Expat Philippines

Learn From An American Living In The Philippines

I moved to the Philippine Islands in January of this year. I read all the message boards, talked to friends, and contacted people who already lived here. I was ready. I quit my job, sold all my stuff, and got on the plane. I did all my research, or least I thought I had. I didn’t have a qualified Expat Guide to go by.

The amount of misinformation and poor guidance was astounding! The information I received, while it sounded good, and was given in “real-time”, was old, didn’t really apply to my situation, was third hand, or was simply wrong!

How many times have you heard a story start like this:

Well, my friend Bill moved there last year and….

Think about that for a moment. Who are you talking to? Bill? NO! You’re talking to someone who may or may not really know what Bill went through, or how he handled all of the adversities he encountered. Third-party information is not only incorrect most of the time, it can be dangerous when you are talking about moving to a third-world country half-way around the world.

Before I go further, you might want to see what I’m talking about here. The answer to everything on this page, the quick and easy way to learn everything you need to know (and a lot more!), is the Basic Expat Training Manual to moving to and living in the Philippines. Go ahead and click that link, and it will open in a new window. When you’re done reading, you can come back here and read the rest of my story.

60 Day Money Back Guarantee if you are not completely satisfied.

Now, I’ve traveled extensively, I’ve lived in several foreign countries, and have been to the Philippine Islands many times over the last 30 years. But I was NOT READY for actually moving and living here.

I was surprised by how much I didn’t know, and how much I really needed to learn. Here are a few areas where my knowledge and assumptions were completely wrong:

• What should I bring?
• How do I get from the airport to my new home?
• How much should it cost?
• What VISA do I really need?
• How do I get it quickly and easily, and how much should it cost?
• Should I use a travel agency for VISA issues?
• How do I find a place to live?
• What should I ask the landlord, and what documentation should I get?
• How do I open a bank account in the Philippines?

I made the mistake of going back to the same sources of information I had used earlier, the message boards. See, at this point, I didn’t know how wrong this information was! Much of the info came from people who’s only interest was going to bars, getting drunk, and going home. To me, that’s not living in the Philippines. Many of those people haven’t left their comfort zone for months, if not years, and are still making the same mistakes I made.

Finally, while searching on Google for good, solid information, I came across a series of blog websites that really gave in-depth information. The sites were written by an American who has lived in the Philippines for quite a few years. He has lived through all of the mistakes I’ve made, and many, many more! One difference between him and me, is that he not only solved all of the problems he encountered, he documented every step! He learned how to avoid the common mistakes and go straight to success. He wrapped all of this information up into the Basic Expat Training Manual, an extensive guide to doing everything right the first time with over 212 pages of rock-solid, time-tested and proven information and strategies. The manual has received more than 10 updates, and as a member, you will always receive all the updates for the Manual.

The Manual comes with an unconditional 60-day money back guarantee. 60 Days! How can you possibly go wrong?