For all the time I have known Tom, he has always wanted to help people and families in a charitable way. He gives of his heart, soul and pocket and most of the time, what he gets back is hurt. He has been insulted when he gives and gives and then when he offers advice and assistance he ignored. He has also helped a family open a business and then they run it into the ground and he then is asked for more money.

Well, after I arrived in Las Vegas, Tom asked me if he could help my kids at Agdao market. He knew of the story from last Christmas when Elena and I gave a small Christmas party for about 25 kids. If you missed the story or the video and photo sideshow, click here to see the story.

He knew the new school year was about to start and the kids need school supplies. Even though these kids come from poor families they work at the market to earn a few pesos, to help cover their daily meals.  Their family and their earnings can never cover school supply costs. A few of the kids have asked Elena if she could buy them their needed supplies.

After  Tom contacted me, I had Elena call Tom and ask what he had in mind. He asked Elena to find out what the children needed for their basic supplies, the cost and how many kids can he help. The following Sunday morning Elena asked the girls that assist her what items and quantities are needed and how many children at the market can we help. Elena was told the items and that there are 25 kids in need. The next day Elena went to the mall and the wholesale Chinatown stores to get a quote of pricing. Elena then meet with Tom to tell him all the information. She also asked if they  could also give each kid a backpack. As no surprise Tom agreed and as you read Tom’s story, he increased the supplies too.

During the week, Elena met with Tom and his caregiver/friend Cardawe and went to purchase the supplies. With Elena’s bargaining, they were able to get all the supplies for less cost then was estimated. Over the next few days, Elena divided the supplies and placed them in each backpack. Our nephew, Amar donated four cases of Magnolia fruit juice beverage for the kids too.

Sunday morning, Elena went for her shopping at the market and told the kids to meet her and Tom by the eatery at 10am. Amar meet Elena at the house to load all the filled backpacks into his truck and drove everyone to the market. Once there, when Tom saw all the kids, he told Elena that he wanted to buy them food to eat too, so Elena made arraignments with one of the cafes to prepare food for all 25 kids. Then after eating, they gave each child a backpack filled with all the supplies needed for their new school year.

I am sure Elena, Tom and the kids will remember that day for a long time.

Here is Tom’s story:

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce H. Linder had been helping the children working around Agdao Market for some time. Prior to Bruce returning to the States we had discussed my getting involved. We decided a good project would be helping the children with their school supplies. It is difficult for poor families to provide the supplies needed when school opens in June. They cannot expect much help from a government that cannot even provide desk/chairs for over 20,000 students in the Davao area alone. The supplies needed to start school were 8 spiral note books, 6 writing pads, pencil, blue pen, ruler and 16 count color set. We decided to give in addition an extra pencil and pen, pencil/pen holder and backpack. Elena, Cardawe Acmad and I went to China Town to purchase the supplies. Thanks to Elena’s bargaining skills we were able to save money and get first quality supplies. The supplies were put into the 25 backpacks and on Sunday May 30th we took the supplies to the children and treated them to lunch at the market. The children were delighted and anxiously waiting for us to arrive. Elena had gone the previous Sunday and made the arrangements for the children to meet us at around 10 in the morning.

I am just using some of the photos Tom took, but to see them all, please click here to see all the photos.

I just read Tom Martin’s post and his last comment rang true to me as well. Bruce met my wife and me for lunch before he left for Vegas. We chatted about many things. He was a little upset due to some expats comments, and rightfully so. I do believe we would have become good friends if he had stayed here.

I have been here in Davao for almost a year now. I have not done a lot of socializing because I have been working 6 to 7 days a week building a house. I have met several expat here. I have one for a neighbor, one down the road and another down the road the other way. One, I actually think might become a good friend, but school is still out on that until I transfer (move) into my house later this week.

My neighbor’s idea of friendship is a shoddy barb wire fence that looks like a 10 year old put up, with grow sticks laced in between the strands and native thorn bushes he transplanted down the fence row, in my front yard! Not to mention three coconut trees he planted specifically to block my view of Mt Apo. That will take a few years, if they don’t die. Did I mention I bought my property from him. Nice guy till he saw he was not going to get any more money out of me.

