Gazza-d

What you need to look out for are what are called Balikbayan boxes. LBC do them as many others do, ask around your local filipino community. We have used LBC the once and it wasn't the best experience. We use a company based in London called Pooten Forwarding.

Regarding sponsors it will cost you a donation and as you are rich everyone and everybody is going to ask you. Best to limit it the best you can without upsetting anyone.

Philosophical 11

Thank you for your help responses. What would constitute as a reasonable donation without running the risk of upsetting people or indeed appearing too ostentatious?

Gazza-d

I'm not sure on this as the asawa normally handles it, 1000p perhaps. Also you will be hit up for 500p or so for every birthday into the future. And any other excuse to take you for money.

Philosophical 11

Thank you all for your helpful replies so far. I am busy packing boxes now and fly out . A thought crossed my mind when packing my dvd player and dvd's.....will they play in the Philippines or is a different format over there? If not, what would be a good solution?

Gazza-d

The Philippines uses the US tv standard so although your DVDs will play on your DVD player the local television most likely will not.

quiltman

. Unless your DVD player can output PAL discs as NTSC (US Standard) then most TVs here will not show them. Nearly all UK Tvs can display PAL(Euro Standard) AND NTSC but over here TV's are expensive and only NTSC.
I bought a multi region, multi standard Philips DVD player before we left the UK , cost me £120, and we brought our Panasonic TV. Plays anything! It's the TV thats clever - it sees what signal it is receiving and switches to suit PAL or NTSC. It can also do SECAM (French Standard) but never needed it. PM me with the model number etc of your DVD and I'll see if I can help as there are ways around it.

Philosophical 11

Hi all,

Many thanks for your responses. I will most probably order this when I arrive in phils..

CMD-HDX75 Multi-System TV Video Converter PAL NTSC HD Signal | eBay

Philosophical 11

Greetings

Got here at last and thought I would give an up-date.

Biggest problem I had was at T2 LHR where they initially refused me to board the flight because the outward "throwaway ticket" was to Singapore and not a return to the Uk. After much argument with various supervisors, I was allowed to board. If it was someone else without the knowledge I had gained through this forum then they would have been delayed. Be warned.

Got my 59 day visa without problem on arrival at Manila.

Opened a BPI account on a tourist visa and got my ATM card on the same visit. Guess its a case of who you know out here.

Been welcomed as part of my gf's family. They live not far from the hotel where we are staying.

Managed to obtain a Multi-system TV (so they say) so I can play my PAL Dvds. We will see next week when we move into our rental accommodation.

Getting used to the weather and culture change. Never realised how very basic amenities are out here.

One thing I am not getting used to is being "sponged off" if I can put it like that. Ok, I was forewarned by reading the articles on this forum.

First night on arrival the family members who met me suggested we go for a sea-food meal. The bill was presented to me and 4K was lifted from my wallet.

Second night, was a barbecue on the beach....another 3K was lifted. What annoyed me was that people who I did not know just turned up...helped themselves and disappeared without a thank you.

Next episode was I needed to hire a car to go to Bacolod to obtain a BPI account. This resulted in another 6 people who also required to do business in Bacolod. Which meant hiring a bigger vehicle at 5K and leaving far earlier in the morning.

Then sponsorship duties on a Christening lifted another 1K.

Just found a house to rent and gf has now asked if her sister and child can live in the cellar for 3 months whilst her house is being renovated. I said ok on the proviso she pays her way and helps around the house.

Ok, I know all of you are used to it, but it seems so natural to them. Lines are now being drawn.

Nearly forgot, can get my prescriptive drugs without a problem.


Again, thanks to you all for your advice over the months. Was most helpful.

mikemike

you are going to have to have a very clear and open dialogue with your gf. She will be very concerned over loss of face to her and family if the lines you have drawn are not clear and agreed with by her.

