Back from PI again. Interesting insights from this trip.

[Cbear]

Well I am back in the real world again and I am having withdrawals, LOL

I didn't get to spend much time with my lady as this was a business trip but we did spend a few days together. Sorry no pics this time, my cam broke and I didn't see the point in buying a new one there since I wouldn't have much time with my girl anyway.

OK, I spent several days at a training seminar with 9 Filipino men, we all even stayed in the same facility so we really got to know each other. These guys are all oil rig workers and seafareres.

I learned more about their cultural view than I ever would have any other way. So here are some of the insights I think might interest you.

One guy has 3 wives. Wife #1 is a filipina who lives with him, wife #2 is an OFW living in NY city. Wife #3 is a blond American from Texas. He is engaged to be legally married to #3. He wears 3 wedding bands and isn't legally married to any of them yet. He like all the other men in the group have US visas. Transit visas but they do use them to travel in the US.

Another guy is married to a filipina but knocked up his American GF 10 years ago. He managed to convince the courts that he should have custody and now his American citizen son is being raised in the Philippines by his filipina wife. The boy has blond hair and blue eyes but is dark skinned.

Most of the guys admit to cheating on their wives. They say it is normal and expected. The phrase I kept hearing was "collect, collect, select" referring to women.

A couple of the guys said they would not cheat because of religious reasons but it seemed to be the norm for most so I guess this is why the Filipinas find us westerners so desirable.

I will add that all of these guys earn far above the average Filipino wage. The lowest wage I heard of was USD12,000 per year with room and board covered while at work. they work 10 months out of the year.

One guy who works in Brazil earns USD72,000 per year. He is a maintenance supervisor on an oil platform.

Now about my girl, she has classes so I only got to see her a few evenings while I was there. I did finally meet her brother and we got along well.

I will add this, I could get used to having a maid, you just can't believe how much easier it is having a maid (personnel assistant is more like it) around. I don't know how I will function on my own now. My girl treats her maid very well, she takes her every where but to school with her and she eats whatever she wants when we go out.

I can tell they like each other even if it is a master servant relationship.

Her mother didn't object to me staying with her and there was no chaperon this time. However, her mother left her a long letter asking her to ascertain when I was going to marry her. I answered the question by announcing our engagement at a dinner with both her mother and brother at the Mall of Asia.

I bought a phone for 800PHP or about $16. I used it to communicate with my sweetie while I was in training. I wasn't able to see her at all because we were not allowed to leave the compound and it was 3 hours drive away anyway.

All in all I had a great trip, I miss my lady like crazy and I can tell you only seeing her for a few evenings made it very hard to leave this time. She cried the entire day before I left, mostly just sobbing but sometimes all out balling. I felt so bad I couldn't stay longer.

I guess that is enough for now.

[Ray]

Thanks for the report cbear!

Just curious. Did you have a chance to try the Aristocrat Restaurant?

Ray

[Jeff S]

Congrats on your engagement cbear!

[Bob_S]

Dittos, that.  Congrats! 

[Bear]

I tried to call you back but you turned off your phone?

I think once I understood what to look for I was surprised how many Filipinos/Filipinas I knew.  Got to say though none are traveling back and forth to the R.P.  Never asked them about how many wives they had. LOL  I doubt any of the guys I know though are cheating.

The Bear Family

[Cbear]

Bear, I didn't get your mesage until I was already in kansas City. I'm still not home yet, 2 more training days then back to Florida.

I would say of the guys I met at least half cheated regularly on their wives or GFs. But like I said, these aren't typical Filipino men, all of them have above average incomes and have ample free time to roam the world looking for mistresses. Maybe this plays a role in how they act.

I had a lot oflittle red flags before I went on thios trip and I basically wanted to put them to rest, to find out if any of my worries were justified. I can say that most of them have been retired now. I didnt like the way my GF treated her maid, well at least wht I could see from the webcam. But after being there and seeing the relationship first hand I know it was just a misunderstanding on my part.

Also, I didn't get to spend any time with her last trip without her chaperon but on this trip she wasn't required to have one, I stayed in her apartment with her when I was in Manila. This allowed me to get to know her one on one and also become a little more intimate.

One of the things that she really wanted me to do while I was there was visit her fathers grave. I did so. We didnt get to the grave yard until almost 10 at night becuse it was a very long trip. She wanted to introduce me to her father so to speak. It was very touching seeing her emotion. She obviously loved him very much.

I met her cousins, one is 2 years old and the other 18 and a computer science major. Shes really cute so if anyone wants an introduction let me know, but be warned, I'll be very protective as I now consider her family my family.

More later, to late gotta get some sleep.

[piglett]

Cbear is that a ring that i see on your girls finger?

[Cbear]

Cbear is that a ring that i see on your girls finger?

Why yes it is.

[piglett]

WOW .....nice going Cbear

[Cbear]

It's just a promise ring Piglett, I wear one just like it. She can't wear jewelry at her school and she is afraid to wear a diamond in public but this silver ring doesn't attract to much attention.

 Our rings are a matching set and made of Sterling silver. They weren't very expensive from my perspective but she sure loves it. Both of the rings are engraved on the inside of the band and the quality is very very good. There is a very small stone in each ring,maybe 1/50th of a carrot.

She has to take it off before class because only ladies who are registered as married at her school are allowed to wear a ring. No other jewelry is allowed.