Another foreigner with a bad plan. I would tell him what I think, but he hides or turns his back and goes inside if I get within shouting distance. He always waits until we are not there to do his deeds, early morning or after dark. My wife and I laugh and wonder when he will find the time once we move there. However, given that, the real sad part of it all is the fact that my wife and his wife grew up together, been friends most of their lives. I think his wife has came back to visit my wife one time in 6 months. Such a shame, but fear not, I believe in Karma…….we reap what we sow.

As for the other expats I have met, I put them into three categories. The ones that have little and want to be a King and the ones that have a lot and think they are Kings. Then there are the ones like me that came here because they love the culture and the challenge of a third world country. These seem to be far and few between. I do have several expat friends in Cebu who we visit and are waiting to come here when my house is finished. Yes, there are many inconviences here, downright frustrating at times. However, you got to love the people. Most have nothing but they are always smiling and full of hope. I do have several Filipino friends. All I have to do is mention I need this, or need someone to help me. They always come through and are there to help whenever I have a need. They expect nothing in return.

Well it seems that Tom Martin and I may have a few things in common. Maybe he will read this and who knows, maybe we will become friends. However, I do empathize with him no matter the outcome.

I have had people that are coming here for the first time; ask me about being taken advantage of by the Filipino’s. They are concerned and worried that they will have to pay more than they should. I have to laugh. But it’s true, you may get the white guy price or a Taxi driver may try to get away without setting the meter, (but we know Bruce would never do that). But it’s usually only a few peso’s more. The only way to really combat this is to learn some of the language. More times than not I get a better price then the Filipino’s. I always ask the price of something in English. Once they tell me, I then tell them in their language it’s too high and I want a discount. They are usually so shocked they get a big smile on their face and start lowering the price. As for as being taken advantage of, well my advice is to beware of other foreigners. They will more likely dent your wallet much harder the any Filipino. Sad but true.

Shadowy figures of the fishermen move around their little boats checking their nets and waiting for high tide.  The sky slowly lightens but it cloudy and overcast, not much sunrise today, only a little orange peering through the clouds. High tide is creeping back in. Some of the fishermen and their families are getting impatient and began carrying their little boats out to meet the tide.

Time for a walk on the beach and see what the tide may bring in.  We find several small shells and some pieces of red coral.  Lyn takes her bounty of shells inside, washes them and lays them out on the deck table to dry. She sits and picks through them as if they were gold coins from a shipwreck. I like to sit and watch her.  She has a quite calm gentle nature about her.

It is now time for breakfast. I think we will stroll down to Robert’s Jungle Restaurant and see what he has on the menu.  Maybe 500 yards or so into the village we come across his open-air, thatched roof restaurant and bar.  We are greeted by name “good morning Rob, good morning Lyn, please be seated.”  Robert and his staff makes you feel special and treats you like a dear friend returning from a long absence.  We scan the menu, American breakfast, Filipino breakfast, English breakfast, German breakfast, Farmers breakfast, or any combination you desire.

Farmers breakfast for me, I have to have my potatoes, Filipino for Lyn, she has to have her rice.  Everyone is happy.  Fresh orange juice or pineapple juice included.  Once again, Robert and his staff exceed my expectations, wonderful preparation, flavorful and excellent presentation.  290 pesos, about $6.00 total cost.  We shall return tomorrow for the same.

Robert has been to the States and was impressed with Cajun cooking.  We chatted and he told me of the fresh grouper and snapper he got daily.  I ask him if he was familiar with Blacken Red Fish, (snapper or grouper).  He thought he had the spices needed to fix it for supper if I wanted.  “See you for supper” I replied.  Lyn and I stroll through some shops and had a coke at a few other restaurants to see how their hospitality was. Sorry no comparison, it will be supper at the Jungle.

We return to our deck and watch other foreigners and Filipinos walking up and down the beach.  Each of them looking up at the house and taking pictures if they have a camera, we smile and wave. Two were obviously awe struck so I spoke to them and ask if they wanted to see the inside.  One was from Germany, the other from Switzerland.  They asked, “Really are you sure?”  I gestured to the bamboo stairs leading up to the deck. They looked around, took in the view from the deck and thanked me.  As they walked away, they were walking backwards staring back at the house. Its nap time now and then a mile or so sunset stroll down the beach and some more shell hunting.  My mind drifts off with the picture of blackened red fish and salad imprinted firmly in place for supper.

