Topic: I'm really leaving the U.S. for a 3rd world country because of politics - page 4. (Read 16000 times)

Duterte is not your conventional man. He's stirring the pot and the oligarchs in the gateway to hell* which is Manila is reacting. But he can easily command respect. I have been living here in Davao City for more than a decade and I can say that people here are more disciplined than the rest.

All right, let's talk about these three places you've mentioned.

Cebu- Beautiful province with a lot to offer. Avoid the city. It is almost like Manila*. I can recommend canyoneering in Badian, swimming in Bantayan, snorkeling in Moalboal. And if you decide to drop by Malapascua, we might be bumping each other there.  

Bohol- I grew up here. Again, the island has much to offer. Almost every town has a tourist attraction. But of course, the beach is the banner spot. The downside is that it is really expensive there to the point of being overpriced. I don't know if this matters to you though.

El Nido- A beautiful place. Islands and beaches mostly, and some simply nice bars. Avoid the season though. It makes the place overcrowded. Might wanna proceed to Linapacan, i.e., if you want serenity. The islands there will be yours alone.

Cebu and El Nido got my vote. It's a tie. A toss of a coin maybe? Make no mistake, Bohol is really beautiful but I have a little ironic bias as it is my hometown.

And if you're fond of tattoos, the gateway to hell will be the place come Sept. 20-21. It's Dutdutan, the country's tattoo festival.


Thanks, darklus123 for this suggestion.

Nutildah should seriously consider this. A peaceful island, very accommodating resorts and locals, and with other attractions besides the beach. I've been there 3 or 4 years ago. I cannot remember complaining about prices.

I just want to ask you a question. Are you doing a home based job as of now? what kind of environment are you actually looking for. But since you have stated that traffic is completely making you crazy. Cebu is not a very good option for you because as of the moment if  how toxic can the traffic congestion in Manila, you should expect the same thing here in the mainland Cebu.

But if you are going to try considering the better parts of Cebu. You can try checking out Bantayan Island where you can feel a bitch vibe and camotes main island. El nido is also good but I think there is a 3 or 6 months shut down as well for cleaning up their beaches. Lesser traffic as well but I think even you are a foreign, the prices their is somehow closer to Manila prices.


Bohol is good if you love a county vibe and the prices their are pretty good when it comes to a mid class person. Panglao tho, for me is pretty toxic even if the place it self is really good. The prices their are too much for an average Filipino. The locals somehow increases more the prices when they deal with a foreign like you.

Siargao can also be a good place for you. I am not sure about the prices their but this island is pretty good.

Well, Duterte is controversial, no doubt about that. Most people seem to like him and respect what he's trying to accomplish. The only people who don't like him are businessmen from Manila. His job is not an easy one, that's for sure.

I'm thinking about leaving Mindanao later this month for somewhere else. Any suggestions? I'm currently looking at:

- Cebu
- Bohol
- El Nido

I could go back to Manila, but... the traffic there is killer and its a bit too much of a madhouse for me. I really enjoy Angeles and Subic but I've been there, done that.

You made the right decision, I am proud of you. You will not be killed in the next war. You still fund war machines, but at least those war machines you fund are in defense of the Philippines, not aggro like the USA.

And since you've been here for more than a year now, can you say that you are not jumping from the political frying pan into the political fire? LOL!

Rather, leave the US for a 1st world country... the State you are residing in. Become a State Citizen rather than a US citizen. http://coppermoonshinestills.com/id71.html

That's a good thing lol. I am actually a poor person here on pH but I also am living my life the hell I want. Traveling was my main priority always considering the fact that I don't have a job currently lol.

What do you think by the way of the current president? Trust me there are a lot of good things that are currently happening in the Philippines government so it might be somehow worth it moving here for awhile.

Try https://internationalliving.com/ and https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/.

Hey guys, I just found this thread somehow, and guess what? I did move, and I haven't been back for a year and a half!  

I have 3 different writing jobs, clients in different parts of the world, and yeah I make enough to live a decent middle class living here. The benefits are I go to bed and wake up whenever I damn please, can pretty much move around and live anywhere on a whim, and yes I've been with my girlfriend for over a year now.