You are correct to do what you intend and sticking to it will be very testing. we had members of family travelling miles to see the token foreigner, many of these so called family had not been seen or heard of in years. i made it clear that I was here for my then GF who is now my wife(, or am I her husband lol) and for no other reason. Never stopped them asking for things and never stopped me from saying I will consider it maybe, eventually they gave up on me working on my considerations.

This is a cultural tough one and your GF needs to be onside 100%


Stay firm and strong and I am sure they will get the message. Only exception I made was for immediate family medical care that was clear and evident in its need.

Stokkevn

Mike beat me to the wise words of someone who has been through this, all new arrivals do. First trip here I ended up paying for 6 people to travel to the Provinces and back so they could be on holiday with us, so you seem to have got off quite lightly.

You have also made the classic mistake that we have all made ( and I still make ) and that was with your statement "Been welcomed as part of my gf's family. They live not far from the hotel where we are staying." As much as I love most of my wife's family and enjoy their company, I wish sometimes our house was a bus ride away so we were not the most convenient "First Stop" for providing assistance.

The last money advise is that if you translate 'Loan' into Tagalog it is 'Gift', especially where family is concerned. My wife gets a fairly large allowance and if anyone wants to borrow money from me I let her deal with it on the proviso that any unpaid loans will come out of her allowance. It is surprising how strict she has become with potential borrowers since that came into force.

That said, welcome to the Philippines, kick back, relax and have a good time.

Philosophical 11

Many thanks for your wise words. Yes I agree a compromise should be made with the full support of the gf. I think the thing that irked me was that although I was expecting this, I did not expect them helping themselves without an invite and leave without a bye your leave or thank you!

Found a place to live....which is just a stones throw from where the family live. Should be fun! The house is going to be blessed by the local pastor who is a relation of the gf. Wonder if it will mean lots of people turning up.....lots of food....and beer. Of course I am being mischievous with that comment!

quiltman

Glad you made it
Here starteth the learning curve of "Life in the Philippines".

As Mike and Stokkven say, set down your rules and stick to them otherwise you end up being the local soft touch!!
sounds like you're cottoning on - Local pastor, relative of gf, Hmmm, thinks maybe donation to church on horizon?

Enjoy yourself, have a few beers and settle into the pace of life here.

Philosophical 11

Well the house has been duly blessed. According to tradition I had to pay 5000 peso I think it was for a very large sack of rice to be delivered to my door on the big day. I have since noticed that this has been whisked away I suspect by her family. My gf on my request forbade them for slaughtering a pig at the house and this was done at her families place. There were about 20 guests and vast amounts of food and drink were consumed. All this paid for by me as suspected. Pastor kept hovering but never asked for a church donation! Think I let myself down when the Pastor asked what I thought about Gods gift in relation to the house I am now renting. I corrected him by saying it was rented from a land lady. Gf saw the funny side.

Two weeks on now and still trying to come to terms with kids coming into the house and making themselves at home without any sort of invite. Gf switches the tv on for them which does not help. Had one young lady waltz into the house for a shower. Thought that was taking it too far and put a stop to it. Noticed recently my beer supplies had been quickly diminishing and realised it was her father helping himself when we were out.

Guess I am finding out what it means to be part of the family....or is a firmer hand needed maybe!?

quiltman

Well, you're certainly settling in! The "family" will expand as time goes on unless you are very strict and lay down ground rules. If you have it - beer, food etc - then the "family' believe they are entitled to help themselves to it. As you're a foreigner you must be rich so can easily replace a few bottles of beer etc.
If you don't want the kids just coming into the house then you must tell your GF it's a NO NO , otherwise it'll be them , their friends and their family all watching your TV and using your electricity.

Oh, did your new TV work OK with your DVD player?

Keep smiling - while you can.

mikemike

I placed our bedroom out of bounds...the rest i gave up on.

We buy groceries and now insist that the 'family' supply ALL the rice, they now do.

As for having lots of guest and 'blow in' like tumbleweed.....''welkome to da pilipines'')