Blog
Stay updated with our latest articles, insights, tips, and comprehensive guides designed primarily for expats planning to settle in the Philippines.
Lending Money To Friends & Family in the Philippines: What Expats and Foreigners Need to Understand
Never lend informally
culture 03-01-2026
The Northern / Western European Expat in the Philippines: Filipino Culture vs. European Culture
Let's explore cultural differences between Northern / Western Europeans and the Philippines.
culture 02-01-2026
72-Hour Bug Out Bag For Expats In The Rural Philippines
Here's a Philippines-specific 72-hour bug-out bag loadout, written for an expat in a rural coastal or near-coastal area evacuating due to tsunami or similar sudden natural disaster.
prepping 02-01-2026
The American Expat in the Philippines: Filipino Culture vs. U.S. Culture
From an attitude and cultural perspective, the United States and the Philippines are in different places, physically and spiritually. What's the best strategy for long-term success for the American expat living in the Philippines?
culture 01-01-2026
The Non-Human Guests Outside Your Home: Feral Dogs, Cats, Chickens, and Cows
Witness the unofficial wildlife of the rural Philippines; feral dogs, semi-feral cats, chickens that have achieved full philosophical detachment from human authority, and cows following the sacred art of going nowhere very slowly. Let’s take the grand tour.
culture 31-12-2025
Filipino Real Estate Shenanigans: Volume 1
Foreigners cannot own land in the Philippines. Anyone who tells you otherwise or suggests creative work-arounds is ignorant, lying, or running some kind of scam on you. If your country had been occupied for 400 years, you'd be sensitive to foreigners owning anything within your borders as well.
expats 30-12-2025
The Filipino Tricycle: The People’s Vehicle
The Filipino tricycle—part transport, part engineering experiment, part rolling sociology lesson. This is the primary mode of local transportation in the rural areas.
culture 30-12-2025
What To Stock Up On In The Rural Philippines
If you live in the rural Philippines, there are some things that you as an expat should stock up on.
preppiing 29-12-2025
Gossiping Filipinas: A Way of Life--And, How To Avoid Being the Subject
A culturally accurate, non-demeaning explanation of gossip in the Philippines because this topic is real, observable, and widely acknowledged by Filipinos themselves.
culture 29-12-2025
People Going Door-To-Door On Christmas Day Asking For Gifts
In many parts of the Philippines, especially urban poor areas and rural communities, there is a long-standing Christmas Day habit where people—often children, but also adults—go door to door asking for gifts, food, or small amounts of money. This typically happens on December 25, sometimes starting early in the morning.
culture 28-12-2025
Grocery Shopping: Urban vs Rural Filipino Experience
Grocery shopping in the Philippines is going to be a different experience from what you are used to back home.
expats 28-12-2025
Filipino Holidays -- 2026 Edition
This is a summary of the 2026 Filipino Holidays and special days
culture 27-12-2025