Covid-19 has all but stopped in-person interviews and job hunting. The alternative is online job hunting and video or online streaming interviews. It’s good that many job websites were already in place before the pandemic.  Businesses are flooding these websites with job placements so that in-person, in many cases, never happens. Instead, the worker is … Read more

So you’re lucky enough to wed a Filipino. What’s next? If you intend to stay in the Philippines, you’ll want to get a 13a marriage visa. A 13a visa not only gives you permanent residents, but you’re also exempt from work visas.  A 13a permanent visa never needs renewal. That’s why immigration calls it permanent. … Read more

There are several types of work visas in the Philippines. Usually, a person gets hired by a company, and the company helps the employee process the work visa.  It’s challenging to get a job as a foreigner in the Philippines, and some would say downright impossible. Your skill set needs to be so different that … Read more

My first visit to the Philippines was a 10-day vacation. It’s incredible how much history is in the Manila area alone. Museums, Jeeps, Tricycles, Kalesa’s (horse carriage), Mall’s, Spanish Forts, and cathedrals. Oh, and a volcano. There were a few drawbacks, including the pollution, overcrowding, noise, and traffic, but I had a great time overall. … Read more

When I secured a visa from the Philippines, I should have read it better. I thought it was a three-month visa, and it is but not the three months I thought it was. In Japan, a three-month visa is three months in every way. So I assumed the same for my Philippines visa.  I was … Read more

Trip.com is an online international travel agency. With headquarters in Singapore, Trip.com helps over 400 million users worldwide. It’s safe to say that the company is doing something right because the numbers are impressive. That’s why I’m doing a Trip.com review. The company provides its users with a website and app that provides booking services. … Read more

Home construction in Japan is either super-slow or super fast. I have seen houses built over a year and others overnight. It depends on the buyer and the seller, but usually, the seller makes the decision.  I was able to observe a house construction project that lasted about a year. This home was close to … Read more

S&R Philippines is like COSTCO in Japan. The two companies are linked. The buildings are the same, the internal layout is the same, and the products are similar. Well, alike in the name perhaps but not in taste. I’m not sure if the US ships a different tasting product to the Philippines or if the … Read more

A typical Philippines doctor visit is short unless the patient asks several questions. My first follow-up visit to the hospital’s outpatient area didn’t take long and was a pleasant experience.  The doctor was in a good mood and gave me great news.  Some readers wanted a follow-up on my health issue, and I wanted them … Read more