Living in the Philippines, There are some things from The States that I miss. I thought I’d write about those. Maybe you can help me find replacement products. Some things I still order from the States, but shipping them is expensive. Other things, are a little difficult to ship, such as blonds, redheads and brunettes. Perhaps you can help with some others.
- Freedom of Speech: In the Philippines, foreigners are forbidden to take part in protest. Insulting any Filipino could result in you being blacklisted and deported. Raising your voice could be deemed to be an insult. This can be hard for hot headed and outspoken Americans. Filipino generally just put up with us but one could get themselves into trouble.
- Blonds: Ha Ha, If I were in the states, I’d miss all these tiny beautiful Filipina that are every where and most of them don’t blow me off the way most American women do. I also miss redheads and brunettes just for the record.
- Alka Seltzer: I’m hoping there are some substitutes for this one. I have GURD most of the time Zantac keeps it well controlled but the pain in my side has returned lately and I’ve had to take more Alka Seltzer. I still buy this from the states and ship it here.
- Nestle’s Quick: I can get the regular Nestle’s Quick here but I can’t get sugar free. Nestle’s Quick even has a plant in the Philippines! I think the proper name of this is Nesquick. Its the powder form with “no sugar added.”
- Skim Milk: I’d really rather have whole milk but its not good for me. Milk here usually comes in powder form. I’ve never seen an entire gallon of it and based on the way most of the cheese taste like here, I doubt I’m going to be very happy with it. The powder milk I drink is fat free but it still has too many calories. I use to drink lots of zero calorie skim milk to fill up on rather than eat. I don’t drink much now. The temptation to eat this wonderful bread they have here goes up as a result.
- Kroger’s Colby Cheese: Man I love this stuff. I bought some shredded cheese here once, it was like plastic. It was from Australia and it was rather expensive compared to the cost of most food here. I did get some cheese from Land of The Lakes and it was pretty good but it is hard to find. I just gave up. Its a little sharper than I like. I really love Kroger Colby though.
- My Gun: Jessie got mad at me when I bought this, she thought I should spend the money on a ticket. She had a point but Women just don’t understand. I am MAN, hear me roar, I need a gun in case I roar to much. Actually I lived in Memphis, Tn. and it was becoming like a war zone out there. A gun has become a necessary accessory in Memphis, Tn. as far as I’m concerned. It is possible for a foreigner to legally obtain a gun in the Philippines but it is complicated. The gun shops can help you with it. Check them out, make sure you don’t cut any corners. Penalty for carrying an illegal weapon can be life.
- Son and Daughter: I didn’t get to see them much but I missed them before and I still do.
- Home Made Ice Cream: Jessie (my girlfriend) tells me she’s never had home made ice cream She Loves ice cream. Hopefully some day I can introduce her to home made ice cream. There was an ice cream company in Memphis that made a home made flavored ice cream. It was pretty good. I of course don’t have ice cream very often. If I have very much, it makes me feel bad as I am diabetic. Takes all the fun right out of it. Sometimes though, a couple of times a year, I decide its worth it and have myself some ice cream. LOL If I don’t eat too much it is okay.
- Wal-mart: Wal-mart and other 24 hour stores were nice. Being a night owl, my favorite time to go was at night. It was also cooler and the air-con in my truck hadn’t worked in years. Kroger’s was also open 24 hours and of course many convenience stores and Walgreen’s were open 24 hours a day.
- Hot Water: Some people have a heater for their showers, in some areas it isn’t needed as much as the water is warmer but its still plenty of cold to me at times. I’ll get one eventually. For now, there are more pressing issues that need to be taken care of. Hot water at the tap is almost unheard of.
- Land Ownership: Under the current Philippine Charter, foreigners are not allowed to own land. Under certain conditions, one can purchase a condominium. There is some talk about allowing foreign ownership of land. If that happens, I look for the cost of living to explode here. Those already with land will likely be in a position to see a substantial increase in their net worth and potential riches from the sale of that land.
I don’t miss these things enough to make me want to leave. I MIGHT consider it if I could take Jessie back with me. I do want her to see The States but I don’t want to go back full time. I hope I can take her back for a visit in the next two years. It will be difficult though, its a goal. Not for a permanent stay, just for a visit.
I don’t miss the gangs and mostly I don’t miss the high prices. I’m very happy about living in the Philippines and hope to be doing so for a long time. I’m 50 years old, so I’ve only lived half my life, right? Fifty more years living in the Philippines sounds about right to me.