It is about 7pm now and time for supper.  We walk by several other restaurants and each had a just few customers.  We approached the Jungle; it was vibrant with conversations in many different languages, barely an empty table in the house. Robert greeted us by name and moved tables around to give us a good seat.  He waited on us personally, asked if I was ready to try his blackened fish.  Lyn did not know what she wanted so he took us over to two large bins near the entrance.  Each was covered with food; one tray contained various fresh fish, crabs, squid, shrimp and all kinds of seafood, the other with the standard fare of beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables.

Lyn eyes a big black crab lying on the bed of ice. She pokes a finger at it and lets out a giggle and jerks her finger back.  Robert laughs and says ”careful Lyn he is still alive and might pinch you, is that the one you want?” She smiles and nods in agreement, what about you Rob, “blacken fish” he says. I reply “Well Robert I have a question for you, is that a half rack of barbecued ribs standing up on that table? Is the sauce sweet since I don’t like sweet sauce” and ”No” he replies and if you do not like them, no charge and I fix blacken fish for you.  French fries and a salad with them will be fine.  I have been craving some good ribs a long time and haven’t found them in Indiana, and surely never thought I would find them in the Philippines.  Oh Robert, you have done it again, excellent ribs and the presentation is simply awesome.  Lyn’s crab is now bright red and surrounded by a sea of mild red sauce, she lit up like a Christmas tree.  Almost to pretty to eat, well I forgot, she is a Filipino, there is nothing that pretty to them, hahaha.

Finally, we eat our way into oblivion and sit back to ponder how we consumed all this exquisite food.  To my surprise, Lyn has dessert, some kind of ice cream with marshmallows and other toppings.  She beckons me to try, it was very flavorful, and she manages to consume it before it melts.  Another evening in paradise concludes with a slow walk back to the beach house and a few hours of lounging on the deck listening to the sea. I believe I could do this the rest of my life and never grow bored.  I sleep in the next morning, up at 7am.  The doors to the deck are open and a cool breeze is blowing through the house.  I fix a cup of coffee and wonder where Lyn is.  I walk out on the deck thinking, she is hidden by one of the oversize loungers, but no Lyn.

I peer up and down the beach; low tide has returned leaving a vast amount of exposed sand. I see a small figure squatted down poking around in the sand. Her hands are full of small shells, she is washing them off in a small pool of water left by the receding tide.  I sip my coffee and watch her for a while. She holds them between her finger and thumb and inspects each one, if they are cracked or chipped she pitches them aside and continues her inspection of the next. I can see her small hands are full so I look around the house and find a bamboo basket, slip on my flip-flops and head out to join her.  She is so intent with her inspection she never hears my approach.  “What you doing Lyn” I ask.  She looks up, smiles and displays her newfound treasures. “Look, I found some red coral.”  Her dark brown eyes twinkle in delight.  I hand her the basket and we continue down the beach searching for another hour or so.  We now have several hundred small shells, some quite beautiful.  I ask her what she will do with these small shells, she replies, “Maybe I make jewelry.” She reads the doubt in my face, “why, you think I can’t do it?”  “I’m sure you can Lyn” I reply. Let us go have breakfast I am hungry.” “Quick change of subject, Ok” she replies. We head back to the house.

She sets her basket of shells on the deck table and stares at them a moment.  She turns and looks at me and says, “Why you think I can’t do it?” Obviously, the quick change of subject did not work as well as I thought.  “Lyn, I believe you” I reply.  “Now let us go eat, ok?”  See stares at me a second and says, “Okie Dokie you da boss.” We both burst out laughing.  Another one of my quirky sayings pitched back to me.  She don’t miss much and watches how I do everything.

Breakfast was delicious.  I sat and had a coke while Lyn went across the street to get us a tee-shirt.  This is the best way to buy things, let her go make the deal first, if they see my light skin the price goes up.  She returns smiling with two t-shirts and a yellow knit hat “I hope that hats not for me” I say.  She giggles and says, “no, I like, but need 60 more pesos.  She shows me my tee-shirt, I really don’t care for the color, so we both go over to the store.  I find one I like.  Lyn had already negotiated the price and told me the total, she saved 20 pesos per shirt.  It was time to pay. I repeated the agreed price the lady had quoted Lyn, she looked at Lyn and then at me, reluctantly she agreed.  However, I had learned another trick, I handed her a 1000-peso note, I knew she had just opened and probably could not change it. I had moved all my smaller notes to a different pocket except for the agreed amount minus 20 pesos.  “Sorry, only have this” showing her large notes and the small ones that was short 20 pesos.  “You take” I ask?  She shakes her head no. “Ok” I say, and hand her back the merchandise.  She stares at me and grins,frowns and then says ”ok.”  We walk out and I tell Lyn, “got your hat for half price now” She squeezes my hand and says, “you smart man.”  I smile and agree, “we make pretty good team.”

