Wealthy Countries Citizens

[loveaboo 0]

Why do we have to move out of the Philippines just to be independent? Because it's not easy to do that in the Philippines. To achieve a good and reasonable level of comfort in the Philippines takes a lot of money - -as in a whole lot of money. As simple as the best and most reputable schools - - these are the most expensive schools. Unless my kid is a super science genius or an art prodigy, then public school in the Philippines is NOT an option for us ( I say this because I can only send my child to either Philippine Science HS or Philippine HIgh School of the Arts if I have to go public). Do you know how much the tuition is for schools such as the Ateneo, La Salle, St. Scholastica, etc? What more for international schools like ISM, BSM or Brent?

To achieve the quality of life we want in the Philippines is just too expensive.

I'm not saying U.S is the land of milk and honey. But a middle income job can take you to more places here than a middle income job in the Philippines. Public school may be an option here. Just move to a strong public school district and you still have the chance to get a good education.

Class distinction in the Philippines is another issue. It can be unhealthy to raise kids in an environment where in one is judged based on their addresses or schools. People belonging to high-income families will most likely assimilate themselves only with ones who are similar to them. Home grown kids tend to be spoiled and no matter how much you try not to...Someone (like grandparents) will end up spoiling them, which is not healthy. I've seen the stark difference between my nephew raised here in the U.S and my nephew raised in Manila. The one raised here can eat on his own at 2 years old. The one back home is spoonfed and chased after by his nanny for the next bite (LOL).

I love my country. I love the Philippines. But I will be the first one to say that there are cultural and social factors (mainly influenced by our colonizers, I suppose) that are downright unhealthy. No matter how much we deny it, we're still very much influenced with that "indio"(island locals), "peninsulares", "insulares", "mestizo" etc mentality. We only use different terms now: "sosyal" (elite), "jologs" (ghetto). There's a silent, unspoken yet very obvious caste system of some sort. Sad but true.

I don't think it's easy to be independent anywhere. Gotta start somewhere. That starts by getting a job, moving out of the parents house and living on your own, have your own family, save money for the future.

It's not very expensive to live a simple life and be comfortable in the Philippines. But of course, it depends on how you define simple and comfortable living. To most, it's having their own place in a good neighborhood, being able to send their children to decent schools, eating 3 times a day and not having to worry about money every minute. It is not impossible to achieve at all especially if both husband and wife have stable jobs.

About cost of tuition fees in La Salle, Ateneo, etc.? Oh yes, I am aware of that. That's why I'm not hoping to send my future kids to those schools. Why would I pay a very high amount if I can pay a fraction of that cost and get the same quality, maybe even better if I'll send my kids at UP? Not only they will learn, they will also be exposed to different people from different walks of life, different nationalities, rich and poor.

Grandparents will always be there to spoil their grandkids. That's their job. As my parents always say, building a family is like a business. The children are the capital and the grandchildren are the profit. As parents, it's their job to make sure that their own children will grow and become responsible people so when the time comes that their children become parents also, the job will be transferred to them. That's the time that the parents then, now grandparents will loosen up and enjoy their so called profit, their grandchildren.

I think it's the same here. I actually find it funny that I'm just 6 weeks pregnant and the soon to be grandparents are already planning how they will be able to afford to give this and that to their coming grandbaby. I don't really mind if they spoil our future kids especially since I know it won't be like a daily thing considering that we live a certain distance from them and as long as the raising and disciplining parts will remain our duties. Surely, there's an environmental factor influencing kids, but the people raising them are always the major influential factor, with or without the nanny.

You will be surprised that there's also unhealthy and social factors here in US. With so many people coming from different parts of the world, I'm sure the cultural and social clashing do exist. Not to mention that there are still people living on their old-aged beliefs that they are better than the others because of this and that.

Anyways, goodluck to your pursuit of independence.

If your question is simply to find out why the couples that are moving to America made that decision, acknowledging that there were those that made the other decision, I guess that is reasonable. But the answer likely lies in the nuances of personal situations including jobs, houses, family, schools, cars, and, in some cases, coin flips. I doubt you'll find a pattern.

I think that's exactly his question. He wants to know why those living in a rich country decided to move to US instead of their US partners moving there. It's just wasn't stated properly.

Yes, retiring is more preferably with countries like us but in order to have a better retirement benefits you have to work hard and save for that future. In our country, if you are a ordinary worker having US $200 monthly income, I am pretty much sure that you will never have a better retirement benefits. Unlike in the US, you work hard and you will earn enough and attain your plans in future.

I think the very main reason why people in US have better retirement benefits than in the Philippines is because they start saving for the future earlier here. As soon as they start working, they are already saving in forms of bank savings, 401K, stock investment, etc. In the Philippines, very few people do that. Hence when retirement comes, most people only rely on Social Security benefits.

[loveaboo 0]

My answer before hand should sound shallow and sick to some of you because nowhere did I mention "love". That's why if you read carefully, I said, "my husband I" left the Philippines because I'm here for his reasons...Just so happens he's (what I would like to call an "accidental") USC and I have to go through some of the processes you guys are also going through right now.

