For this is I and I is me :o)

[Ayumbar]

Hi all!

Just joined today, looks like a good active community here. I've read a few threads and it looks like these forums will be a good place for opinions in future.

I have joined this site because I may need some advice about the Phillipines in the near future. A few weeks ago by chance, I met a lady online who is from the Phillipines, but lives in USA. We have been talking quite a lot in those weeks and since then she has invited me to visit her home country. I have agreed to the idea, but do not have a clue about Asian countries in general.

I bring with me some experience of meeting people from the internet before from Europe and Brazil, so perhaps I hope I can give some people advice, if needed.

I could ramble on, so perhaps best I keep this short.

Ayum

[bornatbirth]

ramble away, many already do

btw welcome and it good to get advice but your own experience is more important, just get a ticket and enjoy the ride

[KeithD]

ramble away, many already do

....mainly you though

[bornatbirth]

....mainly you though

me included, i much perfer naked rambling

[Ayumbar]

Hi sars_notd_virus and jam07, thanks for the welcome!

[mikey73]

hi ayum welcome

[Ayumbar]

Hey guys, thanks!

When I was talking to my friend yesterday, I was reading up about the Phillipines through the wiki site. Never realised it was once a Spanish colony. She tells me that English is like the second language in her country. I will try and learn some Tagalog for sure, but will check what resources are online to learn. I see livemocha do not offer free Tagalog courses

[sars_notd_virus]

hello

[aromulus]

I bring with me some experience of meeting people from the internet before from Europe and Brazil, so perhaps I hope I can give some people advice, if needed.

Yup, I am sure this will turn out to be useful....



Welcome aboard..

[jam07]

hello welcome to our friendly site

[liane]

Welcome here

[Ayumbar]

Thank you liane

[aromulus]

....mainly you though

me included, i much perfer naked rambling

pot and kettle.jpg

[stevie c]

Hi Ayum welcome to the forum

[Ayumbar]

Hi stevie c, thanks!

[Steve.r]

Welcome

[Ayumbar]

Hi Steve.r, a big thank you


I am going to write something else in this post rather than create a whole new thread.....

Normally when I travel to meet someone for the first time, I book a hotel. This is partly out of common sense, but also for personal safety reasons. The lady who I will meet in Manila wants me to stay at her family house rather than goto hotel in Manila. In the past this has normally been a big "NO!" for me, when meeting someone for the 1st time from the internet.

Have any of you guys ever stayed at the lady's house on first visit/meeting?

As I write this, it seems like a crazy thing to do. For now, I have neither said yes or no to the idea, however I think I will be saying no.

[bornatbirth]

Normally when I travel to meet someone for the first time, I book a hotel.

what a good idea.

anyway, thats up to you and its aways good to have a back up plan just in case you dont get a long.

[Arthur Little]

Have any of you guys ever stayed at the lady's house on first visit/meeting?

Ay(e) ... um ... YES, I did! At least, I stayed at my [then] girlfriend's relatives' house ... because they lived in fairly large, secluded - and well-protected - accommodation, deemed by her family to be of lesser risk for a foreigner [European or American] in Mindanao.

[rani]

welcome to the forum ayumbar

[Ayumbar]

Hi Rani, thank you!

I hope to help people properly in future. For now, I'm asking the questions and currently plotting my route to the Phillipines.

[Alan]

Hi Ayum and welcome!

100% hotel!!

Al.

[rani]

its always better to stay in a hotel especially if its your first time in the country.. for me, its very "gentleman"

[Ayumbar]

Hi Alan

Thanks to both Alan and Rani for advice.

I too agree hotel is surely the option. I think part of her wanting me to come to her family home to stay is because there is a relative's wedding event happening around the time she travels back to Manila. I would like to be there with her for the event, but I think out of respect of the family (also), I can hardly imagine they would want some foreign stranger living in their house who (in reality) nobody knows or has met before.

[stevie c]

i agrree it has to be the hotel option

[KeithD]

You don't want to be sharing the morning shower with her mother

[Ayumbar]

haha too true!

[Arthur Little]

Good morning, and to the filipinouk forum ... pleased to see you've already made quite an impact since joining us yesterday. Keep it up ... and you'll learn a lot here about the Philippines and its culture in preparation for your visit.