Time for one more walk on the beach before packing and heading back to Cebu City.  I will miss this place and shall return I am sure.  Robert meets us at the ferry and thanks us for being his guest and hopes we will return to visit again.  “I’ll be waiting for you” he shouts, and waves goodbye as we board.

We take our seats and notice a few people looking over the starboard rail of the ferry. They are pitching something into the water, maybe feeding fish.  I ask Lyn, “we go look?”  I knew that would peek her curious nature. To my surprise there were 3 young Filipino boys, perhaps 10 or 12 years old, treading in the clear blue water.  The water is probably about 12 to 15 feet deep along the ferry.  They are diving for pesos.  I reach into my pocket and retrieve eight 1 peso coins. Lyn pitches a few in and they dive, I pitch a few more a bit farther out.  Each time they dive and return to the surface smiling with the peso in their hand.  The diesel engines begin to throttle up and they swim towards shore.  We return to our seats and watch the beach house growing smaller in the distance; some wonderful memories will loom forever in our minds.

I feel my ornery side surfacing for some reason.  I scan around the ferry to see where I might apply this swelling feeling.  It do not take long to see my targets. Two well dressed crewmembers, their pressed white ensigns shirts with their gold nametags and insignias, blue pants and shining shoes.  I watched them; they were checking passenger’s tickets.  I pull my tickets from my shirt pocket and hide them under my leg. Lyn saw me do this and said, “What you do?”  “I going to mess with them” I said, and gestured to the approaching young men. “I am going to ignore them,” I said. I could see the disbelief in her face.  I turned my head starboard and gazed out to sea.  “Tickets please”, I continue my stare starboard, “excuse me sir, tickets please.” I slowly turn my head to port and look up at him, “tickets please” he says again.  I reach towards my shirt pocket and get a puzzled look on my face ”oh no” I say, and motion with my hand that they had blown out the window.  He smiled and said something to Lyn in their native tongue.  I grinned and reached under my leg and handed him the tickets, he smiled and said, “thank you sir.”

Lyn starting laughing, I asked her what he said.  “He say, you pay again&.” Humm that did not satisfy my surge of orneriness.  Oh well maybe I can keep it in check, not.  I tell Lyn maybe we can get a/c bus back to Cebu, but I would rather get there sooner than 3 or 4 hours.

I spy a small snack bar back in the open-air section of the ferry. Good time for a coke, so I walk back and order a bottle of coke. 15 pesos, about half of what the island charges.  Lyn ask me how much I pay?  I say, “guess?” She says “25, 30, 40, 50?” With each amount her voice goes up and her eyes get
bigger. “No only 15 pesos”  I say.  She looks at me in disbelief.  “Yes only 15 pesos, I think girl likes me” I said with a big smile.  Her eyes get big again as she pinches me on the leg. Ouch, I think somebody jealous.

We should be getting close to Hagnaya. I think I will return bottle.  I notice that most are napping now, including the snack bar girl.  She has her head resting on the small wooden counter top. I stand there a few seconds,  she still sleeps, swaying with the gentle rock of the boat.  I now see an opportunity to satisfy that orneriness I have been suppressing.  Bam, I slam down the coke bottle a few inches from her head She jerks her head up and gasps for breath, her eyes as big as 10 peso coins, as she regains her composure I politely say, “sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, just brought your bottle back, salamat”(thank you). Turned and walked away, I think she may have wet herself. I am so bad.  As we disembarked at the pier, she just stared at me as I walked by.  I gave her a big smile and a wink.  She smiled back sheepishly.

