It's Already February in the Philippines

Checking in and Interview Prep

0:25 Hey guys, what's up? I was just feeling like hopping on a live to check in with folks. Not a whole lot going on, but it's pretty hot outside, so I'm going to stay inside until this afternoon. In a couple of hours, I've got an interview that I'm going to go do. And yeah, until then, well, I should say hey Manny, good to see you, welcome. I thought I'd just spend some of the time I have between now and the interview going live and just popping on here.

1:11 I'm trying to do these once a week, trying different times to figure out when people are available and how that looks scheduling-wise. I know it's late Friday night, the end of January back in the States, and it is the first day of February here in the Philippines. So yeah, guys, feel free to just chime in with any thoughts or questions you have. This may not be the best time for people, just because I know people have stuff to do on the weekend, and they may be getting out of the house or handling errands.

IT Park: An Expat Bubble

2:00 My mind is a little bit blank. Hey Anano, good to see you, welcome. Yeah, I'm just thought I'd hop on here. I have some time before I need to leave the house to go do an interview. I was suggested a YouTuber in my feed, and so I reached out to him. He's visiting here in Dumaguete, and I reached out and said, 'Hey, why don't we get together and do an interview?' So he agreed, and I'll be heading out around, it's about an hour and 45 minutes, maybe two hours to go meet him. And that should be an interesting interview.

2:41 Oh, hey Manny, thanks so much for being a channel member. I appreciate that. What has been your experience in the IT Park area? So I'm happy to share on that, Manny. That's a great question. I was just in IT Park a couple of weeks ago, and I'd like to go back up there in a couple of weeks. A good friend of mine, somebody I collaborate with a lot, is going to be heading up there, and it would be great timing for me to go up there as well.

3:11 Wow, 11 people on here. Guys, please give us a thumbs up if you are enjoying the channel and the content. It helps to share the channel with new people and bring additional attention to the channel. So yeah, I'm happy to discuss IT Park, Manny. There's a few things I'll say about IT Park. I could say a lot about it, but it's one of the places that I went five years ago, and I've been back since then.

3:41 IT Park, I call it an expat bubble. What do I mean by an expat bubble? Hey Nicholas, good to see you. So what I mean by an expat bubble is that everything is set up for you to have convenience. So you've got shopping right there, any kind of shopping you want. You've got multiple shopping malls. You've got plenty of restaurants, from restaurants that are unique to the Philippines all the way to, let me adjust my light and make sure you guys can see me effectively.

4:14 Um, all the way to, maybe that looks, uh, hey Streets of Bakersfield, welcome to the channel. So yeah, all the way to Western chains. So they've got Chili's, they've got Texas Roadhouse, they've got, what else do they have there? Of course, your McDonald's, your Jollibee.

4:37 If you're not much of a drinker, I think 2,000 is a solid budget for IT Park. If I were you, I would do like a dry run. I'm not sure, Manny, if you mentioned that you're actually back in the States. Maybe come with something like 6,000 and do a three-month run where you rent a condo.

5:00 I found one place, and Manny, feel free to send me an email, that they said I could do a three-month contract in IT Park. I need to pay upfront, so they wanted, um, they wanted 75k upfront for that three-month contract. So at that building, they said, 'We don't normally do at least six months, all the way up to 12 months. We don't normally do three months, but some owners might be okay with that.' In which case, you need to pay upfront.

5:30 So if I were you and I was bringing, let's say, a 2,000 budget per month, I would bring money to handle your upfront costs. Like, let's say you want to try a building out, you're not sure in IT Park, do I like this building? For, um, do I want to live in this building for a year? Well, if I've never lived in that building, I haven't lived in IT Park, maybe I want to commit to three months.

5:54 Just know, hey, maybe I need to put up so 75,000 pesos. Let's see, 75,000 PHP is about $1,300. Maybe you need to put up $1,300 in rent and also deposit. So maybe you have your 2,000 a month, but you bring say 10k for startup costs, or 20k, and on top of that, like a 20k emergency fund.

6:25 Just having money for the startup cost could be very helpful for you, Manny. I would say that should be fine. Now, if you're looking to date every single day, I think it might be hard on a 2,000 budget. Most guys, they're not looking to go on a date every single day. Most people just don't have that kind of energy or that time.

6:46 I'm just going to wipe my screen a bit there. Oh, that looks a lot better. Um, I think that's a good starting point, though. You know, some guys will say you need 3,000 or 4,000. I think a $500 budget for rent would be a pretty nice, decently nice place. Some people would disagree, but I think see $500. Let's see what that is in pesos.

7:13 To PHP, that's almost 30k. You know, if you're not wanting to rent a really big place, I think you could get a decent place on 30,000 pesos per month.

Budgeting for IT Park Living

7:34 And like I said, you know, doing a trial run, Manny, I think that's the best way to approach it. See what that looks like for you on 2K a month for say, three months or six months, and then you'll get kind of a sense of, okay, what do I spend? Do I have any unexpected expenses?

7:54 Also to add to that, if you want to travel, you know, if you want to stay in IT Park, that's going to cost less than if you want to leave every other weekend or once a month to go down to say, Davao, or you want to go to like Moalboal, or you want to make trips to Manila. That's where I think it can get more expensive.

8:13 For the guy who's not a drinker, it's if he wants to date or travel. Those two tend to add to your base cost.

8:24 Streets of Bakersfield, hey Streets of Bakersfield. Mr. Shaver says, 'Hi Alex, I'm in the Philippines about 126 kilometers from DTI. Had hoped to meet you and Mike while here, but it looks like we have to wait until my next trip sometime this summer.' Good to see you. That sounds great. Mr. Shaver, thanks so much for joining us today.

8:47 G Daddy, hey man, if my wife and I and son wanted to move to the Philippines, what's the minimum out we should have? That's a good question. You know, Mr. Shaver says to be stress-free, you need 3,000 a month in income. I think the 3,000 mark is a good target if you have a family. If you don't have a family, I don't think you need 3,000.

9:12 I think what's more important is to separate piles of money, right? So let's say I have 3,000 a month, but I have no savings. Really, the ideal to me is you have a monthly income stream, you have an emergency fund, and you have startup costs. These are three different things.

9:32 Right, if I have 3,000 but I don't have any startup money, okay, so if I'm paying first month's rent and deposit, okay, now I'm knocked down to 2,000. And then maybe I need to buy furniture, maybe that costs another $500. So really, it's better for me rather than to say I need this amount per month, is I need this amount per month plus startup plus emergency.

10:00 And then you get an accurate kind of sense because I spend very little money here. Just to be transparent, guys, I'm not going to hide it. For the month of January, my expenses came in at about $618. Now, that's not to suggest that you live on that amount. I, this is the fifth country I've lived in. I'm a bachelor. I'm very good at finding ways to live economically that are comfortable for me, but my lifestyle may not be comfortable for you.

10:39 I don't suggest other people try to do that. Like I said, I've spent a lot of money to learn how to live on a modest amount, and I have emergency funds. I have growing income with the channel. I don't suggest, I don't say, 'Okay, I spent $620 this month and you can too.' Your lifestyle, your preferences may be very different.

11:10 I mean, just on electric, my electric bill is around 2,000 pesos a month. One of my neighbors here, he spends 4,000 pesos a month on electric. So right there, his expectation for aircon is double that of mine. Other guys don't use aircon at all. I have some friends that say you're crazy for using aircon at all. One of my friends just uses fans.

