Use of correct grammar is no longer that important to me. After 4 degrees, culminating with a Ph.D., teaching college/university level for 24 years, I’m just content to deal with everyday living. After my mother’s car accident two years ago (which resulted in her death in Cebu) and my father passing two weeks after (he was ill and deeply grieved my mother’s death), I decided to stop chasing shadows and smell the roses. They were married for 62 years (first and only marriages for both of them). I appreciate your articles as I am considering retiring in Cebu when my time comes. My Anglo-American husband of 30 years has never been in the Philippines, so I am interested in expat views. I hope that when we retire the dollar will be in an upswing again.

When I visited Cagayan de Oro City a year and a half ago, dengue was in epedimic proportions as well, especially among the young. What I have noticed in most houses is that there are no screens in the windows and doors. I don’t think that mosquito nets are enough. Dengue fever can be very lethal to young children.

I have a cigar aficionado club on Facebook, Tabaco Filipino Historical Society. You’re welcome to come aboard. Cheers.

Sincerely,
Norm

My daughter was accepted into med school in her third year so she never got her bachelor degree. That caused me a great deal of concern but she’s very determined and like me, does it her own way.

She is a vocational reheab professional. Certified and ready to go. She will be working with brain injuries getting them back on the path to working if possible.

She seems to be off to a great start but yes a bunch of student loans. They paid her living expenses while in college too so I’m sure she doesn’t even want to think about how much she owes.

She’ll be 25 in a few weeks When I was 25 I was married and had a five year old. i’m glad she didn’t do that.

Yes, it is hard on us American’s to keep our mouth shut. The Philippines has a civil war going on. Its limited to a small area, for the most part. Al-Qaeda is here too or at least groups with ties to them. The Philippine Armed Forces have put the hammer to them in the last year but there are still problems down south. When they are not fighting with the Philippines they fight with each other.

So with that, one can understand why they don’t want nor can they really tolerate outsiders coming into their country and protesting. Its not just the Muslim groups but also the communist groups. The communist groups mostly attack government office like police stations and less likely to target civilians than the Muslim rebels that tend to attack softer targets. Samar is an area where the communist are more active, the NPA, New Peoples Army but they can be found any place in the Philippines, especially rural areas.

For most of us, it is not an issue, the terror groups and such. There are areas where one knows it best not to go. Getting frisked when entering a mall was hard for me to swallow the first time. I’m glad they do it though.

I enjoy talking with you too. Just don’t be too hard on me for my poor grammar You may know of Millsaps College. I nearly flunked out of there because of it and I’ve forgotten all my tense rules sense then and a computer can’t check me for using the wrong form of a word which I’m horrible about. I hate it when I do that because I know better….. I’m not good with details

Thanks a bunch for the insightful exchange. I didn’t know that you can’t air out political views. I’m used to the American way of life with freedom of the press. Regarding jobs and student loans, I remind my students that they are the lucky ones in the world. Many would take their place at the bat of an eye. Congratulations on the graduation of your daughter. I’m sure that she is brilliant. If you don’t claim her, who else would? Navigating through college can be a maze. Indeed, if an individual graduates from college, they get the approval stamp of USDA.

Keep your mind open and accept that you are stepping into another world.

Its a wonderful place.

I have been meaning to write about the rainy season. Seems most of what one learns about the Philippines is based on Manila. Its vastly different through out the country..

Bogo has a rainy season but per the PAGASA (might not be correct acronym again) shows the regions for the rainy season. There are four regions. Some have a huge difference in the seasons. Bagiuo is in the pronounced region where there is a strong difference in the rainy and dry season. Bogo is in a region were there is a difference but it is not pronounced.

When Jessie was in Tacloban, before I got here it might rain for days, but not nine. In Bogo, it rarely rains all day. It might rain more frequently but not too often do you see a slow or pounding all day rain.

Last year when that typhoon sat on Manila for two weeks we did see a lot of rain, every day, sometimes all day but that was a unusual storm.

Memphis generally had stronger storms but shorter lasting. Jackson, Ms where I grew up had much more intense storms and we had more all day, soaking rains than what I see here in Bogo or in Memphis. Still it rains more often in Bogo during the rainy season but only moderately so.

Its rained a lot in the last few days and despite that we had a lot of brown outs in the last few days. I was even surprised when we didn’t have a brownout today or yesterday. I mention it because three months ago we had a lot and they blamed it on the drought.

Hey power company there’s no drought now! Stop turning the %$UO#* lights off. haha