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I live in Atlanta with my wife and two kids, ages 3 and 5. My wife's job may allow her to work in Manila. We have yet to get all the specifics, but we would be over there for maybe two years, and paid at a local rate.
Does anybody know anything about Manila, or what we should be considering?
you would probably have to change your screen name.
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Striving to have sex more than 66 times per year
I've worked in Manila some. Probably spent a few months there all up.
The people are friendly, the food can be interesting.....stuff is cheap. That's really all the good things I can find to say about it. Oh, there are some nice islands a short flight away.
If you are paid a Western exec/ expat salary you can live like a king (big house, servants, driver to deal with the traffic for you). "Paid at the local rate" ??? You would have to be kidding. Just...don't.
You really need to pin down exactly what they mean by local rate.
Cannot believe that they are considering transferring someone from the US and paying them "local rate" in Manila
Do they mean the relevant expat rate for Manila ?
Things you need to consider -
cost of housing - you may be surprised how expensive rents in Manila are - I know when I was looking at an offer in Manila in the late 90's I was staggered by the cost of housing in Manila. There was no middle ground it was either very very cheap or a very very expensive gated community - nothing in the middle - that may have changed now.
Availability and cost of schooling - International schools are not cheap
Have either of you been for a look see visit yet? - suggest you try and do that before signing up. Manila could be quite a culture shock....
The other thing to consider is what are you going to do ? The typical expat spouse social scene is very much geared towards wives and you may find it a lonely existence - just a thought.
Culture shock? chances are yes because almost everyone is too friendly and accomodating here. triathlon training and racing? training done outside the city which is peaceful and roads here are like the many roads in SoCal and roads in europe. motorists are not as aggressive on triathletes/cyclists here.
housing and all. if you earn in dollars still lets say $5-10t thats 500,000 pesos wherein minimum here for most executives is $1,000 already. there are a lot of expats who are permanet residents already but almost all are in the nearby provinces. i have a lot of friends who are executives at the asian developement bank and they are enjoying themselves here.
"Pain is NOT temporary,you remember every bit of it"
OMG THAT WAS PRICELESS!!!! ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!