11:34 I have some friends that their top priority is dating. They want to date all the time. For me, that's not my top priority here. Does that mean I don't date at all? No, that's not the case either. But there's so much flexibility and lifestyle optionality here.

11:53 I tend not to say you need this amount or you need that amount. I do think if you're trying to have a family here, you're trying to live here with a family, you're going to spend more than the bachelor. Absolutely going to spend more than the bachelor.

12:11 I mean, you know, you want to go out to eat. I can eat very nicely here on under $4 for a meal. I just went out to a big buffet, I spent about $5 for me to go have that buffet. If you're bringing you plus two, right there, that $5 becomes $15.

12:30 $15. So costs go up dramatically with each person you had. Hey Drew, good to see you, welcome. But let me get back to Manny's questions about IT Park. Yeah, Manny, I think doing a dry run, giving it a three-month runway.

12:48 Like, I don't know if you can take a leave of absence from your job. I would also look at Airbnbs. Maybe three months is too long. Maybe you could get...

IT Park vs. Dumaguete Lifestyle

12:57 Months is too long, maybe you could get like a month off and just book it, figuring out if you're happy with that lifestyle. Some people don't like being in the bubble, in a condo, or in a big city like Cebu, which is the second largest city in the Philippines behind Manila. They might find it claustrophobic, not liking going from condo to mall and back. They'd prefer a nature-oriented city like Dumaguete.

13:44 I want to be somewhere else in the Philippines that has a different kind of lifestyle. I think you're going to be fine on that $2,000 a month budget, but I do think you have to decide through a test run. Do like condo life. If you lived in a condo back in the States, you'll have a stronger sense of what it would be like to live in a condo in IT Park. If you lived in a single-family home back in the States, it's going to be a bit different.

14:16 The good news in IT Park is that you can walk to different restaurants, and food delivery is very easy. If you want to fly out, you can take a Grab taxi to the airport very easily. It might take an hour and a half with traffic to get to the airport in Mactan, but if you're a bachelor, IT Park is fantastic.

14:46 If you're looking to date, say once a week, dating is fantastic in Cebu. I think more guys should be looking at IT Park or Cebu because you just get so many options. My dating apps went wild in IT Park compared to here in Dumaguete because there are just so many more people concentrated in that area.

Budgeting and Lifestyle Choices

15:20 What else can I share about IT Park? I'm actually in Dumaguete City proper, not too far from downtown, and I've been here for about six months. I like it a lot. By the way, we have 27 watchers; please give us a thumbs up if you can; it helps with the YouTube algorithm.

15:52 You can go up to $3K a month when needed, but I like to save money every month. I think that's doable, Manny. I also think about and you may feel this way: I can't live the luxury lifestyle every day. Some people ask what I mean by that. Well, when I went to Chiang Mai almost 10 years ago, I went out of my way to try to spend money.

16:13 I was making good money and was only in Chiang Mai for a month, and I thought, 'I'm going to live spending as much as I can manage.' So I'd go to nice restaurants. The thing about nice restaurants is they tend to be time-consuming. I went to an all-you-can-eat sushi place and was there for like two hours, spending $33. I can't do that every day.

16:48 Even if it were in budget, let's say it was in budget for me to spend $1,000 a month on food, there's only so many days I want to go to the nice steakhouse or eat mountains of sushi. Now, the numbers change if you're bringing a date; that's where it can add up a lot if you have certain nice tastes.

17:08 But like movies, let's say you want to take a woman to the movies; most guys are not going to be going to the movies every day. Most guys are not going to be bowling every day. That would be interesting; you gave me a great idea by the way, Manny, to construct what a $2,000 a month budget looks like in IT Park.

Comparing Cebu and Dumaguete

17:44 What else can I say about IT Park? I like it; I think it's comfortable. Let me get caught up a little bit here. Kuya Dave's Adventures plans to be in Cebu City around July. Streets of Bakersfield, you had mentioned a couple of things; you spend about that much per month just on rent. Yeah, rent is out of control in the US.

18:17 I've spent some time in Bakersfield actually; what a small world. I've spent a few weeks total in Bakersfield, and even though it's one of the more economical parts of California, even Bakersfield can be expensive for your gas. Housing tends to be more budget-friendly than other parts of California, but even housing is not cheap.

18:46 Looking at IT Park, Gavin says thank you, excellent. Good to see you, Drew. Mr. Schafer says a nice thing about IT Park is the smart girls without the haughty arrogance. I think that's a good point, Mr. Schafer. I agree; I think there's not quite the same level of arrogance.

19:05 The first Filipina I ever met was from Cebu, and we went to middle school together in seventh and eighth grade. We actually went to the same college at the same time as well, and she's a really sweet girl. That's what I like about Cebu: you have the big city amenities and conveniences without quite the capital or New Yorker attitude.

19:35 You could say that maybe a thing in Manila to some extent. You get that in every country; anybody that's traveled substantially has definitely encountered the capital attitude. Ambitious people, haughty attracts people from all over the country, even from other countries, to work. They worked really hard to get there, and there's some pride associated with that sacrifice because people pay a lot of money in rent to live in Mactan.

Future Plans: Cebu, Nursing School, and Finances

20:14 Food is expensive in Mactan; you're getting a lot of convenience. I haven't spent time there, but I'd like to eventually. To me, I know I'm spoiled by Big City America; it's just what I'm used to. But let me get caught up: which place at the moment would you prefer to live for longer term?

20:48 I like Dumaguete. Personally, I like Cebu a lot. I think that in the future, when my budget increases, I'm eyeing Cebu. Dumaguete is a place guys come to relax, to chill out, to slow down, to enjoy life, to just kind of enjoy the slow life and the chill life. I'm not at that point; I'm still in my working years. I'm 32; I still feel the need to be productive.

21:25 I think Cebu is going to be more oriented toward being productive and getting things done. It's not to say I don't like Dumaguete; I love Dumaguete. I think it's really got a lot going for it, but I think Cebu would probably be a better fit. I have an option of a condo in Cebu's IT Park area that's very modest rent-wise, so I may go up there for a month or two.

21:52 But I'm also looking at going to nursing school here in the Philippines, and I lean towards Mactan, as you know, if I were to be able to get into Simon. That's kind of the priority. I think that if I'm going to nursing school, the more budget-friendly city, which I think Dumaguete is more budget-friendly than Cebu, it would make more sense financially.

Cebu vs. Dumaguete: A Difficult Decision

22:16 I would expect to spend, I don't know, probably 20 to 30% more money to live in Cebu versus Dumaguete. I've got a great place to live in Dumaguete; I have a lot of friends here. I have a social support network here that I would have to rebuild in Cebu. Cebu is a lot busier.

22:39 I like Cebu a lot, but I don't know; it's a really difficult decision. I think Cebu is probably a better fit for people looking to work. There are not really very many people vlogging up there besides Brit; I don't know of anybody else who's based in Cebu that's a foreigner. There are some Filipinas vlogging up in Cebu, but I think there's some great opportunity as well to vlog up there.

23:16 That's something that's on my radar; I'd like to go back. We'll see, hopefully in a few weeks. I haven't booked anything yet; I need to get some exact dates down on paper because I need to book my accommodation and handle that. But yeah, guys, feel free to chime in with any questions or comments you have.