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Hi Rusty – Just within the last 2 weeks or so, Skim Milk is now available in Davao. We had always bought 2% Lowfat milk, but now they have Skim too. Like you, I prefer whole milk, or even the 2%, but the skim milk is so much better for me, and I can live with it. I was quite happy when I saw the skim milk! So, keep an eye out. It may not show up in Bogo, but I bet it is in Cebu City already.
Okay, I’ll keep an eye out. I can’t stand the stuff actually without my Nesquick but I can make due with Swiss Miss. LOL I can’t afford to drink it the way I did back in the states, what I’ve seen here is expensive. The no fat powder is expensive too. I use too have it four time a day but here its too expensive to drink that often. I’ll look though and see.
I think it would be difficult to bring the milk up by bus though.
Might get a little hot over the 2.5 hours.
Jessie kept looking for cherries in Cebu and then she found them here in Bogo.
There is a store in Cebu City that carries a lot of artificial sweeteners and foods for diabetics. They might have the sugar free nesquick. I can’t remember the name of it I’ll ask about it.
It is called Sugar Free Haven, it pretty much sucks. I was very disappointed in it. They had something I liked but they didn’t keep carrying it. Can’t even remember what it was.
I should get back by there to see if any thing has changed.
Many of the items they sold were not sugar free.
I’m very curious. How do you know skim milk is better for you? Do you instantly feel bad or feel bad after sometime if you drink whole milk? I buy whole milk here w/c when I drink I put sugar (bad I know) but I do that because that’s sort of the milk that I’ve grown to taste back in the Phil. We use powdered milk and add sugar then water. Sometimes w/o the water.
Roy, for me, whole milk is pretty much poison. It could could me almost as fast. It is one of he richest sources of fat that can be found. For children, it is very healthy. It is important that they get whole milk. For middled aged folks, its bad for the heart and for weight gain. I’m a diabetic and fat seems to affect me negatively more than sugar does. The sugar will go through my body fairly quickly. But too much fat will push up my blood sugar for days. Even small amounts of whole milk causes me problems. I can probably have one glass but if I had one glass for several days, then it would affect me in a major way.
Really…2% is the nxt best thing then, if not, if you want to be really good….the skim milk? I am middle aged and have weight issues as well. That means I should buy now at least the 2%, if not the skim milk. The skim milk looks like water for me. Even w/ my whole milk. I add sugar if I drink it or add condensed milk if I use it in my oat meal that’s flavored & sweetened like maple brown sugar (may favorite).
I don’t drink it without Nestle’s Quick. Sure 2% is better but its still WAY too high in fat. I believe the government required them to stop calling it low fat because its not. Its reduced fat but still like poison for me.
Doesn’t really matter, its all to expensive for my needs. i use to eat once a day and have milk the rest of the time. Was great for my blood sugar.
Hi Rusty, I take Zantac too and have found for the GURD that any old “antacid tablet” works for me. I have never used Alka Seltzer before. Just ask at the local drug store. I have heard about the cheese down there! Ugh! My friend in Luzon has been able to get imported Australian Cheddar which he says is very good. Maybe as Bob say, a shop in Cebu.
I think Jessie asked about the Alka Seltzer and was told no but I think baking soda can be used but maybe I thinking tooth paste. LOL
Zantac helps me okay most of the time, suppose to take it twice a day but usually can get by on once a day. I’ve had a whole slew of test on my gall bladder and stomach. My stomach is shaped all wrong but its been that way all my life they think. Maybe that has something to do with it but the docs don’t think so. I actually think it is my gall bladder, it often doesn’t show up on x-ray. I have lupus and lupus can make the connective tissues become inflamed and stop the dye from getting into the gall bladder. I don’t know if my doctors have figured that out, but I have. They probably have but its not conclusive of anything. I asked them to take it out and be done with it. LOL
Sometimes it hurts me more than others. Right now its no so good but its not that big of a deal. My lupus may be going through a period where it will be bad for a while. Fevers, strange things on my skin. May go see a doc on Monday. I just freak them out though, I have so much going on they don’t’ know what to do. At least, that’s the impression I get.
The cheese from Australia that I’ve had is awful.
Alka Seltzer is my emergency relief when things get bad and I’m about to worship at the porcelain alter. Some times it seems like it is the only thing that helps. Coke helps too.
Hi Rusty – Most fresh milk here is UHT – heat treated – so it does not require refrigeration, at least until it is opened. You can buy it in Cebu and bring it to Bogo no problem.
Okay, never even heard of heat treated. Something new to me. In Memphis, I’d double bag it and rush it home like it was a new born baby. LOL
Rusty, when I brought my daughter the first time (she was a year and half ), I was able to buy milkf from the groceries in Cebu. and brought them to Bohol. These came from australia and needs refrigeration (like what Bob said) after opening. also, you can always go to the duty free shop to buy your stuff…you are american so there should be no limit of days to go shop in there I hope.. i remembered there is Alka Seltzer in PI. ask the drug stores in Cebu City. forget chesse in PI but try carabao cheesee, these are good too. I do not know who are selling them inCebu btu you can ask the locals.