Yes, it was. LOL...Thanks for clarifying that.

Goodluck!!!

Edited February 10, 2010 by loveaboo

[Mrs.J06 4]

I moved here from Germany because my husband speaks very limited German and currently holds about the best job one can have (he's the president of our company). He would have never been able to find a decent job in Germany with his language skills (or the lack thereof).

I on the other hand had the option to be transferred from our company's headquarters in Germany to the US subsidiary. I'm also quite a bit younger and have no issues with the language. So for us it was never really a choice we could make. Circumstances made it for us.

And I guess you could say that ultimately we chose to live in the US to have a better future too.

[Lancelotte25 1]

I moved here from Germany because my husband speaks very limited German and currently holds about the best job one can have (he's the president of our company). He would have never been able to find a decent job in Germany with his language skills (or the lack thereof).

I on the other hand had the option to be transferred from our company's headquarters in Germany to the US subsidiary. I'm also quite a bit younger and have no issues with the language. So for us it was never really a choice we could make. Circumstances made it for us.

And I guess you could say that ultimately we chose to live in the US to have a better future too.

Thanks ..

[dakay ♥ 10]

For most of us our number 1 reason is to be with the person we love, no matter which country he/she is in... but yes, I do understand some people only get married and move to the USA for "a better life in the US", just realize we don't all move here because we only have the option of "fulfilling our dreams" by moving to another country, being with the person we love is a dream fullfilled and nothing to do with in which country we get to live together...

I agree. Nowadays I live very well in my country, moving to USA I don´t know what will happend with my profession. I move because we want to live together doesn´t matter in which country

[Calypso 464]

I agree. Nowadays I live very well in my country, moving to USA I don´t know what will happend with my profession. I move because we want to live together doesn´t matter in which country

Right.

[Ali G. 37]

Personally, I moved here to try it out and obviously live with my spouse. However, after living here for over four years now, its just not for me and I look forward to moving back to AUS. Doesn't mean it's a bad place but the quality of life is certainly much higher in Australia than it is here. Not to mention, much lower crime rates and so on.

The US is heading towards second world status. As such, you will have pockets of wealthy folks living in gated areas, and large areas of poverty. That lifestyle is just not for me.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Personally, I moved here to try it out and obviously live with my spouse. However, after living here for over four years now, its just not for me and I look forward to moving back to AUS. Doesn't mean it's a bad place but the quality of life is certainly much higher in Australia than it is here. Not to mention, much lower crime rates and so on.

The US is heading towards second world status. As such, you will have pockets of wealthy folks living in gated areas, and large areas of poverty. That lifestyle is just not for me.

[Ali G. 37]

...

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Aside from the folks who moved to the US in order to be with their spouse, let me throw in the thought that "the USA" is a rather large country. It's very diverse in so many ways. It's friggin' cold in Alaska, dry in Arizona, humid in New Orleans, and tropical in Hawaii. All that's the good ole USA. Then add to the equation the different kind of people, and it's really not about "the USA" anymore.

For me, weather is more important than anything else. I could and would never want to live in Mississippi, Ohio, the Midwest, Alabama, or even Georgia. If I had to choose between a State with less than perfect weather in the USA or a country outside the US with perfect weather, and I could make a living there either way, I would leave, probably move to the South of France. So it's not "the USA"; it's the nicest place in the USA I can think of and one of the nicest places on planet Earth to live and to work. My wife? I can take my wife with me, I can buy a house anywhere, I can open a new business, but I can't change the weather.

[sly_wolf 199]

To be with my soulemate ... period. Where we live is a decision based on other factors and we would be just fine to live in many other places.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Personally, I moved here to try it out and obviously live with my spouse. However, after living here for over four years now, its just not for me and I look forward to moving back to AUS. Doesn't mean it's a bad place but the quality of life is certainly much higher in Australia than it is here. Not to mention, much lower crime rates and so on.

The US is heading towards second world status. As such, you will have pockets of wealthy folks living in gated areas, and large areas of poverty. That lifestyle is just not for me.

Then why did you become a citizen?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Then why did you become a citizen?

I think he was following his #######.

[Peet 1]

I moved here from Germany because my husband speaks very limited German and currently holds about the best job one can have (he's the president of our company). He would have never been able to find a decent job in Germany with his language skills (or the lack thereof).

I on the other hand had the option to be transferred from our company's headquarters in Germany to the US subsidiary. I'm also quite a bit younger and have no issues with the language. So for us it was never really a choice we could make. Circumstances made it for us.

And I guess you could say that ultimately we chose to live in the US to have a better future too.

I guess the same goes for me.

I can't imagine my husband adjusting to Europe as I have had to adjust to the US.

Also here, I am a quite a bit younger and he had the better job, and I have the languageskills and willingness to adjust to a new country.

Although by now, I am not sure it was the right choice for me, I am certain it was the right choice for him.

[Ali G. 37]

Then why did you become a citizen?

I did? Could have fooled me..