23:48 Hey Jim, good to see you, welcome. Jim from Florida. My top choice would be Simon because it's accredited. There are seven colleges here in the Philippines that have this award or accreditation recognition for nursing excellence, and Simon is one of those where they do send a lot of their students to the United States to work in nursing.

US Career Options and California Living

24:19 That would cut down a lot of the mystery, you could say, as to whether, oh, after I graduate, probably California, maybe Oregon or Washington. I'm a huge fan of the West Coast. I wouldn't mind trying working on the East Coast a little bit, but I love the West Coast United States. I love the nature.

24:48 I like being around a lot of other Asian-Americans, just to be transparent. That's something that's hard to find in the US outside of the West Coast. Hawaii would be interesting as well. I've never been to Hawaii, but maybe working there for some time.

25:16 Aside from the West Coast United States or Hawaii, you know, somebody has suggested Singapore to me. It would be cool to work in Asia, but you know, being an American, wow, I didn't know that. Okay, so Jose, that's a great call out that I could make double that of Southern California.

25:36 I've spent several years in Northern California; I like Northern California a lot. I have a lot of friends.

25:42 California a lot I have a lot of friends in the Bay Area and that's a place where I have a support network. So Northern California is probably the best bet for me there. I know some people talk about the cost of living; I didn't find the cost of living to be that bad in Northern California. I know some people would say, "Oh, that's crazy," but Costco, for example, charges the same price in NorCal as it does everywhere in the country. So, you know, my hometown, Nashville, the price at Costco in Nashville is the same price as you pay in California.

26:18 I know some people would talk about gasoline, but I was working so much in California trying to get ahead financially. You know, I'm buying gas like once a month, maybe once every other month, so not a major bill for me. The rent is really where it's more expensive, but rent has gone up so much in my hometown. Property taxes have gone up so much. I find everywhere in the United States is expensive.

26:45 You know, I think 10 years ago, 20 years ago, you could make the case California was dramatically more expensive than the rest of the country. I find nowadays it's not that much more expensive for a bachelor. Now, I think if you're a family, if you have a family, yeah, to rent a single-family home, to pay for private school, to go out to eat, that becomes dramatically more expensive. But as a single guy paying $1,500 a month for an apartment in Nashville versus paying $2,200 a month in the Bay Area or $2,500 a month, the quality of life is so much better.

27:23 There's so much free stuff to do in California and Nashville. Anything you want to do that's fun costs money. Where California, it's free to go to the beach, free to go explore the city, free to go down and visit some friends in like San Jose. I found so many free or cheap things to do in California that really outweigh the increase in rental prices. And it's hard to put a price on being able to spend your weekends at a beach or go down to the Central Coast, go to Big Sur.

YouTube Work and Nursing School Application

27:58 Yeah, California is incredible. Thank you for that information, by the way, Jose. But yeah, so yeah, I hope that answers your question, Jaime. I think that for me, working in Northern California makes a lot of sense. It's a good quality of life. I can still save a lot of money.

28:26 Let's see here. Yeah, I'm only doing YouTube as work. I tutor English a little bit on the weekend online, but that's not a lot. I do maybe two or three hours a week of that. So yeah, just doing YouTube and trying to sort out my next steps.

28:53 So I may need to go back to the States for a month to get some documents apostilled. That's where you have to get documents like notarized and kind of verified, showing that I've gotten these grades when I previously attended college. Once I get those documents verified, then I can come back and submit my application. I plan to apply to quite a few different nursing colleges.

29:27 Like, I don't know if Silliman will accept me or not. If they don't accept me, I'd still like to do my nursing education here. Mr. Schaefer, top of Cebu, great place to take a date, easy, a great 360-degree view, but getting there not easy, very steep road. Thank you for calling that out.

Cebu's Appeal and Cambodia Travel Plans

29:51 Yeah, I've seen some amazing views on Instagram and on YouTube from the top of Cebu. It's a beautiful city. I feel like it's underrated. I'm a fan of Cebu. I like Cebu. It's cooler weather-wise than Dumaguete. I really liked that when I was up there. I'm like, man, it's not as hot.

30:44 Drew, I know you love the Philippines. I'm steering towards Siem Reap, Cambodia, first, then check out Dumaguete after I settle in Cambodia this November. Thoughts coming from Ohio? Cambodia is awesome, Drew. I like it a lot. It's definitely one of my favorite countries. I think it's underrated.

Cambodia Travel and Visa Questions

31:03 You know, I think in Siem Reap, like JP and Amelia went there recently, by the way. The population is lower, so it's not quite as like full-on. It's uh, let's see.

31:49 I think it's a good idea, Drew. Like, you should, yeah, if you like the idea of Cambodia, I like Cambodia a lot too. It's, I need to spend more time there, Drew. I'll be honest, like I didn't make it up to Siem Reap. I mostly focused on Phnom Penh. I like Phnom Penh a lot though.

Nursing School Costs and Career Dreams

32:14 Good morning, Alex. I'm curious if anyone else got a colorful sticker in their passport when they extended their tourist visa. I'm wondering what it's for. I've never heard of that. Cars, anybody that's gotten that, just chime in. Jose, NorCal R, talked about The Deco Lounge. Hey, Deco Lounge, I don't think I've seen you in here before. I'm doing well, how about you?

32:36 Awesome, sounds like a great plan. Luke says it looks like the tuition for nursing school at Silliman is only about $1,400 per year. Incredible. Yeah, that's really, I mean, compared to tuition in the United States, it's a great deal.

32:58 Out of our certified registered nurse practitioners make the most. Yeah, they can definitely. My mom was a nurse practitioner, and I think that yeah, she did really well. Like she made more doing that than working as an accountant. So she worked as an accountant during the week and an RN on the weekend.

Travel Dreams and Cultural Differences

33:31 Are you doing nursing because it's safe or the dream? I mean, to be honest, like my dream is to keep traveling. So like, I like the Philippines. If I'm being fully transparent, I don't want to only spend time in the Philippines. There's a lot of places I want to see. I could see myself retiring here, but I'll be honest, like if I had to stay here for the next say 20 years, I would not be happy with that.

34:01 And that's not a slide against the Philippines. I love the Philippines. I think it's a beautiful country. But at 32, like, you know, one of the regrets I've heard from some of my friends is they didn't travel the world. To me, there's a lot to see here, but like I want to go see Indonesia. I want to go see Laos. I want to go see South Korea. I haven't been to South Korea. I want to go see a lot of these places.

34:28 And to be able to see these places, I need extra budget. And I don't, yeah, I don't want to spend 20 years here and regret, man, I never got to see South Korea. I never made it to Greece or to Italy. I never, because those are high on my list, guys. Like I really want to see Greece. One of my favorite YouTubers, Gabriel Traveler, his favorite country is Greece. He's been to like almost a hundred countries and he always says that is like, you, you got to go.

35:06 He doesn't say you got to go to Greece, but he's like, Greece is my favorite country in the world. So there's certain places I loved. Portugal. One of the challenges here is that the culture is very, very outgoing. And in some ways, that's very good for me. In some ways, that is teaching me a lot and forced to socialize. I'm forced to practice communication. On the other hand, it's just not normal for me.

FIRE Number and Lifestyle Preferences

35:31 The happiest I've ever been in my life with a roommate was when I had a Japanese roommate, and we would talk to each other maybe once a week. And so, you know, for me, that's one of the things I find challenging here, guys, is that people are very friendly and very social. And, you know, it's yeah.

