Aggregator site of some of Davao's best blogs
Bob wrote an interesting article a while back about “Things are getting worse” and Chris Dearne wrote and excellent article on “Electronic improvements in Gen San since 1992” both subjects spoke to different types of changes for the better, that both gentleman had seen during their stay in the Philippines.
I told Bob that back in [...]
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Lately, I have been burdened with a lot of bad news. I’m talking deaths of friends. As I told you a few weeks ago, I had one friend who recently killed himself. I have known several other expats here in the Philippines who have died of late, unfortunately. It seems that nearly ever week for [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Feature, Health | Comments Off
I’m not an Expat. I may be a Kano, or a “Puti,” or a “Purow,” or even a “Hey Joe,” but I’m definitely not an Expat.
Others can call themselves an Expat, or “God’s Gift to Mankind,” or even a “P.O.S.” if they want – that’s their prerogative. I, however, am NOT and Expat!
If I had [...]
Filed under: Feature, immigration | Comments Off
Well, the election went off on Monday, as planned. Many people were quite worried about the potential for disaster, including me. There was a lot of planning for the first nationwide automated polling that was left for the last minute, and because of it, the week before the election was really chaos filled, but in [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Feature, election | Comments Off
I am sure that most people have heard of the terrible cruelty bestowed upon captive peoples all over the world in the past. Such horrific practices started as soon as man appeared upon the earth and still continues up until today.
Many millions of Africans were rounded up by their own people and sold to foreign [...]
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Magellan and Mactan? Legazpi and Manila? Salcedo and Vigan? No – YOU and the Philippines!
Yes, many came before us in centuries past. They “discovered” new and exciting places that Western eyes never before had seen. Regardless of their ulterior motives, these “discoverers” obviously enjoyed what they saw.
Each of the “explorers” mentioned above chose the location I’ve [...]
Thanks mom for buyin’ the refrigerator. Thanks Bob for having people to deliver it.
As you can recall, from my Budgetin’ in the Philippines blog post,I have been trying to see how low I can go. Recently I just got a refrigerator. It ain’t no normal sized one, but it is a smaller sized fridge. I [...]
I hear from a lot of expats things that are pretty negative about Filipinos. Some expats tell me that Filipinos are stupid. Others say that Filipinos are lazy. Sometimes I hear that Filipinos are greedy. The other day, I got an e-mail from a fellow in the States asking me if Filipino women usually stay [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Feature | Comments Off
Its important to realize that when you leave your own home country, that you understand that your new home, has many differences, and living in the Philippines is a major cultural shock, as the food, the way of life, the customs and beliefs are so big, that sometimes at the beginning I struggled, and after all it [...]
OK, there will probably be some people who disagree with me on this article, but I think that I make a few valid points. If you take a look at Trip Advisor, or several other travel web sites, the comments about Manila Zoo are harsh, to say the least. Though I cannot disagree with many [...]
There I was watching grass being installed a few weeks ago, and my Barangay Kaptain drives up. We talk and admire my new lawn, then he smiles and informed me of the real reason for his visit. Avocado’s, my neighbor in the back of my land is working in the Middle East and has caretakers [...]
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Today, the Philippines is literally hanging on the edge of disaster. Today, May 10, 2010 is election day in the Philippines. The Presidency, Vice Presidency, Senate, Congress, Provincial Government Offices and Local Government Offices are all up for grabs today, here in the Philippines. Every elected office in the Country, except for Barangay level positions [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Elections, Feature | Comments Off
A few months ago I wrote about Destructive Fishing Methods which were at one time well used not only to catch fish but also destroy the coral reefs which are very necessary in order to support the bottom links of the food chain. I also mentioned that these stupid and destructive methods of catching fish [...]
Over the past 2 weeks, Paul Keating has written a 2-article series regarding US Citizenship, and the implications and procedures to relinquish US Citizenship. I have been following Paul’s articles keenly, trying to glean what information I could, because it is an issue that has been on my mind for a couple of years. Over [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Feature | Comments Off
On Monday (May 10th) here in the Philippines its election time. I am kind of worried right now. I’ve heard talk on TV that the election might be postponed for a month or so, due to the voting machines that they are going to use, they are not working properly. See they wanted to have [...]
“That’s it. I’m finished. I can’t take this crap anymore. I’m out of here.”
That line of thought has passed through my mind on many occasions. Now that I’m in The Philippines, it’s time to do something besides think. This time, I’m really prepared to DO SOMETHING.
IT’S TIME FOR CONTINUING
Last week’s article began with those very words. Sentiments [...]
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So, I had fun last week. April the 29th was my girlfriend’s birthday, and her family set up a party. Her mom had texted my the day before, asking if I could bring my camera. So, I came and surprised my girlfriend with a guitar I had bought her. She had been looking for a [...]
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Overall, I agree with my friend, Dave Starr. He wrote recently about how things have improved a lot in the Philippines in the past few years that he has lived here. Having lived in Mindanao for 10 years now, I can attest that things have improved drastically here in the past decade. Roads, Internet, all [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Feature | Comments Off
I see the term Expat all over different Web Sites; I thought I knew what it meant, yet I still looked it up to know for sure. After reading the definition, I found out why I’ve not referred to myself as an Expat.
Taken from: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, exile
2: to withdraw (oneself) from residence in or allegiance [...]
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The title may sound a bit snarky (I first heard it on a trip to Europe a couple of years ago), but it is accurate. In nearly every corner of the world, there is a little piece of America in the neighborhood McDonald’s. I’ve always thought that Mickey D’s gets a bad rap sometimes. I [...]
I have my own neat and modern apartment here in Davao, and mostly its just me here, which means if I make a mess its down to me to clear up, those that know me know I am not the tidiest person in the world.
I have been very lucky these last few weeks, as my [...]
Yes, it’s true… I am celebrating my 10th Anniversary today. Marriage? No. Birthday? No. Hmm… what could it be? Well, as of today, I have been living in the Philippines for 10 years!
In many ways, they have been 10 long years. In other ways, they have flown by quickly. Some things about living in the [...]
Filed under: Bob Martin, Davao, Feature, Health, Mindanao, business, language | Comments Off
Having lived permanently in the Philippines now since 1992 I have seen a lot of goings on, some I think are OK with me but some I am not happy to see! I am a very liberal minded person on most things as I have traveled a lot and have seen many things but there [...]
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A “discussion group” friend and I are in need of YOUR HELP.
Though we’ve never met in person, our friendship exists nonetheless. We watch out for each other and mutually try to solve our problems. We trust each other. We’ve been successful with solutions in the past, but now a problem has us stumped.
Our newest problem [...]
The management philosophy and “culture” of a Franchisor is manifest in a variety of attitudes and interfaces between Franchisor’s management personnel and franchise owners. Though the franchise relationship is governed by a contract, a contract cannot anticipate all contingencies or problems. It is essential for a successful franchise relationship that mutual trust and respect develops [...]
