^ Obviously if you are serious about a girl, it's important to get into a discussion about motives and the stigma associated with the average Filipina. Starting to talk about how being a foreigner here really is and how it is hard to find a "pure" girl with no agenda, will give you a ton of info when they tell their view and reactions to your opinions. Get their view on hooking, baiting foreigners, trying to become pregnant, having Filipino bf/other on the side, etc. Have casual conversations about this stuff, like tell a story about what happened to a friend or borrow stories from others. Point: Don't question/interrogate them about this stuff, they might be offended either way.

Always tell the girl your intent about the relationship (doesn't want to marry, no kids, I'm no green card, I won't support your sick aunt, might leave the country at any time etc or vice versa)

Make it a requirement that the girl is studying or working, willing to work for (at least partial) own support, family can get by without her support, etc.

We got a lot of gf options here so up your standards. I'd take an average looking independent girl over a super hot girl looking for a sugar daddy any day for ltr.

I've discussed this with my gf alot and she understands... and agrees alot with what I say. But, there is no way to change the way her family sees things. She has had multiple discussions with her family, and no matter how much of a good guy I am or how well I treat their daughter.. the only thing they care about is when am I going to send them some money? They need money for xxxx, xxxx , xxxx. If I am not going to send money, then they think their daughter should find another guy who will.

Even if your girl friend accepts the way you view the world.. her family never will (unless your very lucky to stumble across a non-typical filipino family).. and in philippines taking care of your family is Number 1, so your girl friend is never going to be fully happy with you - because she'll always feel like she is letting her family down by being with you.

The bolded is the naked truth... You play by the rules out there or you get out of the game... This isn't the girl next door in suburbia USA. The local girl/foreign guy relationship takes on certain dynamics most from the west are not prepared to face... Again, superimposing your first world value systems out there will not work.

Your post is extremely true.
I'll say my version.
The above post states something about 1st world values.

Whenever a Filipina has asked me for money for family/other things.
I have immediately felt it was wrong. Terribly wrong. It's not close. I feel my intestines twitching and turning. There is just no way I'm donating anything at all that was not deserved, no matter how crappy the situation. I've gotten the "hey, you have money...what's the difference? I/they really need it". Frankly, there's just no way I'll ever be able to accept giving away money I've worked so damn hard for. Most of my savings came from risking my life in a dangerous zone preserving peace and treating the sick and the wounded. The other came from investing a ton of time and effort just using wits, to profit in poker. Which is low risk and easy in a way. There's just no way I wanna donate that because people are lazy or not enlightened enough to care to do something about their situation.

I mean lol, donate your monthly 30k or whatever to the family. And the brothers, cousins and uncles have another excuse to drink red horse and pass out in the street every day.

When I had a gf, she was pushed in all kinds of sick twisted ways to get money from me. She was cast out. It's in reality not about the money, it's about the lack of effort.

To be fair to everyone, and this is a ginebra rant obviously. To those who it may concern, if you're willing to donate or not just make it clear in an instant.
It means, before getting serious clear out the poor family chicks

It's not hard finding girls here who wanna make their own way. If that isn't the case, non-serious relationships is the way to go. And I realize this might be an issue if already "fallen for them". I wish I had been tons more nitty myself.

k cheers I'm gonna have some more drinks and degen

Am targeting the APT Manila event next April to lose my Phils virginity

Could be a good 4 week trip.

lol.. this x 1000

typhoon tilt, this pedring typhoon sucks, power is out in all the rooms in my building, the backup gen is only working for the hallway and building lights. i cant even go out to get food cause its raining so hard and the wind is blowing things down the streets at 100kph, it has been fun watching people try to walk out of the building and open up umbrellas only to watch them fly right out of their hands and hit cars/people/fly around buildings.

At least you're making the most of it It's actually quite sunny and quiet here.

hey guys im getting to manila in early nov. What are some cheap places to stay and how much? Im going to stay for about a month and need to get something is 100 per month reasonable?