36:04 Alvin asks, what's your FIRE number? Abe asks, what's your FIRE number? I think like, is $600k in assets at 4% withdrawal? It's $24,000 a year, $2,000 a month. I think that I could do that. I could think I could live fine on $2,000 a month if I wanted to plant in a country. I think, you know, more like a million at 4% is $40,000 a year, $3,000 a month would be better if I wanted to travel and to move around.

Visa Scrutiny and YouTuber Reputation

36:35 Yeah, let's see. By the way, guys, I'll be right back. I drank like five cups of coffee and an energy drink, so I gotta relieve myself. Be right back.

37:47 Do you know why the Philippine Authority asks if you have a YouTube channel when extending your tourist visa? Say some are saying immigration tracks earnings for tax purposes. Mr. Schaefer, you know, I've talked to some people about that, and they said the immigration is primarily concerned when you get into like the three or $4,000 a month income, and I'm nowhere near that, just to be transparent, guys. I think maybe they're curious, maybe they want to kind of keep an eye on YouTubers, making sure that, you know, because there's scrutiny, right? I mean, some YouTubers really say nasty things about people. Some YouTubers, some of these drama channels, they harm the reputation.

38:40 They want to harp on some of the negative. They want to be, in some cases, they engaged in defamation. And so I don't blame them at all for wanting to keep. And not to say you were, Mr. Schaefer, I just want to point out I have no problem with it. I'd be happy to share that information. I could see why some people might want to hide it, and that's where this increased scrutiny is coming from. But I have done some research and talking to people behind the scenes about that because I want to make sure that I'm following all the rules.

Nurse Practitioner Income and Retirement

39:09 I haven't got any questions about it, but if it comes up, I definitely want to be transparent. I don't feel like my content is fairly boring, I guess. Have you been to South Korea? No, I haven't. Phil, Drew says, get yourself an energy drink. Thank you so much, Drew. I really appreciate that. I'll definitely buy some more. I've got four of these in my fridge, and I guess I could finish this one.

39:47 I usually buy four at a time, and so that's wonderful. Thank you, Drew. There, that will help. Yeah, your contribution will get me several because these are about four. Let me check actually, really quick. Each and they've got, it doesn't tell me they don't even 131 milligrams of caffeine. So I guess it's like one cup of coffee for one of these, and I had five cups of coffee with breakfast. So thank you so much, Drew. Anthony says, traveling nurse I met one year ago was earning a quarter million per year, but she...

40:40 earning a quarter million per year, but she had 26 years of experience, and I do not have 26 years of experience. I do not know the details on whether housing was covered or not. So, the best bet for nursing and the best pedigree is Silon. Tuition is dirt cheap here. The traveling nurse I spoke of was in Pennsylvania. Yeah, that's a fantastic income.

Nursing Career Paths and NCLEX Exam

40:58 You know, you're able to one, you know, she's going to get a ton of Social Security, right? Paying in, like, you know, social security contribution on a quarter million a year, she's going to do really well for herself. Two, she can max out her 401K. I mean, she's going to be very, very comfortable in retirement.

41:23 And if she could move into a management role where she's maybe slightly less hands-on than the frontline person, of course, 26 years of experience is a lot, so she could definitely make a lot on that. And that's something else I'd like to do is just travel, kind of add in the traveling component. I think that'd be a lot of fun.

41:42 And I agree, Simon. You know, it's one of those seven nursing colleges here in the Philippines where, uh, I think you're going to get less scrutiny. I've heard, I've been talking to some nurses, reading some stuff online where certain people, when they went to transfer back to the states, or when they went to transfer to the states to work, like, basically, you know, book their flight, fly back, try to get a job, then there was some scrutiny there, like, 'Hey, you know, you need to take some extra classes, you need to repeat this class or that class.'

42:10 You know, you want to make sure you can pass the NCLEX exam. States, different states have different requirements. Like Florida, for example, they give you a finite number of attempts. So, you have to take it so many times, and if you don't pass, then they're not going to give you anymore. So, some people, like one person I was reading about on Reddit, she had to go from Florida to Texas, then she passed it in Texas, and then she could actually go back to California to practice.

Personal Paths and Budgeting in the Philippines

42:44 I've been to 89 countries. I didn't do nursing. There's easier ways. I'm not worried about the easier way. You know, we each have to find our own path. You know, I've just got to do what I feel is right for me. I don't, you know, I don't blame you there for doing things a certain way, but yeah, I got to figure out what works for me.

43:18 Silon is known for nursing and accounting. I'm a CPA and found the latter appealing. My wife has three daughters, and I could live well, but not like a hog, and put all three through. Simon, on 3,000 a month, yeah, I mean, you know, my rent here is like $140 a month. My electric is about $4 a month, $35 a month. So, for my housing, I'm spending $175 a month. For my food, I'm spending like $300 a month. And then I have usually extra $150 a month of incidental expenses.

Nursing as a Career Choice

44:12 Filipinos do nursing because it's a common job that pays. They don't know what's possible and have fewer options. I think nursing is a solid career. I think it's commendable to take care of people, and the pay rate, you know, in the US is fantastic. I mean, it's, yeah, it's a solid income.

44:41 Hey MJ, good to see you. MJ is a kind member of the channel, guys, by the way. I'm still working through what I can offer channel members, but if you want to help support the channel, you're not sure how, membership is a great way to do that. It's not a requirement, but it is greatly appreciated. It helps me to put more time into the channel and to just keep the dream rolling forward.

Channel Growth and Future Plans

45:20 It's crazy to me how fast the channel is growing and how many new people have joined and subscribed. And yeah, people have been so kind. We'll have to get you on a stream sometime, MJ. It'd be really cool to do like a collab video and talk to you about your experiences. Maybe I do like a StreamYard and open up the floor and then have you hop on. MJ, that would be a lot of fun.

46:02 Ken says hello from Colorado. I've watched your videos before, but this is my first live stream. Well, welcome, welcome Ken. Great to see you on here. Thanks for joining us today. Abe says, I think you'd sacrifice FIRE at a later age if it meant having a partner and kids, or it's doing it solo at an earlier age. Less working time, I'd prefer to do it solo, but with a partner, that's another reason I lean toward Thailand.

Children, Relationships, and Lifestyle Choices

46:29 Like I have a number of friends in Thailand where, in Thailand, it's more socially acceptable to not have children. And I lean toward not having children. I'm not sold on it, but I lean toward it. I just don't know that parenting is in the cards for me, and I don't want to enter a relationship. You know, a lot of people give me flak about this. Why aren't you dating a Filipina yet? Well, if I don't want to have kids, and a lot of Filipinos want to have kids, I think it's disingenuous to tell them, look, I don't want to have kids, so you shouldn't either.

47:05 No, like if a woman wants to have children, she should find a man that also wants to have children. And if I'm undecided or lean strongly toward no, I just don't like the idea of taking that away from someone. Where I have friends in Thailand that have Thai girlfriends, and the Thai girlfriend is like, 'Yeah, I don't want to have kids.' So, it's a lot more friendly in Thailand toward people that want to not have kids.

