migration

[jolog1]

mrfd3 - listen to your parents. There are many people like you that wants to move to the philippines but a lot of them are already financially secure. They usually wait for their SS or pension to start to kick in (Americans, Europeans). The other half of them are people with money and wants to start a business here (OFWs, chinese, koreans & Indians).

Here's an advice for you - visiting a country is not the same as living in one. When you visit, relatives are there to entertain you, you eat the best food, you tour the good sites, you shop around, and there's always a gathering. You're care-free. Everytime I'm visiting other countries, I run into the same feelings too. When you LIVE here, that's when you get your reality check.

[cardo]

I remeber when I first got a job here in Manila... It was so chaotic! I would wake up at around 5am, just to get a good shower coz if you wake up late there would be no water! haha. Just when you start walking out of your apartment, you'd be sweating already coz the weather is humid and the air is so polluted. When you reach the highway where the bus stop is located(EDSA), you'd be running trying to catch the bus. And when you get in the bus, there's so many people inside you could barely reach you pocket to pay for the bus fare! By the time you reach work, you smell like pig already!!! haha... hirap talaga maghanap buhay at magsimula. I rented out a room in an apartment which was rented out by a lady. I remember my room was shaped like a traingle, no closet. I had a fan and a measly folding bed which would squeak everytime you move. There was'nt any washing machine, so you'd end up washing clothes on a weekend. and there was no place to hang em dry and not get stolen... so you end up having clothes lines in your room. and when its the rainy season, they won't dry up properly and your clothes would stink hahaha! it was a difficult situation that i would use my clothes 2 - 3 times... if there's no stain or smell it can still be used! hahaha. sa pag gising mo palang papunta trabaho pagod na pagod ka na. it was so tiring and stressful just to get to work, and when you get home you're just knocked out! It really makes you appreciate the things that you had when you were at school. when you're working, its hard just to support yourself.

anyway, those were the times. Its really good memory and you end up laughing at yourself and what you wen thru! makes you appreciate what you have now...

[Karding]

Hi Mrfd3s, Keep us posted on how your 'independent' life in Manila is.

[mrfd3s]

I talked to my parents and I will be spending summer there. Jun-Aug. We have a few properties and some condos, all of which are in the Manila area. I wouldn't classify my family as very rich, but I wouldn't say we are very poor either. I mean, we don't have Bentleys or Ferraris or anything but we do have drivers and a few maids. If I did move there, I want to be able to say that I earned everything I have on my own, without the help of my parents. I do not want the houses or the condos that my parents own because I want one that I paid for myself. I have a few friends there, most are from extremely wealthy families, and we are planning on a business venture. If I can prove to my parents that I can be well-off on my own then they will allow me to move there. They want to move there themselves, the only thing keeping them here is providing for me and my brother, but if I can make a good living then they will no longer need to provide for me. I have a few cousins that immigrated here and they themselves want to return. The reason is because they say life here is very dull. They say that in the Philippines, people still out and have fun on weekdays after work and on weekends. Here, there is no time for having fun or going out. Here, the only time people get to really go out is on Saturdays. And there are no maids or drivers here to make your life a little easier (unless you are very rich). I would only want to move to the Philippines if I were in the upperclass, which is why I want to go there and start a business.

Off topic, but I would like to say I was impressed by the Philippines the last time I went there. I used to go there a lot when I was a child and I went recently and Philippines has changed. There are so many Expeditions and Explorers on the street. I also didn't know there were exotic cars there untill I started hanging out with the friends I made. I saw a few 360 Modenas, a Murcielago, and my girlfriend there had a sl55 and an X5. Also, the nightlife there absolutely KILLS the nightlife here.

[cyberdoc95]

I talked to my parents and I will be spending summer there. Jun-Aug. We have a few properties and some condos, all of which are in the Manila area. I wouldn't classify my family as very rich, but I wouldn't say we are very poor either. I mean, we don't have Bentleys or Ferraris or anything but we do have drivers and a few maids. If I did move there, I want to be able to say that I earned everything I have on my own, without the help of my parents. I do not want the houses or the condos that my parents own because I want one that I paid for myself. I have a few friends there, most are from extremely wealthy families, and we are planning on a business venture. If I can prove to my parents that I can be well-off on my own then they will allow me to move there. They want to move there themselves, the only thing keeping them here is providing for me and my brother, but if I can make a good living then they will no longer need to provide for me. I have a few cousins that immigrated here and they themselves want to return. The reason is because they say life here is very dull. They say that in the Philippines, people still out and have fun on weekdays after work and on weekends. Here, there is no time for having fun or going out. Here, the only time people get to really go out is on Saturdays. And there are no maids or drivers here to make your life a little easier (unless you are very rich). I would only want to move to the Philippines if I were in the upperclass, which is why I want to go there and start a business.