“Where you go sir”, “I take bag,” “you need ride sir,” “air condition car
sir,” “where you go,” and the haggling begins.
“I go to Cebu City” I say.
“No problem 1200 pesos.”
“No I pay 500, ok?”
“1000 sir”
“No maybe 750.”
“No problem I take bus.”
“Ok ok, 750 pesos sir, airport Mactan Island?”
“No to Talisay, Corona del Mar”
“1200 pesos, much farther (I know that this is 40 minutes farther than airport and will cost 250 to 300 pesos by taxi.  By this time I see a driver I know. He has brought someone here from Cebu City and don’t want to go back empty in his brand new leased Toyota.
“Talisay, Corona del Mar, 1000 pesos” I say.
“ok, ok,we go.”  Nice ride, ($20.00) for a 2 1/2 hour plus ride, delivered to my front door.

You really need a strong heart to ride with some of these guys or just close your eyes.  I really don’t have the words to describe it, it’s something you just have to experience, at least once.  Surprisingly there are very few accidents, which is truly unbelievable.

We had a great time and yes I would recommend it.  Even if you stay at one of the local resorts, do yourself a favor and stop by Robert’s Jungle Restaurant for a great meal.  Tell him Rob and Lyn sent you.  You will be happy you did.  Hope you enjoyed my adventure.  I surely did.

I hope Rob will write more about his adventures, the house he is building and just how he experiences life in Davao.

Friday evening one couple Elena and I am friends with invited us to their house for dinner. I felt bad we never got to socialize this way in the two years I have lived here and known them. I realize a lot of the problem is his wife was in Germany a few times for months at a time assisting a friend with her business.

I have tried to say goodbye to as many as I could. One of the groups I had trouble seeing for the last time and saying goodbye was to the kids at Agdao Market on Sunday morning. They all had tears in their eyes as I did when we talked about me leaving.

Then in true Filipino tradition, they wanted me to take photos of them and us together. As I looked in their cute little faces, I wished I were rich and could adopt and bring them all to America and give them a better future.  These kids, who I have discussed in the past, are from poorer families. They go to public school during the week and on weekends work at the market selling calamansi or carrying the bags of shoppers to earn a few pesos at a time. They use this money to cover the cost of the meals during the week and help with some expenses of their families.

This just made me think of my childhood where I would cut lawns or shovel snow for neighbors to earn some money. This money was for my own use. These kids work to assist their families. Even though they joke and play with each other and vendors at the market, they do not have the time to just be kids.

We then went to the mall and I said goodbye to everyone I had known and touched my life. Over the two years, I have gotten to know the guards and many employees at the mall. I thanked them for their kindnesses and friendships.

In some cases, these friendships with Filipinos was better than some of the Expats I have gotten to know here in many ways.  Many of these foreigners have their own agendas. Then need to feel important and control long. I know it is the same in your home country as had seen in America but there you get to turn and find another American. Here you do not have as many to choose from.  Many here have lifestyles I just do not enjoy. Some that I played bridge with upset me so much last Wednesday, I just got up and told them what I think and walked off. They are more experienced then I and will always point out my mistakes. The problem is they do not stop. Since I enjoyed the game, I would just let them talk. Well this time I got up and said I am leaving in a few days and do not need any more of their insults.

Then on Sunday night some of Elena’s friends with their Expat husbands got together with us at a local restaurant for a going away get-together for me. The funny part is I hardly socialized with these men in the two years and now they want to get together. Maybe it is just an excuse to have dinner out.

One of the upsetting this is this; shipping boxes to the Philippines is reasonably cheap and shipping from here to America is expensive. Thinking I would live here for the rest of my life I shipped 17 boxes. I brought good cookware, corning ware and any other things. Now going back I will have to leave most behind.

Well, from this site, you have learned about me, my life, my experiences and my observations. In the future I will journal how my life will change being back in the States, and my survival there. I will write about the filing for Elena’s spousal visa and then getting her to America. I will continue with the cultural differences Elena will experience and how we deal with it. Then with the help of Rob and others that I hope will contribute, I will be able to keep this site going. We will see. I thank you, all my readers for visiting and enjoying my site.

When I moved here over two years ago I had shipped many of my belongings and had all my clothes packed for almost a month before I left and just kept out things for daily clothes and last minute packing of my toiletries.

This week I have to box my desktop computer and some of the things I want to bring back.  One of the reasons for the delays is visitors. For the past three weeks, readers who asked me for different levels of assistance for their visits started arriving.

