I love the Philippines and the country’s people. However, if you come from a country with a high standard of customer service, you’ll get a shock when dealing with this country. I knew the customer service challenges when doing paperwork for the Philippines. I have prepared and submitted documents many times for a visa. Several … Read more

After the election late last month, the government of Japan has moved to reopen the country moderately. With another win of the Liberal Democrats and strong voices from the language schools and business sectors, Japan finally relaxed restrictions. Entry for Who Last Monday, November 8th, the Japanese government started accepting applications for entry visas. These … Read more

The Nezu-Jinja Shinto shrine is 1,900 years old, and its location is in the heart of Nezu, Tokyo. The first shrine was started by Takeru Nihon and built by Dokan Ota. This shrine was in Sendagi. Tsunayoshi Tokugawa relocated and built the current shrine in the Edo period. All of the buildings on the grounds … Read more

The Japan travel ban is affecting workers, students, tourists, and families. A large number are stranded because of Japan’s travel ban policy. Many of these people are ready to give up and move to other countries with a friendlier border policy. Many countries have adopted a border policy where a person must prove they don’t … Read more

Several people write about the Philippines, but several of these writers have never lived here. They are rewriting other writer’s papers or have only visited the Philippines on vacation.  I can tell you that vacationing in the Philippines and living in the Philippines are two very different things. One is glamorous, and the other is … Read more

The immigration building in Manila is gigantic. It must cover three or four blocks. The outside area and inside are clean and free of rubble. I found the customer service the best in the Philippines. I had my six-month visa in a flash. I was impressed with how quick and efficient the immigration officers were … Read more

Break out your mask and face shield. The two-week Manila area Covid lockdown starts today. This statement is funny because a person cannot go anywhere in the Philippines without a mask and face shield, even without a lockdown. Changes A lockdown doesn’t change much, except people cant travel on public transportation or go to work. … Read more

Oyata Minami Park is a small park in Nakagawa, Japan. The park is made for young children and has several activities for them. Parents accompany their children, and there are several volunteers to ensure children’s safety. The easiest way to get to the park is by train. Take the train to the JR Kameari station … Read more

While in the Philippines, I need to get a two-month tourist every two months. It’s easy to do because the closest immigration center is only 40 minutes away. The issue is the cost of obtaining the visa. While living in the Philippines is cheap, I still want to save as much money as possible. This … Read more