Mate seriously, just go and stay in that Cebu house first for a month or whatever and treat it as an education and then do your own thing once you have sussed the ropes.

vucking your suggestion is a good one, and what a sane person would do

I have only ever lived in the types of places where the white guy does stand out like a sore thumb for living there, and I have only been robbed one time in each of those countries, and never really scammed at all.

The time I got robbed in Thailand I was really drunk. The time I got robbed in the Philippines she was giving me a bj whilst doing the job. Point is in both cases my mind wasn't focused on what it should be focused on. Luckily I only got taken for about $25 the first time, and only $10 the second time, so both times it was hardly a huge deal.

As far as scams, if they do it it will usually be obvious and easy to spot. For example one time I knew the price for rice + veggies in the area was 8 piso for rice, 8 piso for veggies. At this one resto this one time the chick charged me 10 piso for each instead. I called her on it, she still didn't back down. I figured I wasn't going to waste my time arguing over 4 piso (about $.5) so I just left.

Point is if you are a total idiot, like I was those two times when I was drunk and when I was getting blown, then you might get robbed, maybe. So don't be a total idiot, it's not that hard.

As far as scams go, most Filipinos and Thais on the streets, aren't actually that good at these IME. They are way to desperate and therefor transparent so once again, don't be an idiot and you won't get scammed.

no break ins while im gone to steal computers or anything like that?

(poker bitching coming dont read after this)

looks like i will likely only be able to afford a place in tondo anyways, just lost 7h6h on J74 two heart board against 56o basically all in on flop

i got stacked 3 times in march, april, and may combined, now ive been stacked 3 of the last 4 days

I'm always stacking off on the flop with middle pair and a FD, pretty much regardless of opponent. Seems fine, just a ****ty result.


That's poker sometimes. Nothing you can do about it. Now you need to decide if you should just lock up your current net worth, and not grind anymore until you leave so as to be sure you don't lose anymore before you go to the PI.

Of course you could always hit a big heater in your last couple of weeks and be happy you continued to grind.

Need to ask yourself if you'd rather lock up what you have now, or take the risk and keep grinding?

given where im at i think i have to risk it and keep playing

i play super nitty, getting stacked 3 times in 4 days should be extremely rare to someone who plays as nitty as i do

if i were playing PLO still then i would just lock it up and get a sooner flight, but (in theory) i should be able to do alright sitting at a holdem table waiting for aces and sets

I'm in Philippines now. I'm staying in Makati. I was walking around today running errands and this place reminds me of a little Singapore.

Anyways k2d is going about this all wrong. I'm here now and I can see first hand all the "for rent" signs. They are everywhere but they are not high end condos but they are normal, cheaper, and location is great, very safe feeling around here as opposed to Manila city.

I could totally see myself living in a cheap yet spacious 2 bedroom apt above some Korean restaurant for 12,000 pesos a month calling down for take out.

I surely don't need lots of amenities. I just need safety and sex and soju.
Wifi is also better than last time I was here. Gets weak through when the rain is hard.

BDO wouldn't let me open an account but Metrobank did albeit I had to tell a white lie about my work.

Meeting a crazy girl from the Internet that told me she wanted to drink vodka and have sex after.

Awesome, have you checked out powerplant mall yet?

Four months in and i have not seen a single for rent sign. Funny how different people see the same city/area in different ways

lovelee can you be more specific on the area, whereabouts in makati?

Can easily happen . We once took a different route to my wife aunties house after being to a local market and found 3 rentals on 1 street .
Another time , after being on the road all day , we took a different road to a beach , asked some locals for directions and also if they had seen any for rent signs near bye and found this amazing house for rent . The owner , who worked abroad , was back for a few weeks . He only wanted 9.000 pesos .

k2d , some thing you should keep in mind .

Plenty of times a landlord will increase the asking price ( even double it ) if a foreigner asks . If the rental asking price is not on the sign this could easily happen .

First place I went to the Smart store to buy a Sim card.

Probably going back there this evening.

Yeah I've seen for rent signs.

ya its gonna be weird going from the US where there is basically no bargaining on anything to now having to haggle over a piece of fruit or a cab ride

5969 Fermina street, Poblacion, Makati City

Just off Kalayaan street between Rockwell and P. Burgos

And yes all the for rent signs were hand painted without prices for rent by owner.

how you know 12,000 per month?

i would not haggle about rentals . Probably still going to pay more then a local any way.
What i would do is ask someone working at the hotel if they know some one ( female , will prob. be a relative ) who could be your guide as you are new in the city and then send them ahead to ask the price . Return 1 hour later together and check the place out . Make sure you treat your guide well and invite them for a meal etc .

That's a freakin brilliant plan mate. Thanks.

Your welcome . It could go wrong though . If she is single and thinks you are handsome , it should go well . On the other hand , if she thinks you are a dog , well , if she is smart she will probably cut a deal with the owner !!

Side benefits from my plan .

A) if you think she is cute , who knows what might happen

B) if A does not apply , she will have loads of sisters , cousins , friends
unlimited supply of blind dates will follow

gl

This is good advice. When my wife and I were looking for an apartment in Tagbilaran they would always jack up the price if they saw me. Better to get a local to ask.

Hey guys whats up,

Im jonas and im living in Cebu already for over 1.5 years. We got a grinding house there for 7 persons. Two of our friends are about to leave soon thought, so we are looking for 2 extra persons. Preferable one short-term person and a longer term one but ofc everyone is welcome. I you feel interested in this, PM me.

More info can be found in this thread:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/92...wanted-984390/

Cheers

I'm sick of these ads on sulit. They advertise one price and quote me a different one. Classic bait and switch. I met a very conservative girl online and she told her aunt about me and they want to help me. I don't know why but we've been talking on the phone and my gut tells me they are genuine. They invited me to go condo hunting on Sunday .

WTF is it with electric bills here?

Just got a bill for 15k 2 bed pace with one bedroom hardly used and I don't use the AC that much.

I was living in a luxury 50sqm place in Pattaya and the monthly rent and electric water and wi-fi internet combined came to less than this months electric bill!

Plus they are saying there is gonna be another unit price increase.

Also found out and K2 take note, That once you move out of place here they take 90days to pay back your deposit. Again WTF this means if you are leaving PI at the end of your contract you have to 1, hope they pay it back and 2, have a bank they pay back to that you can access where ever you are.

+10000000 to this. A friend of mine came over and was looking for a studio every ad on suilt quoted a higher price and when he went to view the place is was nothing like the pics shown on the ad. (in most cases an entirely different condo.

Pooter, you are not alone - electric prices can be insane here, my last place had older aircon's it was a big one bedroom with one aircon unit only, and my bill was 8-10k easily. In my new place i have 2 new aircons and ceiling fans etc, and my bill hasn't been over 6k, so I truly think the type or age of aircon is the biggest factor for sure. My friend has a big 3 bedroom and just paid 29k for a month which is half of his rent... When I was in Malaysia I would be 1/3 of this cost for water/electric. You are not alone in the high prices.

The 90 day thing is not standard at all places, and is typically mentioned in your contract. I have rented from individuals and from a company(corp) the individuals typically gave me the deposit back after the final bills were settled. The company ones were 60 or 90 days. A pain in the ass for sure. something to keep in mind for sure.