Fist was a reader from California. I made reservations for his stay and picked him up at the airport on his arrival. His arrival day was Good Friday. With everything closed, besides meeting him at the airport and bringing him to his accommodations, I realized there was no place for him, his girlfriend, her sister and mother to do in the city. With this being discussed, after we went for breakfast, I brought them all to my home to hang out and to join us for dinner.

During his stay in Davao, I did not see him again except once running into him at the mall and once he called to help him straighten out a problem at his lodging. He was nice enough to bring me and Elena some items we wanted from America and since we has assisted him before his arrival, he would not take any repayment for these items.

The following week another reader arrived. I talked about this on a previous article. Since his girlfriend was employed and was unavailable during most of his daytime of stay here, we got together most days. With all this time, we developed a nice friendship.

Then last week a third reader scheduled to arrive came into town. This person had contacted me and asked to hire me for two days as his driver. During the week, we were in contact and informed me he would need me on Friday and Saturday. He also agreed for Elena to come along. On Friday morning we meet at his hotel and then Elena, the man, his girlfriend, her sister, mother and nephew piled into my car and off we went to Eden Nature Park. We joined them for lunch and then Elena and I relaxed while they toured the park and went on the zip line there.

On Saturday morning, they wanted to go to Blue Jazz Beach Resort on Samal and invited us to join them. We picked them up at the hotel and this time it was just us two couples. I drove us all to the boat for Blue Jazz and we spent the morning and early part of the afternoon on Samal. We talked about an afternoon activity but they decided they just wanted to spend time together at his hotel since he would fly home on Sunday. Besides paying me for my time and car use, he graciously paid for Elena and my cost both days.

Sunday I received a email from another reader. He had contacted me in the past and I knew he planned to move to Davao in the future, but did not know he was already here. He first was in Cebu but now is looking to live here in Davao. In his email, he asked if we could meet on Monday. With back and forth emails, we will meet for lunch.

As I started, this will be a busy week. Besides packing, I need to clear some banking and I hope I can sell my car before I leave. I do not want to leave the selling of the car to Elena.

I will try to have at least one more update before I leave Davao. If not, please bear with me. As soon as I can, I will update all on my trip, my arrival and my experiences being an Ex-expat.

I’m a decorated Vietnam veteran. I was barely 18 when I got there, turned 19 and 20 there. I spent time in Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. Been to Taiwan, Australia, Guam, Wake Island, Puerto Rico, Panama, England, France, Canada, Mexico, Korea and of course the Philippines, for the last year.

I ran restaurants for about 20 years, but have been many things. Been a professional Bass Tournament fisherman, a hunter and guide. A boiler maker, carpenter, plumber and electrician and even a certified heart monitor technician. Spent the last 20 years of my life single until I met my gwapa Filipina She made me feel again and gave me hope and happiness. We are currently building in Tugbok Ula. If you need to know anything else, just ask.

Bruce, I wish you the best in your return to the states. I must tell you something that I have told many others over the years. If a person wants to work in the states, he can always find a job. I have never been unable to find a job if I wanted or needed one. Therefore, I am sure you will find it that way to. Too many people there think someone should find them and give them a job………life does not work that way……..if you’re willing to work……and willing to look for work……..there is always work to be found in the states.

They use email addresses with a first name such as john@yahoo.com. Now it is possible to have a Yahoo email account if you were the first person to get such an email address many years ago when yahoo first started, but the chances of a few commentator’s with nasty comments being able to have such an email address and place a comment on this site is too much of a coincidence. I had tried to email them to stop and received a return email stating there is no such email account.

Now, there is something you might not know. Every comment I receive has the name, email address and website the person uses when filling out the form, but I also get their IP address. An IP address is a number that designates what county, region and even the internet provider issuing the address. Now most times you connect to the internet, you receive a new IP address, but it can still be linked back to the provider, the company you use to connect to the internet.

There are site on the net where you can identify the country, state, city and provider from a IP address. The government and other agencies can contact a provider and give the time, date and ip address and the provider can tell which of their customers had that address assigned to them at that time.

Well, I have noted that all these abusive comments are from the same provider. Now, I am not going to pay to get the actual name and address of this person but I will not let this person post on my site. The comments they make are immature, abusive and insulting. One time I relieved a comment stating why I do not let comments that disagree with me to post. As anyone can see, I let all pertinent information and comments to post, even if they disagree with me. This is how we learn from each other. I allow many sides of feelings to my articles and other comments, but I expect respect.