47:33 For me, I've just never had the strong desire to have children. I have friends with children. I'm not an anti-kid person at all. I think it's wonderful for the people that enjoy the family life. But I just, growing up, I saw a lot of unhappy people in families, a lot of people that they did it because, and I was even told by my grandma, 'I had kids because that was the thing you had to do.'

48:00 And then I also met people that never had children due to biological reasons that they were super happy. Like, I knew a common trope, 'Oh, if you don't have kids, you can't be happy.' I knew a number of people growing up that didn't have kids that were often happier and had simpler lives than people I knew with kids. So, that's kind of one of those things where I don't want to have kids just because the person I'm with wants to have kids. I think it should be both people want that lifestyle and can budget for it.

48:40 I don't know, I just feel like I don't feel the social kind of pressure to do so. I could see what would be enjoyable, I could see why it would be a lot of fun, but I don't think it's for everyone. In fact, I think a lot of the problems in the modern world, a good chunk of the problems in the modern world come from people doing things based on social guilt or based on what other people tell them to do, more so than doing things they actually want to do.

Parenting and Societal Support

49:14 I think the ideal world is one in which the people that want to have children have children, and the people who don't want to have children don't have children. Because I knew and grew up around too many kids, including myself, where it was pretty clear their parents really didn't want to be parents and did so anyway, and the kids suffer. You know, the kids really do suffer. A lot less so in this country, to some extent, than back home.

49:41 Where back home, it's, I don't know. Yeah. I'm right there with you, Drew. Like, I don't think it's for everybody. I think it's for some people, it's the best decision they've made to have children. For other people, I think it's one of the worst decisions they made. I think about people who really resent their kids because they had them out of a sense of obligation.

50:09 And I think too, and this is more so the United States. The United States is not set up to really benefit parents. Bills are very, very high. There's a very high demand placed on people's time. It's not a family-friendly culture like it used to be. I mean, you go out in the Philippines, you see kids everywhere. You see that the society is kind of set up around raising children. It's set up around having kids.

50:39 You hear the phrase, 'It takes a village.' In the US, I've had several friends have children where their family said, 'Oh yeah, we're going to help.' And then they have the kids, 'I don't want to help.' Well, I never said that. So, you see that the society itself is like not really friendly, not really supportive of parents. And if, the few people I know that have children in the US, they come from really good families. Their families step in and help. Their families supported them through college. They have a lot of support.

51:20 And the people, and the other, like a lot of people my age that I know that have kids, there's not that many. But those that are unhappy, they've got no support. They're working as many hours as they could possibly work. They still struggle financially because of inflation. They get kind of mocked as being dumb, like, 'Oh, why did you do that? You can't afford that. What were you thinking?' So, it's not like society is just really not friendly to parents.

Family Loss and Lifestyle Preferences

51:49 So, yeah, I answered that in a really long-winded kind of way, but I lean toward doing it solo or with a partner who's open to not having children, and at an earlier age. I also know that illness runs in my family, and what I wouldn't want is to have kids and then be gone in 10 years, right? I think, I mean, that's what I went through. I lost my mom when I was eight years old. I lost my father when I was 10 years old. And they were old parents.

52:22 And so it's just, you know, it's not something I feel like. I lean toward no, and I have several friends here who are in the same boat as me, where they're like struggling because they want to date a Filipina, but they don't want to have kids. And so that's a tough thing where I think in a country like Thailand, then, you know, these are not major issues. A lot of people think like, 'Oh, if you don't want to live here, it's...

52:49 Oh, if you don't want to live here, it's because it's this and that. No, it's really down to lifestyle preference. I love the Philippines. I think this country is beautiful, it has so much to offer. The nature is incredible, the people are generally very cheerful. But if you're an introverted person, I've read some stories online of Filipinos saying, 'I'm so introverted, I'm like a real oddball in the Philippines because people are very outgoing and gregarious, and I'm like a bookworm.' And also, the other factor being the kids. Like, I don't want to deprive a Filipina of having a family.

Healthcare Careers and 'Calling' Beliefs

53:45 Alan retired in the Philippines, hello to you and everyone from Kinga Lan. Welcome, Alan. Good to see you, Alan. You've got to have a calling for being caring, for a nurse. And it sounds like it'd be more about the money for you. Well, a lot of Asian people do healthcare for the money. So that's kind of, I think that's a belief from, and I don't mean to be ugly here, but I think that's a belief back when the economy was easier. People could afford to do things that they had a calling for. And now, with the inflation in the United States, a lot of people are finding out, 'Well, I had a calling to be a teacher, but teaching doesn't pay anything.' So that's why you got a shortage of teachers, where nursing, there may be a shortage, but it's viable to do so.

54:47 I had so many people tell me, 'You've got to have a calling for this.' And I mean, most of my friends, as far as being Asian, there was no 'you have a calling.' It's, 'You can pick something that makes a lot of money,' or 'You can pick something else that makes a lot of money.' So there was no, 'You have a calling to be a doctor, you have a calling to be a lawyer, you have a calling to be an engineer.' Those are just the three acceptable things that you could do. I've had friends whose parents dictated that they would pick one of those professions. So it was never about, 'You have a calling.' Having a calling for something, I hate to say this, I'm not trying to be rude, but it's somewhat of a luxury belief. It's a belief that stems from being in a time where there was so much wealth going around that people could afford to do things that they enjoy over doing things that are practical.

Risk Aversion and Asian-American Upbringing

55:57 As Western societies age, more and more resources in society will be dedicated toward healthcare, and that's inevitable because the alternative is to just let people's health fall apart. The alternative is for people to not get healthcare, and you're seeing life expectancy go down in the West. But, you know, I've known a lot of people, like a lot of my fellow Asian-Americans, that they didn't really like what they do for a living, but they come from a background where it's not practical for them to be a musician. I worked with a guy that was great at dancing, and his parents were like, 'You're not going to make any money as a dancer, and we're not going to subsidize you through that process. So you're going to go be an engineer.' And he's like, 'Well, they're going to cover my education.'

57:02 You know, it's like I said, I think the calling thing is more for Western people that come from families that are more open-minded. I just don't think it's a thing for the majority of Asian-Americans. It's not that I think that we're above it. It's not that I think that people shouldn't... you know what's the word? Shouldn't... yeah, exactly, Phil, you understand completely. Phil, it's... I mean, if I told my grandma I want to be an artist, she would start laughing. I mean, she would literally start laughing. 'What are you? Are you on something right now?'

57:58 It sounds great when you've got like, especially when you've got generational wealth in the West. Your parents own real estate, your parents own like a certain kind of business, they're established in the community, they've got rental properties, or they've got like a, you know, some kind of multigenerational business. But when you show up in America and you've got nothing, there is no, there's not much risk-taking there. You can't afford to take risks. That's why you don't see a lot of Asian people in entertainment. Some people say, 'Oh, it's on purpose.' I'm like, 'No, it's like we're raised to be risk-averse.'

58:45 We're raised to think differently, like, 'Hey, do you want to? You could be a mediocre engineer and still have a job. You could be a mediocre nurse and still have a job. If you're a mediocre actor, you're not going to be waiting tables.' Not that there's anything wrong with waiting tables, but you're not going to succeed. And that's a really big part of the story. And it's not about judging, it's about... I mean, I think we just have to agree to disagree, Critter Hunter. It's not about judgment, it's about a fallback plan.

