Why Do You Want To Go Back And Live In The Philippines Again?
The title says it all….
Friends and acquaintances I talk to asks me those questions repeatedly whenever I tell them that I’m working on going back and live in the Philippines again.
They are wondering why after having established our life in Canada, would I decide to leave all behind?
Maybe the message I’m sending is not clear. Eventhough I am planning and is serious on living back there, it wouldn’t probably be anytime yet. It is my main objective but – it would be impractical, too early and a bit suicidal to just decide to leave Canada behind.
First and foremost – we are a long way from being pensioners, so that means – no work, no money. And even if I’m already receiving government pension, I don’t want to depend on that to maintain life in the Philippines.
Why? Because I don’t think a pension alone is a dependable source of stable income. Currency exchange rate fluctuates and if it does, your living expenses will be affected. When caught up in a crazy inflation, bills in a third world country like the Philippines don’t go down. They always go up. So, besides anticipating spending money coming from our pension, we are at the same time trying to start a business in the Philippines as early as 3 years ago.
And that takes time and perseverance.
Second, although me and my wife are planning to move back, our kids do not share the same plan as we do. Their friends are here, they are rooted here and I don’t see them going the way of our decision anytime in the future. I keep asking my soon-to-graduate son to move to the Philippines after college so he can look after the business we’re putting up there – he keeps declining.
The same with my elementary-age daughter. I want her to live and study in the Philippines for at least a year, but would always get no for an answer. Several times. And because we’re not lucky to afford a nanny to keep an eye on this young girl 24/7 like most middle class families in the Philippines, we’re stuck with her for some more years.
The third reason is somewhat related to the first.
Let’s face it. Money wise, what we earn in Canada will never be matched by what we will earn in the Philippines if we go into the travel agency business. It might, if we can come up with the capital to become a wholesaler of airline tickets, which we unfortunately do not have.
The truth is, in addition to the plan of putting up a different business in the Philippines, I am also trying to find a way so that we can run our travel agency business in Toronto remotely. I have started to invest in the technology involved for it to happen but – the human factor is still missing and is the most difficult part of the plan. So, for now it is still incomplete with some of parts of it implemented already.
The main thing is I’m dead serious about moving back to the Philippines and I’m doing my best to make it happen. But I am also a practical person and would not decide to move permanently until I’m fully sure I would be successful and not regret later. For now, I’d be happy to be in my homeland even for a month during the winter or three months, if I get lucky. I’m really looking forward to retiring in the Philippines as early as possible.
I hope the message is clearer now.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
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[...] Why? Because I don’t think a pension alone is a dependable source of stable income. Currency exchange rate fluctuates and if it does, your living expenses will be affected. When caught up in a crazy inflation, bills in a third world country like the Philippines don’t go down. They always go up. … (full article at Why Do You Want To Go Back And Live In The Philippines Again? [...]
I would say NOT to rely on any pension as the current economic climate is a bit of tip of an iceberg nobody knows where its going to go. Also although living in the Philippines myself I have seen prices on things drastically increase in the last year it is still probably more stable than many other locations “if you have money!”. I do expect a huge market shift in the Philippines in the next few years purely down to the economic downturn in the West creating ripples that are yet to be felt in the Philippines but still going to happen at some point including the collapse of the Sub-division and Condo markets.
Im Matt by the way from TropicalPenpals.com read your reply on a post so dropped by to say hello :)
Thanks for the visit, Matt.
You’re doing the right thing while living in the Philippines – you’re also making a living and are helping other Filipinos as well while doing it.
I think the ideas you’re sharing in some of your post about practical businesses to put up there is something that people thinking of moving to the Philippines should give some thought, like the selling of seeds, a container house – to name some I recall. NOt just for the foreign guy or gals but also returning residents like me who’re working on going back there.
Too bad, you don’t have a Feedburner subscription so I can subscribe to your blog for updates. Maybe you should put one in?
hello ..what do you mean human factor?!??
@Chantelle – human factor, the involvement of a real person