My blogging friend Bob Martin just made an interesting post on the reactions of his friends and family to his decision to pick up and move his whole family to the Philippines.  I started to make some comments to Bob’s post and, as I so often do, wrote so much it could stand on its own, so, here it is.  read Bob’s post and then come back here so my comments make a little more sense, if you’d care to.

In 2005 my wife Mita and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with one of Mita’s sisters, a nurse in Florida who has been in the US about 11 years now, plans to stay in the US for many more but still plans to retire to the Philippines.  One night we had a party attended mainly by friends of the sister, almost all of whom were medical professionals and Filipinos.  Most are quite successful, big-time investments, owning two or more homes, etc.

When Mita and I talked about our plan to be in the Philippines full time before Thanksgiving 2006 (we made it, PTL) I was very surprised by the polarity of reaction.

 About half the guests acted like they had suddenly found a couple raving lunatics in their midst.  They were incredulous that a couple, both American citizens, owning their own business would even dream of getting out of the US-normal “squirrel cage” where you run like the dickens in the same place, money comes in and money goes out just as fast to “feed” those who keep the squirrels in their cages for amusement and profit  … those “squirrel owners” are also called “employers”. (and in the US, when you are a “mom and pop” business owner, you are even _more_ in a cage, earning money for a whole list of government agencies and “providers” before you ever make a single dollar to call your own)

The other half just got a wistful look in their eyes and voiced that horrible Filipino refrain which I have grown to hate … “If only …”.

Not a single person in the “non-believer’s” group voiced a useful or rational reason for being against the move … every comment  centered around the concept of “Here in the US you can make money.” Well I have news for the doubting Thomases.  Money is not what life is about.  But since we all need it to live, realize:

• It is as easy, or even easier, to make money in the Philippines … and our money goes a lot farther.
• If you want to live a “rich” life, lose the phrase “If Only” and just do something about whatever it is you want to do.

So far I have only found one big error that I made in moving to the Philippines in 2006.  I waited 6 years longer than I planned to/needed to.  I should have moved in 2000.  The plus factor of this mistake was that Mita got to come to the US, learn about life there and attain her US citizenship.  The minus factor is, we both spent 6 unnecessary years in the squirrel cage.

It’s not the responsibility of your family or your friends to tell you how to live.  It’s your decision.  Choose wisely.

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