Family Support and Agreeing to Disagree

59:27 I don't have any kind of backup plan. I think that in your case, your family might laugh. They will. You have, I think, some unconditional love there, which, for Asian kids, a lot of us don't experience unconditional love. And they're not going to be there to pick us back up. And it's really a fundamental difference of opinion and attitude that's not going to be resolved through conversation. You just have to agree to disagree.

1:00:19 Alan, I just signed up for StreamYard a few days ago, learning its functions. Looks easy, but need to wait 24 hours after a first-time sign-in. We'll do my first live stream next Friday morning. That sounds wonderful, Alan. I'd be happy to check out your live stream.

Dogs, Family, and Fulfillment

1:00:33 Drew says, 'I'm 55, have no children, no regrets. To each their own.' And let's... um, never had a strong desire to have children either, but really like having a dog. That's awesome, Anthony. Dogs will give you unconditional love. Yeah, I agree, Alan. Dogs will give you unconditional love. What kind of dog do you have, Anthony?

1:01:09 Anthony says, 'Spent a lot of years caring for other men's children. Never changed a diaper in my life. My wife has three daughters. I will focus on them.' Yeah, and I think there's a lot of beauty in that. Like, I think there's a lot of... I say it a lot, like parenting is what makes people happy. It's not the act of having kids. There's plenty of guys that have kids and don't raise them. And then there's other guys that meet a nice lady that happens to have children from a previous relationship, and they find a lot of fulfillment in it. And, you know, the act of taking care of kids, like mentoring, helping them grow, teaching them about different things, getting a different perspective on life too. I think it's an amazing thing.

Making a Positive Impact

1:02:00 It sounds like too, like it brings you a lot of joy, Anthony. You're one of the more happier and fulfilled guys that I meet here in the Philippines. And I think part of that is that you're focused on being a helper and looking out for people and like your family, and trying to see to it that they have what they need to improve their lives. And I think that's what makes people happy. It's not focusing on themselves all the time. Right? That's where I think a lot of unhappiness for foreigners here comes from. Is they're so used to being very self-centered in the West and always thinking about themselves and their perspective and trying to justify their decisions, trying to deal with their insecurities. It's my way or the highway. And for you, it's more like, how can I make a positive impact? How can I help my wife?

1:03:07 And, you know, how can I do things to make a positive impact? And I see this a lot in Daggetti, my happiest friend, and Domti. They're quietly working behind the scenes, right? They're like, 'Anthony, you're not going out there demanding an article in the paper, 'Hey, I'm helping my wife and three daughters to live a better life.' But you're still making these positive impacts. Another friend of mine, he is helping to coach these students on track and field. You know, he's doing it very quietly, and I think that there's a lot of...

Giving vs. Taking in the Philippines

1:03:58 I so I tend to focus on the negative, to be honest. That's what gets abuse and attention on my normal format videos. But there's a lot of good things happening here where people are doing things to make things better without being super public. Like they're just not putting it out there, and they do what they do for the benefit of others, not for themselves. And I think that's what's amazing here is that not everybody comes here to take. You know, sometimes for me, being kind of pessimistic, you could say jaded, I see some guys coming here to take. They see people struggling, they see people in poverty, and they think, 'Wow, these people are vulnerable. I can come here and take whatever I want.' And it's easy to focus on those guys and not to think about the guys who come here and they want to give. Right? They want to give their time, they want to give their attention, they want to give their wisdom, their guidance, their insight.

1:05:04 They're not... I don't know that's something that really has been surprising for me is just seeing the people that want to come here and do the right thing. I could appreciate that, Critter Hunter. I know that your heart is in the right place, and you don't want me to give up and settle. And I am objectively happier in Asia over the United States. Culturally, it's a lot better. It's a lot more interesting. It's a lot more relaxing. The cost of living difference is very obvious. I like the independence and autonomy, right? Like in the West, you have to rely on an...

Happiness in Asia vs. the West

1:05:47 In the West, you have to rely on an employer. I think that's something you wanted to avoid in your life. You did not want to be beholden to an employer telling you, 'Be here at this time, wearing this.' Like you had to, right? I mean, you worked in oil and gas for a while and had a boss telling you, 'You need to be here and you need to do this and you need to do that.' That's very stressful in a lot of ways. I've had some good managers and some good bosses, but I've also had some jerks and worked for some jerks.

1:06:34 It is a lot. I am a lot happier here, and I'm glad you have confidence in me to be successful on YouTube. I'm moving in the right direction. I will say the channel is going in the right direction; it is growing fast. I need to just have patience for it. I think sometimes I am too pessimistic, too... that's the word I'm looking for, too negative. That's something I need to work on.

Tech Job Market Frustrations

1:07:06 Have you given up on finding a job in tech? Nursing seems like a good plan, but you're giving up at least two years going to school. Well, what I've run into is I've gotten to the final round in several interviews over the last year and a half in tech, and then I get rejected. So I spend a month, you know, staying up all night preparing for interviews, studying the company, and it chews up all this time, and then I don't get the offer. I find that to be a really frustrating waste of time.

1:07:37 I've also seen companies offer to interview me and then a week later, they post the job again. So I think we're at this point in the US where the employees don't trust the companies, and the companies have a lot of leverage, especially in sales. I wasn't in the programming side, I was in the sales side, such that for me, okay, I'd be happy to interview. But if the company is going to interview me and then decline and then post the job again, I don't want to even give them the time of day to waste.

1:08:15 I don't think they're all like that, but I think a good chunk of companies out there are posting job listings to try to attract investors, and not because they actually want the jobs. Because if they want people to invest in their company, 'Oh, look, we've got all these job openings, we're growing so fast,' when they have no intention of actually filling those jobs. So a lot of the tech companies are very deceptive, and they're trying to manipulate investors and trying to paint a rosier picture than the reality.

1:08:54 It doesn't cost them much to post a job listing; it doesn't cost them much to interview somebody. They can just say, 'Oh, you know, we couldn't find the right person,' which could be totally false. I've seen some of these companies lie 300 different ways. They get together with attorneys and they figure out how can we lie, how can we get away with being deceptive? What can we do to get something for nothing? How can we gain the system? How can we manipulate people?

Healthcare Demand and US Options

1:09:37 How can we manipulate investors? How can we do to get over on people? There's no real penalty, right? The US is designed for business; it's not designed for employees. It's designed for businesses to succeed. It's kind of like the workshop of the world. It's not to say there are no trustworthy companies out there, but I don't know. I'm just have some skepticism due to the state of the tech economy.

1:10:21 Metal Gear sounds like a ghost job. That's a good point, Critter. I need and I'll keep YouTube. You know, some of what would be cool about studying nursing here in the Philippines, this might sound crazy, Critter, is the amount of attention that would get. Like I don't even know that, you know, if I vlogged my nursing school experience for a couple of years, that might grow my channel to the point where I don't actually end up working as a nurse.

1:10:54 Because that video I did where I talked about doing nursing school here got like 6,000 views. I think there's a ton of people that would benefit from me documenting that experience and go and pursue their education here. There's plenty of people in America that want the education, but it's too competitive in America, too expensive in America. They don't want to rack up a bunch of debt, but they still want the education, they still want the opportunity.

1:11:22 America has too high of a demand for healthcare professionals to reject foreign-trained nurses. I've had some people say, 'Oh, that's no good.' Well, if it's no good, why are most medical professionals in the US foreigners? I have several family members who are older, and they get healthcare, and a good chunk of their professionals are foreigners. There's just too much demand.