Well, if this person sees this, I am giving notice, no of their comments will ever post, and even the one alias that they use that has been civil will be banned not too. You can waste all the time you want writing, but will continue to be frustrated since none will be posted on my site.

Also, I am keeping all of these comments and emails. If the day comes where I feel they are becoming a threat to my welfare, I will go to the authorities and file for a restraining order and sue for slander and defamation of character in a libel suit. Let this be a warning to you.

Well this summer it is much hotter. This week the daytime temperatures are in the low to mid 90’s and as always humid. If it is cloudy the temperatures are a little lower, but then without the sun to burn off the moisture in the air, the humidity increases. This way the “Heat Index” stays about the same.

Recently the cost for electricity has gone up so you have a choice, run the air conditioning and pay a higher bill or sweat.

Then there are the brownouts where you have no power for a fan or anything.

You can go to the malls, but I have noticed they have raised the temperature, probably to lower costs of electricity by running the air con less. Then when they get a brownout, they have generators for lighting and electricity but turn off the air con and escalators.

So, now your hot and sweaty because you need to climb the stairs.

The heat also makes many people irritable which I am already somewhat by trying to quit smoking.

This is my happy report for the week

In the Philippines, they have eleven Major Political parties and many minor parties plus a group called a party list. With this, the ballets will be filled with long lists for each office for election.

Here in the Philippines, the Vice President is someone that is elected, not like in America where it is a political team where the President and Vice President run under the same ballot.  It is the same for Mayor and Vice Mayor and I would guess every political level with a Vice seat available.

Around town and probably all over the Philippines there are signs, banners and flags covering any area allowed. Many fences, walls, poles, and any other place they can find are covered with political campaign signs. Some are nailed or pasted to walls or strung across streets.  Trucks, Jeepneys and even peddle carts have political campaign signage.

Then there are the Jeepneys driving around town with loud speakers blaring campaign slogans. There are political rallies and of course hand shaking.

Now you might think, this is the same in the U.S., but to me, if is like many other things here, I is over done compared to what I am used to seeing in the States.

What I am curious, after Election Day, how long it will take to remove all this stuff from all over the country. In many places, you cannot see through wire fences since they are completely covered with these signs.

Even though I will be back in America by Election Day, I will be curious to see who

won the election. Because I am not a citizen of the Philippines, I have no place to give any

of my opinions or feelings of the political race here and it is actually illegal for a non-Philippine citizen to discuss the candidates openly for or against any one running.

One thing I would like the first time someone sends me an article is a little bio about themselves, so I can introduce them. This way we all can get to know a little about the writer and where his or her experience or connection to the Philippines or Filipinos.

I also have realized some people would want or need a chance to earn some money for writing. I know I thought I could make some money too. What I am offering, if any writer has their own site or internet business, I will put on the site a banner or sidebar ad for their site. If you have neither but want to join an affiliate program and place an ad for that on the site, I will allow that too, just email me the code, link or ad graphic and linking information and I will include that on the site.

As many readers have commented, they would like to see American in Davao continue to give honest, open and respectful information about  the Philippines, Davao, the culture, the cultural differences, experiences and/or observations that will be interesting and helpful to all readers.

I have tried to make this site for information and as a guide to people thinking of visiting, retiring and/or moving to the Philippines and Davao in particular. I have always tried to do it with respect. It is easy to look at the life and people here on First World Nation standards and compare it to life and the people here.  What takes time to realize, even though there is an over population and extreme poverty, Filipinos have lived here for a very long time. The country has major influx of people and cultures from many countries. Malays, Chinese, Muslim, Spanish, Japanese, Korean European, American, and others. The influence on the life here has had a positive and negative on the people and their culture.

Changes are long and difficult, and they have to be made by the people and the government. We can share, teach, show and train, but it is up to them to decide what they want. We cannot force them to change so it is more comfortable for us. We need to accept what life is like here. I have found you make better relationships with a smile and a kind word then yelling or complaining. Sure, I complain, we all do. That is because we have trouble accepting the changes.

The more information we can share and discuss, the more we will all learn to live here or understand the differences and difficulties if we bring a Filipino to our respective country.

So, in closing, please help keep American in Davao alive as a source of information for all to read and learn.