Things aren't really that bad or scary, though it is unnerving living in a place with armed guards everywhere and military checkpoints. So far nothing bad has happened to me at all! (knock on wood) The worst thing was leaving a pack of cigarettes with 7,000 pesos on an outdoor table once, along with my credit card, when I was fucking really drunk one time. I didn't even notice I had left it until I was almost home. Totally my fault.

My health has only declined a bit because I've gotten fatter from eating all the time, drinking, and then smoking cheap ass cigarettes. But outside of a couple of minor colds, I haven't contracted any illnesses whatsoever.

Sure, the poverty is unnerving and extremely hard to turn a blind eye to, but people are a lot friendlier and easy going than that iamnotback guy kept insisting. To me it sounds like he was (is) just a major asshole, and people treated him as such.

Just FYI, I didn't raise a single bit from my "fundraiser," in case you were wondering... I obviously was targeting the wrong audience   only now do I see that in retrospect.

What else... I've lived in 3 different provinces and about 8 different cities so far. Started off in Pangasinan, moved to Pampanga, and now Mindanao. I'm pretty sure iamnotback was banned some time ago, but reading the 20 comments or so he left in this thread after I left it, he sounds like a real bitch. Some of the things he said were true but most of it was just him having a shitty attitude.

A few things I miss for sure about the U.S.:

- cheese! I miss all the different selections of cheese, and milk, like real, actual cold milk... impossible to find.
- steak. too difficult to get a good steak around here
- Taco Bell! and, real mexican food... only to be found in American-owned restaurants in tourist places
- I also miss my Xbox and playing Grand Theft Auto. I know I could buy one here but I move around a lot and don't want to lug it with me everywhere I go.

Any questions for an expat who successfully stuck to the dream of abandoning the U.S.?

I am in agreement about starting your own business.  Got to be free and stand on our own to have a real chance of ever getting anywhere

I hope you did actually leave.

Maybe if you didn't want to be controlled by a boss, you should have started your own business.
As long as you are an employee you will always be controlled by a boss, no matter where you live.

No one will ever give up my American passport. It was a PR campaign which does not carry meaning. If you don't agree with the policy Trump stay and fight. What is the point to leave? Besides, try to find a decent replacement for American citizenship.

Exactly.

And where is OP? Does the "new life" in Philliphines utopia work out for him? Did he get a cold feet just before revoking his citizenship?

Questions, questions...

As a side note, contaginous diseases should play only very small part in decision of adult man to emigrate or not. As should momental result of elections.

If you emigrate only and solely, because you disagree with some part of ongoing trend in politics - you will never stop running.

Renouncing the American citizenship is a very simple and straight-forward process. But gaining one can take as much as 15 or 20 years. These guys will understand the value of their American passports, once they renounce them.

Congrats! America will be a better place to live without brain-dead liberals like you. Also, you must renounce the American citizenship as soon as possible, else you have to pay income tax on your earnings in Philippines.

Fools go live in developing countries:

http://global-diseases.healthgrove.com/stories/20689/diseases-developing-countries#35-Tuberculosis

If you are working in web designing or coding, then you can get similar jobs from New York or Miami, even while residing in Costa Rica or Mexico. That is the advantage of freelancing. It is mutually beneficial for the employee, as well as the employer.

The idea of course is good, but how do you imagine to live in Costa Rica, and receive a salary from new York? This is possible only among the IT companies but the competition in this market is large and therefore cannot be considered as a mass example.

Actually, it is not that hard to comprehend. In the US, if you are living in a metro city such as New York or Los Angeles, even if you are earning around $5,000 per month, that may not be enough to cover the expenses. On the other hand, if you are living in a developed nation such as Thailand or Costa Rica, your monthly expenses will rarely cross $2,000. The remainder can be saved for future use.

Incorrect. Income taxation treaties prevent double-taxation. Besides an expat (meeting the foreign residency test, e.g. 335 days of the year outside the USA) doesn't pay federal income taxes on the first $100,000 of foreign earned income.