1:11:48 You can do one of two things in America regarding healthcare. On one hand, you can let people go without healthcare. You could just say, 'We're just not going to provide healthcare; we're just going to let the cards fall where they may.' Some people are just going to go without; we'll just charge more for it, and the people who can't afford the healthcare, they're just not going to get healthcare.

1:12:21 Or two, you could lower the standard. You could say, 'We're going to make it easier to get a license; we're going to make it easier to get through nursing school; we're going to lower the accreditation requirements.' Okay, so now everybody gets healthcare, but the healthcare is lower quality. Or the third option is we're going to standardize the test, and anybody that can pass the test can practice.

Pre-Law Degree and Legal Profession

1:12:44 So those are the three options. People keep looking for this fourth option where the world is perfect and everything just works out perfectly, and everybody can have whatever they want, and nobody pays for anything. But those are the three options: one, deny care; two, lower the standard; or three, allow foreigners or foreign-trained medical professionals to practice, assuming they can pass the standardized test.

1:13:11 I think most Americans would agree that number three, given the limitations of the world, is going to be the best bet for the majority of Americans. You can make the argument that the standard is less, but if the test is standardized, I don't really see how that happens. You could make the argument that we could lower this standard of care, who cares? But that's great for healthy people; that's not so great for people who are struggling with their health or older, retired citizens.

1:13:44 I guess you could tell people, 'Just leave, go to Mexico if you want healthcare.' But I don't really think that's going to be a viable solution in a democracy where people can vote out any politician that suggests they need to just leave the country for healthcare. So yeah, I think that's what will happen.

1:14:08 Sounds like a go. What's your degree in? Yeah, so I messed up. Cars. I was kind of told growing up, 'Go to college; we're going to throw you out on the street anyway if you don't go to college.' So I got a pre-law degree, which is functionally useless unless you go to law school. I could go back and do law school, but I don't want to borrow the money to go to law school.

1:14:34 And you know, I also was not educated on what law entails. Being a lawyer, basically, the legal field was introduced to stop people from fighting each other, so it's kind of a substitute for people fighting each other, engaging in duels. So functionally, you're just basically arguing. It's inherently confrontational; it's inherently combative. And I'm good at it, like I'm really, really good at it, but it's very stressful.

Lawyer Salaries and Manufactured Urgency

1:15:06 It's the legal field. I kept meeting miserable lawyer after miserable lawyer. It's one of those professions that makes people especially cynical. You also struggle in relationships because you're fighting for 8, 10, 12 hours a day, and then you're expected to go home and be civil or get along with people.

1:15:40 And so that's what I don't want. I don't want to become super jaded. And I don't want all that debt. And lost salaries are brutal. So half the, like 80% of lawyers, they make 80k a year, maybe 90 or 100k a year. And then the other 20% of lawyers go to a top 14 school and they make two, three, 400k a year.

1:16:06 The lawyers that make 80k have a more relaxed workload typically. Maybe they work for the government, maybe they work for a nonprofit or something like that. But then the lawyers that make 200k a year, they have no light. I mean, there's always emergencies. They're up at midnight on Saturday night on a conference call because, oh, they got another lawsuit.

1:16:38 These corporations have all this manufactured urgency where everything is the end of the world. I've experienced that to some extent working in corporate America for healthcare professionals. Yeah, you are dealing with very serious circumstances for these corporations. They want their people to be like dogs on a leash, and they're going to say, 'Oh, this is the end of the world.' I can't tell you how many times I've heard, 'This is the end of the world.' You hear that every day, and it just becomes redundant and exhausting to hear people take every single circumstance and turn it into an emergency because their bonus is tied to hitting this metric.

YouTube and Nursing Staffing Agency Ideas

1:17:22 I call it manufactured urgency. Not to say I don't believe in working hard, but rather it's very easy to pretend like a situation is. And I dealt with that a lot growing up too.

1:17:34 I dealt with that a lot growing up too because I grew up around people in corporate jobs where they turn situations that are not an emergency into emergencies. It's tedious, it leads to burnout, and it makes people even less trusting of the system. The goals are not the end of the world because the majority of the company's success should be placed on leadership, the C-suite, the people who are making two, three, four, five million a year. Those are the people that should have a good deal of the responsibility for the success of the company.

1:18:23 But I found that wasn't always the case. I've worked at some great companies too that were very in tune, but not all companies are great. Not all companies take care of their people, not all companies respect their people, or even like their people. Different companies have different cultures, but I just saw some patterns.

1:18:51 Critter Hunter says, "Oh, if you do end up doing nursing school, for sure still YouTube about it. That's what I'm doing for diving now. I have a 60-six-figure scuba business with 80% customers coming from YouTube." You never know, thank you Critter Hunter. That's a good call out. You know, somebody mentioned to me, Justin, that I should start a nursing staffing agency so I could do the nursing school and then basically set up a business where I connect nurses with jobs.

Future-Proofing with Nursing

1:19:16 I reach out to hospitals that need nurses and I funnel nurses to those employers. That's a way to get leverage, that will be a way to not deal with the nitty-gritty of the nursing field. I mean, that's a good call out.

1:19:33 Phil says, "Nursing, pretty fire, future-proof for your age, huge Boomer population. Nursing will be in even more demand." I agree, Phil. I think it's only set to increase. I think that it's just going to take more and more of the resources of the United States. The average European is 44, the average American is like 39, and that number is probably only going to go up in the coming years.

Budgeting and Filipino Lifestyle

1:20:01 Dog looks like a poodle, but it's not housebroken in less than 24 hours and cozied up to me immediately. But wife has never won. I think the food comes from Mama. Oh, that's funny.

1:20:16 Anthony, lots of joy in helping others to succeed. Your budget is incredible, less than $700 per month. Yeah, and I could spend more than $700. I think I could get away with spending a thousand a month, but I'd rather just undercut it and be on the safer side because I still have a storage unit I'm paying for back in the States. This is expensive, but yeah, and I don't know, I'm not unhappy on my modest budget.

1:20:52 Am I perfectly happy? No, I'm not perfectly happy. But, you know, the average Filipino family, I think, on this island makes like $250 per month for a household. So I live on almost triple. So I live on what, almost like 10 to 12 local people live on. So that's not a bad life at all.

LinkedIn and Remote Sales Jobs

1:21:13 Anthony says, "I get job offers from LinkedIn. Hope you're on that site." I am, Anthony. And in fact, thank you for calling that out, Anthony. I'm going to look you up. I need to connect with you on LinkedIn. I've got it right here. Let's see... oh, there we go. I found you. Okay, I'm going to connect with you.

1:21:43 Cool, cool. Thank you for calling that out, Anthony. I get, let's see, lots of good internet sales jobs that are remote. If you can coast on funds for a few months, I think you can find one. 125 watching, need more thumbs up. Thank you so much, Anthony. Yeah, maybe I'll take a look more at sales jobs. That's a good call out.

Career Advice and Boeing Employment

1:22:00 Car says, "Pre-law might be a good degree for supplier management, QA program management. Maybe do a search and see what's available. Here's a link to the Boeing employment website." Yeah, I'll check that out. Thank you so much for calling that out, Car.

1:22:18 Good morning, Lenny. Good to see you. They offer free tuition for advanced degrees and all other benefits. Oh, that's great to call out. Yeah, I'll definitely look into that for Boeing. That's a good point, Car.

