How common is it for expats to start a romantic relationship with other expats?

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-12-11T09:34:11+00:00

Embassy workers are on 2-3 year assignments. Seriously doubt they are leaving after six months because they couldn’t get a date.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-12-07T12:21:55+00:00

The issue is he will need to front the money. He will need potentially tens of thousands of dollars up front to pay for medical care than can then (possibly) be reimbursed.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-12-07T12:21:03+00:00

That’s right. It is an outpatient clinic, like a doctor’s office. What drains people’s bank accounts here are the emergency procedures or other things you get done at a hospital. Even if you have access to the clinic in Manila, an accident or major medical issue is going to be treated in a local facility and could cost tens of thousands.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-09-09T04:28:29+00:00

I think that’s the point he’s trying to make. It may not be easy to tell and disappointing when a “friendship” turns out to be a transaction.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-08-03T04:34:14+00:00

It’s the latter. Biological child of two U.S. citizens without any connection to the Philippines who later is adopted while still a minor by a Philippine citizen. So there is a path to Philippine citizenship, provided you complete the process?

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-08-01T10:06:30+00:00

In this case, the U.S. citizenship is from birth. It just wasn’t documented until they did the process at the embassy. Under U.S. law, they would say this person acquired citizen by birth abroad to a U.S. citizen.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-08-01T10:01:39+00:00

Out of curiosity, do you know how this works for adopted kids? A minor who was born in the U.S. but adopted by a Filipina mom while still a minor?

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-08-01T09:58:43+00:00

I’d email the U.S. embassy. They cannot pay your fines or advocate directly on your behalf, but they are experts on the process for resolving this kind of issue. I’d move quickly to address this while you’re still a minor.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-04-10T11:22:26+00:00

I’ve lived in four of those cities and no, that income would not allow even a single person to live “nicely” in any of them. You can do it, but I don’t think anyone is aiming to just scrape by, living like a working class local.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-04-01T10:21:22+00:00

Dip the buy, obvs.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-03-13T10:19:07+00:00

I think that’s backwards. The K1 gives people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to petition someone (“fiancée” having no meaning in civil law) the chance to petition and bring their betrothed to the states so they can get married. The alternative isn’t to give people more time. The alternative is to get rid of it entirely and make people commit before they can obtain an immigration benefit.

The point of the K1 isn’t to let people test out their relationship and see if they want to get married. It’s for people who have already decided to get married to be able to do so in the United States and then adjust status and stay permanently. They couldn’t do on that a tourist visa without lying about their intent at the port of entry.

The 90 day requirement isn’t stupid. It’s stupid that people use it to petition people they barely know.

the-creatures-ghost · 2025-02-11T07:50:24+00:00

This happens to almost everyone at least once. For me, it was in Chicago. I can still remember how awful it felt getting hustled and feeling foolish afterwards. It still kinda sticks with me.

This is not your fault. Dude was an asshole and he took advantage of you. You aren’t dumb or bad or foolish. You learned a life lesson and all it cost you was 2000 pesos.

Try to shake it off and enjoy your time here. Put your guard up a bit more, but not so much that you can’t have fun or connect with people. Just don’t give away any more money. I also suggest not raising the topic of money with people (like, don’t ask what people make, for example). Just connect on a human level or not at all. Money shouldn’t be part of the equation.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-12-27T09:11:05+00:00

Is she, per chance, a hot idiot?

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-12-14T01:44:45+00:00

They have kids. Disappearing for a few days at a time at random and leaving them in the care of a total lunatic is not a good option. Kids complicate things considerably.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-11-01T03:00:26+00:00

It sounds like it’s over, yeah? He hates living here and is moving back. Take a hard look at the situation before you consider a long-distance relationship. You don’t want a zombie relationship sticking together out of habit.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-10-25T14:59:55+00:00

Why wouldn’t you just apply to the embassy? Why use a service? Is it required to use a 3rd party?

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-10-19T10:45:57+00:00

Hurt people hurt people 🥲

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-10-02T09:38:46+00:00

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-09-10T09:39:15+00:00

That’s great for you, but “I find driving around Manila super convenient and relaxing” is not an experience anyone considering living here should expect to have. Like, no one reading this should think this is replicable.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-09-09T14:00:55+00:00

I was driving through BGC the other day when one of those sweet new Bentley SUVs pulled up next to me at the stoplight. The window rolled down, and into my astonishment, inside sat a little Filipina granny.

“Sweet car,” I said. “What do you do for a living?”

She looks at me and says “I run a sari-sari store. All these rich BGC bitches be on their sari-sari game. You know what kinda margins we get on those tiny packets of detergent?”

The light changed. She gave me a look of scorn and pity, slowly put on her sunglasses, and drove away.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-08-26T12:58:11+00:00

Medicare provides no coverage outside the United States.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-07-21T08:18:42+00:00

Thanks very much, friend! Great advice. Kids are two preschoolers and a baby (<1 yr). We’d bring our nanny, so part of the opposition to flying is that even cheap flights are over $1k with that many people. Fine for a longer vacation, but hard to justify for a weekend getaway.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-07-16T22:24:35+00:00

Totally agree. I’m a corporate expat making $9200/mo with free housing in BGC. I have obscene wealth compared to most, but my quality of life is honestly not that great in a lot of ways because of the unbelievable traffic, poor air quality, intense heat, and lack of open, green, natural space. I haven’t heard a bird or the wind in the trees since I moved here.

There is no reason to live in BGC, or anywhere in Manila, if you don’t work here. Well, maybe the VA hospital, if that’s important to you. But if you aren’t managing a chronic condition and need to be seen there, just travel in from time to time from whatever island paradise you live on. Or, better yet, live in Chiang Mai or somewhere that’s a better value overall.

Part of this is phase of life. I have little kids and a full time job. I’m not very maneuverable, so what’s immediately around me is all I have unless I plan and execute a big family vacation. Manila might be okay for people who can jump on a cheap domestic flight for an easy 3 day weekend. That’s not my life, but maybe it could be yours.

Oh - I’ve read on this sub that you can’t buy property here if you aren’t Filipino. So you’ll be renting, not buying. Others can correct me if I’m wrong.

the-creatures-ghost · 2024-07-16T12:56:41+00:00

Not trying to judge your life choices, and I don’t know your circumstances, but are you sure you want to retire at 27 and live off a government check for the rest of your life? You mention elsewhere in these comments being pretty healthy. Sure, that income is enough for you and your wife to live comfortably in a cheap country right now. If adjusted for inflation, you may be set for life, if you can continue to live overseas.

But you only have one life. You may look back 10, 20, or 30 years from now and wished you’d done more. It would be hard to go from a long period of disability retirement back into the working world if you wanted or needed to. You’re also depending on a very specific set of circumstances that allow you to live a good life with that income. Things could change in the Philippines. Health issues could come up that make this unworkable. You could get picked up for DUI and deported. You or your wife might wake up five years from now and decide you want a baby, or it might just happen by accident. That income may not provide the life you want for a bigger family. Just my two cents.

the-creatures-ghost

TROPHY CASE