Snow & Sun..

[alanmf1]

With all this "freezing" weather we are dealing with in varying degrees how many of us in the UK would like to be able to (or do ) spend 8 or 9 months working in the Uk and then get to spend 3 months in Phils.

Something i am considering seriously for the coming years!

My old bones:olddude:just dont like the cold anymore!

Rgds:Wave:

[Englishman2010]

It would be nice a damn site cheaper for me if I could do it all in one trip. I've been to the Phil's 3 times this year and about to go again, but I can only manage 2 weeks a time due to work and other commitments.
I will definitely consider spending more time there when my kids are grown up, but while they are small I dont want to be away from them for more than 2 weeks.

[Ako Si Jamie]

Yeah I'd love to get away from the UK in the winter months but realistically it ain't gonna happen for the foreseeable future. Still, I have two weeks in Phils in January which will break the winter up :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Sim11UK]

Yes this is something I'm looking into, a couple of months?...It's sort of possible, the way I'm working now, it's just the financial side?

Did it last year & loved every minute of it...though it was more autumn than winter. :Jump:

[stevewool]

be great to happen just a few more years here saving hard and hey soon be saying its to hot:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

[Terpe]

Previously I have been so lucky, and lived extensive periods in two countries.
I have now settled, (hahaa) in UK for the moment.
What does settled mean? I’ll leave that for another post.

The thing I want to contribute to this thread is my past experience about the duality and the homesickness that came along with having 'belongings', family, friends and memories scattered across the globe.
It might sound great, but it certainly made for some confusing times for me.

I would typically visit the UK once or twice a year and spend time with family and old mates, visit favourite places and re-live past times. Each time I did, the bonds for UK got stronger but the 'homesickness' for the other country also increased. It was really a strange balancing act.

For me now, living in my home country (UK), I keep remembering the smells, things, memories and experiences of other countries, and especially the Philippiness, that build on previous ones. What I remember of course is different to what Carina remembers as she is more separated from her “home country”.

From past experiences, there appears to me, to be periods of, not withdrawal, but resurgence of memories and experiences. One month, three months and six months etc. One month after coming back to UK I would finally settle back into the daily routine and suddenly realise that I can’t just go out for that particular meal or that special event.

Now, We both miss the everyday things we could do in the Philippines.
It sinks in that we’re back for a while and we start to miss family and experiences that run at a deeper level.
Six months, and those three month pangs get stronger, but what is interesting is the differences between three and six months, some of the experiences we missed at three months are no longer so strong and only the really important ones remain.
At 8 months, (as that’s when the plans to travel start again) I really miss the country in
general. What I mean is, the details have blurred and it’s the really strong connections calling me back.
We are lucky enough to be able to travel more or less when we like and ease the homesickness (or feed our addiction!)

Living in two countries is initially definitely tough work and often not cheap!
It makes for a varied life and a host of new memories and, not to mention language, that combine to form who we are, each one of us.

These days travel is fairly cheap and quick. And things like skype makes chatting with someone half way round the world easy.

For me now, my family and friends connections in UK are much less. Nearly all of my long time true friends no longer live in UK. My family connection is only my dad.

For me now, it's much easier to just wait awhile longer and relocate for good.

What's my point?
Well, just think carefully. Anyone with many true friends and many family connections might find the balancing act just a tad too difficult to manage.

Just my personal opinion on my own experience

[stevewool]

a very nice read there terpe , we all dream the dream but its living it and affording it too, i know i have missed my time to move to the phils sooner then later , 2 divorces, kids and so on, but it is still our intention to move one day , like you say the internet , skype too, the world is indeed small, my only 2 problems i have, i dont have enough money saved so i have to work a little longer , its like anything if we all had insite and all was truefull to each other most of our dreams would have happened sooner

[Terpe]

Steve,
Whatever anyone will tell you, you do need to save some money.
Don't just think about day-to-day living in the Philippines.
Think on the really important issues for you that need or want.
A UK income stream like a pension is just so important.
Good luck with your dreams and God Bless

[stevewool]

thanks terpe yes lots of things in plans, savings and indeed a house here so i know we are more then halfway there

[Englishman2010]

Thanks for sharing your experience Terpe:xxgrinning--00xx3:
I've also found that most of my real friends also live all around the world (some ex pats and some Filipino's). I would leave the UK tomorrow if I could and work in Singapore or HK, but my kids are the reason why I wont leave here yet. It's still another 20+ years until I retire, and whilst I could probably get by in the Phil's with what I've accumulated so far, I'm not really interested in getting by. I live a comfortable life now and don't want to give that up. So I'll just have to put up with the cold weather and keep on going to Asia 3 or 4 times a year - It's not such a bad life really;)

[alanmf1]

Great replies from all and interesting reading!
I guess for me the most important part is not to appear selfish to my partner and somehow to strike a happy balance of trips to Phils.

So i guess that means more than just a 2 week holiday trip and like most some kind of retirement option in the sun does certainly appeal.
I am fortunate to have travelled extensively over 25 years.

I would be interested to hear the views of those people recently settled here...

Maybe the newness and excitement of being here is stronger than the missing home but my guess is its very very difficult as the Filipino Family circle is much larger (generally) than that in the UK.

A topic for another thread perhaps.......

[alanmf1]

@ Ian.... :hubbahubba:
Yes 4 times a year is certainly not a bad life!!
:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[stevewool]

yes very lucky, ian,