Living and Loving It in The Philippines
Sometimes I wonder how I could have gotten so lucky, with all the
screwed up things I did when I was younger. Life could not be better.
I have my whole wife’s family living in my 6-bedroom house here.
Since I figured I would end up supporting her family anyway, why not
just do it up front, get a house where they call could stay, pay all
the bills and let them keep whatever money they make.
I haven’t bought a car here yet, but in another month when the rainy
season starts I probably will. I have 3 scooters though. My standing
instruction to my wife is to check the fuel level on them all and keep
them full (she doesn’t fuel them, she has three brothers that live
here, but she does run the house). So the family has two scooters at
their disposal. All are Hondas and brand new. One is just for me, the Honda Wave 125, one is mainly for her, the Honda XRM, but now that she’s preggy she doesnt’ ride it.
I pay all the bills and buy all the groceries. Marissa’s parents are
just wonderful. I could not have asked for better in-laws. It was
Mama’s birthday today, she became 52.
This arrangement would not work with just any Filipina. I courted one
before I met Marissa and there is no way I would have ever considered
living with that girl’s family.
I find myself spending more and more time at home, in the happy
complacancy of the unwinding moment when I’ll actually become a
father. My brother married a virgin that has cervical cancer and
they’ll never have kids. My sister has one daughter. I’m looking to
have three or more, if my wife can bear it.
It’s like my whole family back home in the USA has been caught up in
it. I think they wrote me off before. My Dad’s dead, but my Mom is
73 and so excited.
They say that becoming a father will change a man. Of that I am
certain. My wife may be the one carrying the child, but I think I am
going through more changes than she is. I never wanted a child before
because I always thought that was the most responibilty a person could
ever have, and I did not want it. At 46, with a successful business
here in The Philippines, which I started just so I could come here and
find a wife, I find that each day is more precious than the one before.
I am so proud of myself that I finally feel like I am someone.
I Am Living The Dream, in The Philippines.
May 18th, 2007 at 23:02
Congratulations man! Good to know that you’ll be a father soon. As for me, it’s been like that for the past 8 years and though it’s kinda hard raising up the kids and making sure that everybody gets what they need, I still say it’s fun – and yes, makes you feel like you are somone.
May 19th, 2007 at 12:56
Your brother has two children (just for the record).
June 24th, 2007 at 06:02
Mike,
Congrats for becoming a dad! I’m really glad that you find CDO your hometown. Getting along with the in-laws are not easy, but seems like you are doing well. Is your wife from CDO? You must have a very big house to have 6 beds on it. Can I ask where you live and how long did it take to build your home? God bless you and your family. May you have a properous life and business in the future.
July 9th, 2007 at 23:05
Michael,
I enjoyed reading your blog and it has been an eye opener. I am retired Navy and was stationed at Clark Air Base in the mid-70′s.
I am a photo-journalist by trade, with two degrees, and was thinking of moving to Cagayan de Oro to live and work.
While I still want to write, I’ve decided to leave journalism and focus on my fiction and screenwriting.
In the hopes of doing a little networking and finding employment (teach English, work for you, etc.), would it be possible to send you a resume and begin some process in order to fill my dream(s) of moving back to the PI and re-start a stagnant life? I am divorced and highly mobile, and since I’m retired military, getting to the Philippines would be no problem.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Mr. Kelly McDowell