Off topic, but I would like to say I was impressed by the Philippines the last time I went there. I used to go there a lot when I was a child and I went recently and Philippines has changed. There are so many Expeditions and Explorers on the street. I also didn't know there were exotic cars there untill I started hanging out with the friends I made. I saw a few 360 Modenas, a Murcielago, and my girlfriend there had a sl55 and an X5. Also, the nightlife there absolutely KILLS the nightlife here.

[SIZE=2]There you go Mrfd3s!! You have just justified your transfer to the Philippines. I guess you must be friends of the Ayalas, Lopezes, Aranetas, etc.(sorry if I missed to mention some of the tsikoteers who belong to this class) then, coz these are the only few people who can afford those exotic Ferraris, Mercedez Benz's and BMW's you have mentioned.

Just a little curious though, are you still impressed of those cars when you can easily see those in Los Angeles area specifically in Beverly Hills/Hollywood /Malibu maybe? There are so many of those in a lot of variety and colors and latest model. If you are still not satisfied at Beverly Hills, check the Hamptons in Long Island, New York. That's where you really see exotic cars. Not to mention the presence of FORD Explorers probably in every corner of Los Angeles and San Francisco and in every major city in the US. California has the most number of SUV's in the entire United States.

You, probably, are one of the privileged few who can spend without limitation of your parents' money, but not for the rest of 60% of the entire population of the Philippines. Be thankful that you are in that position because there are approximately 50 million filipinos who live below poverty line and can hardly eat one meal a day. I'm sure you are going to enjoy riding your girlfriend's BMW X5 and mindless of the hundreds of dirty beggars going near your shiny, exotic,german-made SUV. But I guess, that's fun for you!

Oh, don't forget that below 18 yrs old can buy cigarettes and are allowed to drink any alcoholic beverages plus you can go enter any club you want(even strip joints). You can even drive when you are dead drunk without any trouble to the police, not even when you get into accident. And finally, you can score a much cheaper crack anywhere. I'm sure this will help on your nightly ploys.

A lot of filipinos would say that life is dull in the States. But being dull is not because of where you live, but how you live your life. The reality of a responsible adult life is this - not every night is a night out. An adult life is always a working life since you think of other people's needs like your kids' tuition and college fund, the family's next summer vacation or your wife's new car. That's adult life!

But I agree with you about the night life! L.A. clubs close at 2am(at least the last time I was there). In the Philippines, they stay open until 5am. You will not have a lot of fun when you are the designated driver. If you have only been to L.A. clubs like the ones in Hollywood, they're nothing compared to the club scene in Manhattan. But then again, they close at 2am. So, I guess, that describes it when you said: "the Nightlife there Kills the nightlife here".

Your intention of opening a business would be great since you will be able to employ many filipinos. As you can see, unemployment rate in the Philippines has its all-time high since the fall of the Marcoses. You will do your share to improve the economy as this is the main task for the new administration, which is to attract foreign investors to open businesses in the Philippines and employ locals. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I can honestly say that the prospect of having a profitable business is nil. Most of the highly popular markets have been oversaturated such as department stores, cars and accessories, anything about fashion and showbusiness, animated arts, and a lot more.

Good luck mrfd3s! Its gonna be a lot of fun in the Philippines!! Its a no-go for me to visit the Philippines next year since my friends are coming over for their kids' summer vacation.

HAPPY NEW YEAR PO SA LAHAT!!!![/SIZE]

[Gen1]

Mrfd3s:

I'm a little confused. You and your friends from extremely wealthly families will start a business here in the PI? I deduce from your posts that you are not yet in college, so must be in high school. So your local friends here would be in high school too.

Local kids from extremely wealthy families go direct from prep shool (ISM, British School, maybe Brent) to college mostly in the US, UK, France or Aus. They NEVER stay here and open a business. College is too much FUN.

But I maybe wrong ang you're not toying with us.

[mrfd3s]

I am a senior in high school myself but my friends there vary in ages. A lot are in college but even more are already in their twenties preparing on taking over the business for their parents. I do not have any friends who are in high school there. I have some experience in business myself, I started an online company when I was 16 and sold it just after I turned 17. I saved that money so I can invest it at the right place at the right time. Compared to the US, I was not impressed by the cars, but I was impressed by the progress Philippines has made from when I went there as a child to when I went there recently.

Off topic again, have any of you been to a track called "Batangas Racing Circuit"? While I was there my friend let me drive his Ferrari 355 around the track and this guy in a fully built EVO whooped me. I was also impressed by the aftermarket and custom products you guys are able to put into your cars. The Evo was built by AutoPlus I think.

[Karding]

Looks like money is not a problem for mrfd3s which means he/she should survive in the Philippines.

[Prometheus]

Sir Karding is right money is not a problem for mrfd3s. Ako kaya mabubuhay sa ibang bansa?

[Karding]

Sir Karding is right money is not a problem for mrfd3s. Ako kaya mabubuhay sa ibang bansa?

Mabubuhay ka kapatid. Sipag at tiyaga lang. Saka sa ibang bansa, pede kang umutang muna ng pang college at bayaran mo na lang kapag nagka work ka.