About blondes…forget it unless you want a Filipina with blonde colred hair…LOL…Jessie will be mad at me for suggesting this. Christine where are you???? I need your help
Have you tried Milo or Ovaltine instead of nesquick os Swissmiss? they are as good. If not, try the soy chocolate powder, these are as good as nesquick, I think.
Son and daughter, why don’t you ask them to visit you? How old are they? That would be a great experience for them to see their dad’s life in the Phils. By the way, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!
Duty Free doesn’t have milk, they don’t have Nesquick. I looked at Ovaltine, its loaded with sugar. I think Ii looked at milo. Swiss Miss has sugar free. Its not that great but its okay. Its meant to be heated but Jessie just gives it to me cold. LOL Duty Free doesn’t have macaroni and cheese any more… Half the store is designer items, watches, sunglasses, purses and a huge hunk of the store is over prices alcohol. I find Duty Free to be highly over rated. Too little, way over priced but they have some things I can’t get that i want.
Its really hard to find sugar free here. I’d like to find caffeine free cokes but they don’t have those here either. I get sugar free candy from Duty Free. I shipped it over for a while. I’ll look into Alka Seltzer again, I’ve looked before.
Terry, I know they have milk but its expensive or it seemed like it to me when I first got here. I couldn’t afford it then so I just wrote it off. I doubt much has changed. Seems like a pint cost what I paid for a gallon in the US. That’s not going to replace what I use to do. I’d go through about four gallons a week. When I last looked they didn’t have skim milk at all. Low fat is too high in fat. I can’t loose weight drinking that. I highly doubt I’m going to like Australian milk, if that’s what they do to cheese! I’ll look again though,
I haven’t been in a grocery store for a couple of months. LOL I don’t care if I never go back.
Welcome home and thanks for the father’s day wishes.
One daughter in med school, other trying to get his business off the ground. They’ve been invited.
Milk is a little pricy. I drink much less in the Philippines than I do at home. I have seen skim milk in the SM supermarket in Sm Mall. Try Iced Tea with Lemon or Calimansi. No calories lots of antioxidents. It does have caffene.
UHT milk is NEVER fresh. It was made UNfresh in the process. It took me a while not to correct the storekeeper that he had UHT milk, not fresh.
The Highland Farms Dairy of El Salvador (between CDO and Iligan) produces genuine fresh milk which states on the container “Made from fresh milk.” That would be about like bottled water stating, “Made from fresh water” on the label.
Why on earth would you correct the storekeeper?
i have lived in philippines for 40 years i have lived in cotabato lanao malaybalay bukidnon jolo sulo zamboanga manila i am an american woman from illinois and all my 5 children were born here and I think im a good resource person about things you can buy here and what you can do to make life here more comfortable. I remember when i came here i wanted chocolate chip cookies and what i did ibought some cheap philippine chocolate candy called serg and cut it up to make it like chocolate chips then i bought a small portable oven that fit on my one burner kerosene stove and baked cookies.
Hi. I ran across your post when i went looking for alka seltzer..coz the pharmacies i’ve asked here dont have it anymore. I gotta find one for my dad who’s tummy is always messing up.
Anyway, Did you try look for ur stuffs at Rustans Supermarket found at the basement 1 of Ayala Mall? I always go there to get skim milk and cereals and cheese and other american goodies..(but they dont have sweet baby rays bbq sauce which i use..oh well. )..
Oh yeah.. I miss most of the things (in the US) you mentioned – gallons of milk in a big ref at walmart (my fav 24 hour store)…the blond guys too (tall and handsome blonds)LOL.. and you’re right about the cheese…..miss the cold and clean air too….and all other things like nice clean wide roads..beautiful houses and etc..I’m a filipina but I went to the US two years ago for work training. (I’ll be going back this year)
Why didnt you file or apply for a fiance visa or an immigrant visa for your gf/wifey.. and just come back when she gets her citizenship so she could go with you whenever you feel like going back to the US for a short visit? It’ll be great for her to see your homeland too..
take care
There are a host of reasons we can’t go to the US right now. I would like to take her there.
I don’t remember if I went to Rustan’s but I know I went to Ayala. I guess I’ll try again.
I’ve nont been able to get out much lately and its starting to get on my nerves. I need to go see a doctor and see if I can’t get my health back to a tolerable level. Every time I step out the door, I start itching.