy a vehicle I could not stand how much guilt the tricycle drivers level on me for rides and the over charging, even from family members they would charge us 300 peso's for a two hr block of driving 10 miles or less to another city to cash my check, then I would provide food at Jollibee and family still wanted 300 peso's the trip with meals and everything would only last 2 hrs, other family members were shaking their heads and said that's crazy in front of the driver (Brother in-law) he would say that he has to pay for oil changes, tires, break downs and gas, lol, 300 peso's is not enough.


I don't hide anymore because I know most of the prices for products and can tell it's quality, many of the items won't last and it's not worth what they ask for anyway and if they won't cooperate we walk to the next vendor, the next vendor will know what's going on and we the local price, most of the time we get a great price and some spots have their prices fixed even better, 10 peso's for baby clothes, shorts and shirts as an example but if we buy at other vendors or people walking around selling it's 50 peso's for the same thing.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

My attitude exactly...just walk on if you can't get the local price...eventually some one will get it that better to make a sale than wala.

Also even legit businesses stiff you on 5P or less in change, must add up to millions nation-wide.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

LOL! I've been driving myvson to school this past week and, since my wife isn't with me, having breakfast at the nearby McDonald's on Lacson St. (My wife prefers to breakfast at ChowKing). Apparently, if you want to meet/see other expats here in Bacolod, just stop in at this McDo around 0730!


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

overmyer said:


> LOL! I've been driving myvson to school this past week and, since my wife isn't with me, having breakfast at the nearby McDonald's on Lacson St. (My wife prefers to breakfast at ChowKing). Apparently, if you want to meet/see other expats here in Bacolod, just stop in at this McDo around 0730!


Part of its attraction may be the free newspaper (you've got to ask for it though)!


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

If they have sausage biscuits like here in the US I'm there lol


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

cvgtpc1 said:


> If they have sausage biscuits like here in the US I'm there lol


No. They've got the muffins but not biscuits! I miss those!


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Sausage and biscuts*



cvgtpc1 said:


> If they have sausage biscuits like here in the US I'm there lol


Never thought to have breakfast sausage at McDonald's.... might give it a try, I've been here 5 years this time and not once have I ate out for breakfast, I live in a poultry/duck raising area and we get our fill of eggs but sausage and biscuts or pancakes sounds good, I will need to travel thought the McDonald's in Sta Cruz Laguna is an older building and full of people who bug you for money, the next one is in Los Banos Laguna and very nice and peaceful hard to find restaurants like this in my area, many need to be upgraded and remodeled.


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## joenasia (Jul 5, 2013)

Breakfast tacos.... Even mcdo style would be good enough. Tried mex food in Manila, Cebu and Naga, not sure what to say...... I guess to much Texas and Mexico for me and can't get that familiar taste and actually was expensive !! I can cook it pretty well but like " sit down and get waited on" sort of experience!! Any ideas where is good +- tex mex or mex food?


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Mexican food*



joenasia said:


> Breakfast tacos.... Even mcdo style would be good enough. Tried mex food in Manila, Cebu and Naga, not sure what to say...... I guess to much Texas and Mexico for me and can't get that familiar taste and actually was expensive !! I can cook it pretty well but like " sit down and get waited on" sort of experience!! Any ideas where is good +- tex mex or mex food?


I don't hear that enough, I love Mexican food I could live on for months and I did when I worked at a Mexican restaurant as a teen they had free food.

There are a couple of malls in Manila that have a Taco Bell, I did a search and found a few but the dinning atmosphere won't be like those cool spots your used to in the US or Latin America.

There's a Mexican eatery at the MOA but we didn't stop there it didn't look so fantastic, lol... People here just don't eat taco's they don't and they are not crazy about Chili either, I had to order a crock pot from Sears overseas just to make my black bean chili and other fixings, I have been told that the Subic Freeport area has crock pots.

Avocado's are seasonal here and very cheap, I think there out of season right now, a couple of months ago I made guacamole salad and was reminded that they don't like that either, they like the avocado's sweetened with sugar as an ice drink, way crazy, my daughter and wife like my guacamole salad but other friends and family don't seem to touch it.

Black beans are cheap and found in several spots one of them is the PureGold grocery chain, they have kept a supply now for a couple years, they also sell a really nice locally made hot sauce that is the equivelant of Tabasco called "Suka Pinakurat" hard to find this one it's really good and a bottle will run about 45 peso's also found at PureGold.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Wish I would've known that hot sauce to bring some back to the states...I did bring a couple other brands...standard mama sitas and jufran.

I did notice a mexican place opening at MOA food court. Didn't say when.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*"Suka Pinakurat" hot sauce local made*



cvgtpc1 said:


> Wish I would've known that hot sauce to bring some back to the states...I did bring a couple other brands...standard mama sitas and jufran.
> 
> I did notice a mexican place opening at MOA food court. Didn't say when.