I live south of the border in Mexico (20 min from SD), close to my family; go back and fwd any time I want and play Online Poker without any problem. Looking for a roomie.

i hate you and your sunny and quiet and the power that you probably have lol.

you arent going to get a short term furnished place for 100/month. what you been smokin?

lolwut? wrong thread?

Im just not sure about prices these days, thought maybe 100 would be ok lol.
Im staying for about 35 days. What is a reasonable price in an okayish place, doesnt have too be fancy. Room with a shower and a tv maybe. I dont mind leaving a little away from centres.

mmmm grinding my way to bankruptcy..feel the power!! Muhaha.

The only two options I know of for short term are pearlsletting.com and housinginteractive.com. They both have slightly but not ridiculously inflated prices, but they're a lot more expensive than what you suggested. You might be able to find something on craigslist manila or sulit for somewhere near the prices you suggested, particularly if you look for dormitory style housing. It will be lower middle class to lower class third world conditions though.

Hi

100 what? US Dollars? 100 centavos?

There are a few who might be able to advise you on $100/month places but you'd be living outside metro manila - okay ish places in local neighborhoods here would go for about $125-150 unfurnished or semi furnished at best.

Decent condo type studio/1BR apartments, which most expats/people ITT live in, range from p15-50K or $300-1000 and higher


Anyone experienced this typhoon more heavily?
What's the best online news(paper) to stay up to date?
Have been browned out here all day and they can't even deliver food because of the weather condition.

It was raining through my windows so I went to close them. But they were already closed

well i experienced about as much as you, since im right next door lol. my power was out for 13 hours and a generator in my building blew up and the lobby was full of smoke and the fire dept was here, but i guess they got it all fixed now.

ive been looking on gma for updates.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/233585/n...ht-people-dead

How long are you going to be in Cebu for Sterling & where are you located now? Cebu has numerous upscale gated communities. Beverly Hills Lahug, Maria Luisa Estate Park in Banilad near the Gaisano Country Mall, Northtown Homes in Talamban, and Ayala Heights, near PTA Kang-irag Golf course.

In regards to bars Badgers Sports and Dining Pub located at the ground floor of the RCDC Building along Gov. Cuenco Avenue, and Silver Dollar Bar along Jones Avenue near Robinsons Place. The last two establishments are a favorite watering hole for tourists and expats.

I find you get a lot of working girls at PUMP, Julianna's / Mango Square especially after 2-3am when most of them start leaving the strip clubs and start shaking their booties in the night clubs.

You get some nice talent at Mo2 on Fri/Sat nights as most the girls that go there are students or from a slightly upper-class family or they like to appear that way. It's a very nice venue as well, outdoor live concert area with seating/dancefloor, nightclub, gaming area & bars.

Hope your feelings towards Cebu change. It really is an amazing place. You just need a local to show you around.

Hi,
I just graduated from college and trying to decide what to do with my life. Have a finance degree but don't really want to go straight into an analyst job. I want to travel and heard great things about the Philippines. I have been a solid live player and just goofed around drunk online and have some money saved up but have a few questions. I would probably try to start out playing lower stakes online like 25c/50c but mainly be going because think it would be a great experience.

Where is the best place for a single white male to try to find an affordable place to live?
How hard will it be to set up a bank account?
What pokersites work best and is it hard getting set up with them? (Used to play full tilt so need a new place, although also have a stars account that barely used)
Has anyone tried also working? I have heard it is easy to get a job teaching English.
How much should someone have saved before making the move? This is also with the idea I could fly back to the states if I struck out completely and get a job here if need be so it is ok to go busto.

Sorry if these have been already answered. I have tried searching and read through a lot of the thread as well as searched around online but looking for more definitive answers.

Thanks for the help.

isnt there like a backpackers place? I just looked at some rooms at sulit.com.ph and there are rooms under 100 bucks a month, for example sulit.com.ph/2673167.
Why you guys saying at least 300?

Recommended places would be Cebu over Manila and I would chose Boracay over Manila only because Boracay provides a lifestyle I prefer which is a party/beach island.

Setting up a bank account: http://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/open-bank-account/

Un-install and re-install the Pokerstars client and this should resolve your issue.

Yes getting a job teaching english is easy if you have the right contacts, experience and just as important know the national language 'Tagalog' as well.

Amount saved before making the move is dependant on the persons requirements, lifestyle behaviours, length of stay etc etc
It comes down to how much of a security blanket do you like wrapped around you?

Personally I never like to put all my eggs in one basket but would be setup like this:

Bank A: $ XXXX (Savings Accounts/Emergency)
Bank B (Philippines Bank Account) : $ XXXX (Everyday Account)
Poker Site 1 (Pokersite with large player pool): Bankroll $ XXXX Be properlly rolled for your limit
Poker Site 2 (Pokersite with bonus & rakeback deal: $ XXXX Be properlly rolled for your limit
Live Bankroll: $ XXXX
Credit Card with limit X
Credit Card B (Emergency Backup)
Gangster roll locked up in a safe along with your passports & other important items.

You need more experience with online poker so I recommend monitoring your performance for a few months online and record good results before heading over or you could eat up through your bankroll very quickly and be heading back home and not really experiencing the culture of SEA countries.

Do your research & plan ahead and you will be fine. gl

^ very solid advice

Thanks for the great advice art of war. I know i need more experience online but live in the US so can't get that without making the move somewhere so that isn't an option. I did well when I play up to 100NL when I used to play when i was sober but my graphs and stuff are messed up because I would tilt easily when I would get him wasted and not care.

More on the amount of savings, how much do you think it costs to live per month with everything? I definitely don't need to live like a king and would be going to experience the culture and for the experience so just a safe clean place with internet is really what I would be looking at to start?

Does Boracay have good live games because I had heard Manila for that and then also living near Manila with Makati as the nicest place (more expensive though i know) to live and nightlife? Is Boracay similar? I have been researching online but love to hear personal experiences and trust 2+2 more than other sites frankly.

.

there are a few back packer places but even those are like $300-$500 month for ones like Our Melting Pot. you might be able to find someone on sulit renting out a room in their house or apt or something for pretty cheap, but most of those places that dont have pictures posted in the ads are because the place is a dump, not close to anything, probably lots of bugs, etc, speaking from experience. there is always the diamond in the rough though you just gotta search hard. the places people in the thread are talking about that are $300+ are places that will do 1 month short term rentals in areas like Makati, Eastwood, The Fort etc, most places you see advertised on sulit for example only offer 3,6 and 1 year rentals terms not one month, so for most one month rentals people usually go to one of those areas, stay in a hostel or hotel or use one of the agencies mentioned earlier ITT, pearls, one of the ones mentioned will rape you in electric bills and jack them way up from what ive heard though.

thanks for clarifying scoopa. I think ill just find a hostel once i get to manila. Maybe make my way to cebu as it seems to be pretty popar on here.

If any1 is renting out a room for short time let me know. Ill be landing in manila on 7th nov. After that i got 42 days of no plans before i fly out to vietnam. Cheers.

The cost of living is very cheap and you can stretch $1000USD for 1 month with strict conditions. Remember the average daily wage for locals is around 300php per day which is below $10USD a day. You will not be able to party/drink too often and your diet will be basic.

$1000-$1500 p/m You will have good accomodation, eat out regularly & party occasionally.

$2000usd + per month and you are balling.

For a live game specialist Manila is more viable and you have more options as to where to play. Cebu has a few places like Waterfront Casino in Lahug.
Boracay does not have a casino and you cannot play live (cash) poker anywhere. Boracay has been voted as #1 beach for decades with its fine powdery white sand and beautiful water and it's know for its nightlife and is a very popular tourist destination. What Boracay offers are beach houses, good if you can get a few online players to share with. Grind online poker by day, enjoy the beach life and party at night. Life's Good

Here is a link of a trip report i found earlier from a live player http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/92...pines-1034758/

I will be setting up a poker grind house in Boracay in the next few months. Stay tuned....