Once you have tried "Suka Pinakurat" the other hot sauces will become a thing of the past, we have been here 5 years and then we came across this sauce they have a website also, phone number on the bottle, says it's made in Iligan city, in my area the only spot I can find it at is the Puregold grocery chain. Barrio Fiesta makes a sweeter similar one but that one tastes more like a Worcestershire sauce and I use like a worcestershire called "Tubasuk" this one is found in most grocery stores.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

*Suka Pinakurat*



mcalleyboy said:


> Once you have tried "Suka Pinakurat" the other hot sauces will become a thing of the past, we have been here 5 years and then we came across this sauce they have a website also, phone number on the bottle, says it's made in Iligan city, in my area the only spot I can find it at is the Puregold grocery chain. Barrio Fiesta makes a sweeter similar one but that one tastes more like a Worcestershire sauce and I use like a worcestershire called "Tubasuk" this one is found in most grocery stores.


Suka Pinakurat has its own Facebook page so has to be awesome! 

Read more on it and it sounds like what you would get with your chicharones from a street vendor when we lived in AC. Bit into one of those peppers once, will never forget it!

Web says it's in the states. Our Asian store has an extensive Philippines section and we're going tomorrow, I'll look for it.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

mcalleyboy said:


> I don't hear that enough, I love Mexican food I could live on for months and I did when I worked at a Mexican restaurant as a teen they had free food.
> 
> There are a couple of malls in Manila that have a Taco Bell, I did a search and found a few but the dinning atmosphere won't be like those cool spots your used to in the US or Latin America.
> 
> ...


I've always been a bit surprised that they're aren't more Mexican restaurants, since during the 200+ yrs of "Spanish" rule the Philippines was actually governed out of Mexico and most of the Spanish who came here came via Mexico.


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## Bobilero (Sep 10, 2013)

Its a bummer to have to deal with that kind of situation. We were pretty wild back in the day when I was in the Navy. But never disrespected where we were at, whether a bar or such in P.I. Respecting the surroundings, no matter where you are at, is the most proper way to be. Whether a bar or a persons house. Unfortunately, alcohol and common sense often do not run hand in hand. LOL


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## Bobilero (Sep 10, 2013)

*Bummer*



overmyer said:


> I've always been a bit surprised that they're aren't more Mexican restaurants, since during the 200+ yrs of "Spanish" rule the Philippines was actually governed out of Mexico and most of the Spanish who came here came via Mexico.


Wish I heard better news about Mexican food. Gonna be there soon. Think I will miss that most about the States. Maybe someone should open a restaurant lol


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Mexican foo*



Bobilero said:


> Wish I heard better news about Mexican food. Gonna be there soon. Think I will miss that most about the States. Maybe someone should open a restaurant lol



If you need any tips on making the taco meat or what they have here local that works let me know, they do sell black beans here and avocado's both real cheap, cheese will be another bummer I'm afraid its expensive and in most remote area's shredded cheddar.... no such thing, they do sell shredded mozzarella and it's not cheap, sour cream.... they don't know how to make that here it's watery and flavorless. 

Don't forget a very large crock pot, another thing that nobody uses here, I have been told that they do sell these in the Subic Freeport area.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mcalleyboy said:


> If you need any tips on making the taco meat or what they have here local that works let me know, they do sell black beans here and avocado's both real cheap, cheese will be another bummer I'm afraid its expensive and in most remote area's shredded cheddar.... no such thing, they do sell shredded mozzarella and it's not cheap, sour cream.... they don't know how to make that here it's watery and flavorless.
> 
> Don't forget a very large crock pot, another thing that nobody uses here, I have been told that they do sell these in the Subic Freeport area.


Philadelphia cream cheese is available at Hypermart's and usually Puregold..


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## joenasia (Jul 5, 2013)

*Food!!*

Found some familiar ingredients at Rustons near the iron parking deck in makati. Expensive but they have a few items hard to forget and can get ingredients for some mex or tex mex dishes. I did see a nice cheese counter almost like a Kroger or HEB and think was in a Robinson maybe makati. I suppose need to photo and make notes in phone. The last photo in grocery I attempted to take was nice sort of upscale grocery in Ho Chi Minh city, Hershey bars and chocolate in a locked case as if ammunition or narcotics! By the time I had my big grin going and my partner telling me to say " cheese " a obviously disturbed VC woman sort of supervisor tuned me up in short order and ended the photo shoot!! I think ph employees in all stores are undoubtedly the most friendly I have ever encountered so photos not a problem! Actually could probably get several to pose and pretty sure get some vocals going in the background for a video! I love this place! Hahahaha


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Cream cheese*



Gene and Viol said:


> Philadelphia cream cheese is available at Hypermart's and usually Puregold..


We do have that here, I never thought of it a replacement for sour cream but it is! and available in many large grocery stores the price though! 

I like the cream cheese on crackers and with my coffee in the morning's it's been a while since I purchased that though. Will try that on the potatoes and taco's, good call Gene.


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