Nursing Undergrad and Online MBA

1:22:30 Anthony says, "Nursing undergrad with an online MBA is a great combination." Thank you so much, Anthony. By the way, Anthony, please send me some photos, guys. I recently interviewed Anthony. I just need to edit that, which will happen probably this afternoon or evening. But I just got to get a thumbnail for that together. So if you could, Anthony, what I should have done before I let you go was I should have taken a photograph. I just missed it. So if you could have your lovely wife take a photo and send some via Facebook, that would help me out a lot to show your handsome face in the thumbnail.

Interview Canceled and Crypto Lending

1:23:17 But yeah, feel free to chime in, guys. Any thoughts you have? I check my... oh, okay. My interview was canceled, so I could go for... can go for a bit longer, guys. I probably should turn my aircon temperature. Yeah, I'm going to turn it down a little bit. It's hot today. I don't know, I guess it's noon, so peak hot hour. But yeah, guys, feel free to chime in with any comments. I'm going to just go get that real quick.

Booking Accommodation and Travel Preferences

1:24:23 Yeah, so I have some crypto lending, but I won't trade. That's not for me. I prefer buy and hold. I just found buy and hold is what works best for me.

1:25:13 How do you book your accommodation in the Philippines? That's a great question, Sebs. I think somebody I skipped over earlier. Alvin asked, "What's the appeal of the Philippines versus Thailand?" So, Alvin, nature and visa. I think those are the two big ones. English, those are the three big ones here in the Philippines: the visa, the English, and the...

1:26:02 As far as booking accommodation, I like Agoda. Let me throw that down there. And I should probably reach out to Agoda, Goab, booking.com.

Trading Stress and Thailand Air Pollution

1:26:17 Phil says, "I'm a Boogle head. Trading takes a certain type of person. It's too stressful for me." I'm the same way, Phil. I prefer to just buy and hold. I think it's too time-consuming and too stressful for me. I know some people who trade very successfully, but it's just not for me. I'm currently in Thailand. The air pollution is terrible.

1:26:35 Yeah, Thailand this time of year with the burning season, it just gets to be very, very difficult with the air. Pollution here in the Philippines, the air quality is fantastic for me. And Dumaguete, anyway, I love the ocean breeze. I love the smell of the salt water. It's, um, air quality is an understated one. I think the Philippines has some of the best air quality for Southeast Asia, and I don't think it gets talked about enough.

1:27:04 I think there's a few things that don't get talked about enough here in the Philippines. One is architecture. I think the architecture here is really cool. Two is the air quality. That's something I struggled with in Thailand last year. This time last year, I was in Chiang Mai, and I wanted to see how bad it was, and it was awful. I just felt bad, I didn't like it. And it's something that would make Thailand difficult for me year-round.

Philippines Air Quality and Architecture

1:27:34 I could see doing nine months a year in Thailand, but year-round, I would struggle. Maybe it's tough, Lenny. It's, uh, I ended up flying down to Hat Yai. So I ended up flying to Southern Thailand, Hat Yai, and it was better, not perfect, but that was better than Chiang Mai, and better than the big city, Bangkok. Hat Yai is near the border of Malaysia, and it seems like the wind pulled some of the pollution out to sea as opposed to just hanging in the air. But I've been looking at photographs of Bangkok, and it looks like it's a tough time, right?

1:29:04 Planning to check out the Philippines next month for the first time. Hey, if you make it to Dumaguete, Lenny, definitely feel free to send me an email or reach out in the comment section. The Philippines is great. I mean, there's a lot I love about the Philippines. It's just a very mysterious place. There's so many layers to the Philippines, and English makes it really nice in a lot of ways. That's something I miss when I'm in Thailand.

1:29:30 In Thailand, the English is not at the level it is in the Philippines. It's good in Bangkok, it's decent in Chiang Mai, it's I found it to be decent in Hat Yai, or even good in Hat Yai, but it's still not quite at the level of the Philippines.

YouTube Filters and Hanging Out

1:30:01 Let's see, Justin, it might be the filter that's cutting them out because I haven't seen a comment from you in a bit. And so sometimes the YouTube comment moderation, I mean, I put it up to strict because I was getting some trolls, but sometimes it pulls out totally innocent comments. But yeah, let's hang out soon. I agree with that, Justin. I'd be happy to hang out soon. That sounds good to me, man.

Airbnb and Dealing with Trolls

1:30:38 I think you're a great example for a lot of people on how to make your dream come true. So yeah, guys, sometimes if you comment, it doesn't pop up. YouTube has a very kind of strict filter, and I support that to some extent because I get a lot of nasty people on here, and it's a distraction from focusing on the people I enjoy talking to. Less so now because I don't entertain it, but it's worth sharing that yeah, let's...

1:31:15 Oppo Island sounds wonderful, Justin. James says, "Airbnb works for me." Yeah, I think Airbnb is a great platform for the month duration. Less time than that, I tend to like hotels. Staying in hotels. More than that, I prefer to sign a lease. But at the month range, Airbnb is a solid bet. It can be a little pricey, but it's worth having the flexibility and reading the reviews.

1:31:40 Yeah, James, you get tons of trolls on the live stream. You're learning to ignore them. People are envious, James, right? You're a happily married man, you live in a beautiful country, you're building a nice house. It sounds terrible. I could see why people would want to troll you because there are so many envious people out there. They're like, "Wow, James is happily married." You know where the troll, they have no opportunity for being married to a lovely woman. They see you're building a house, they live in, you know, a shoebox in the West.

Unhappiness in the Modern World

1:32:25 Yeah, anyway, there's a lot of...

1:32:28 There are a lot of unhappy people in the world, unfortunately. I wish it weren't that way; I wish more people could find happiness. But it's just the way the modern world is right now.

1:33:13 I went back to the UK for Christmas, and everybody is angry and depressed. It's very similar in the US; a lot of people are unhappy. Their lives are not turning out the way they thought they would, and they don't know what to make of it. They don't understand why things aren't going the way they want.

1:33:35 They're not understanding why they can't afford to live in a nice area or take a nice vacation. The West is just not in a great place right now. I don't know if it will ever go back to being in a good place.

1:33:54 I think some of it's just problems with the philosophy where people believe that as long as they work hard, they can have whatever they want. They're finding in the West that they work hard and still don't get what they want. So they put everything into their job, and they don't have a nice place to live, and they can't afford to have children.

Existential Crisis in the West

1:34:17 Their governments don't seem to like their people very much. It's an existential crisis facing the West, where people don't know what to make of it. They're sacrificing all their health and well-being for money, and then the money doesn't really buy a whole lot.

1:34:41 Anthony says if you have an undergrad degree, just go for a master's in anything you want. He says with nursing, no more undergrad degrees. I'm a retired professor and know this stuff. I had many lawyer students, and what you say is correct: do not become a lawyer.

1:34:59 I'm not interested anymore. I was sold being a lawyer as, 'Oh, you can make good money, but you work in an office.' It's not what it's made out to be. I wish I hadn't studied pre-law in undergrad; I wish I'd studied accounting.

Accounting vs. Law and Financial Stability

1:35:18 To be honest, I think accounting would have prepared me a lot better. I actually wouldn't mind being an accountant. I've even looked into master's in accounting programs because accountants are retiring, and there's a large demand for accounting professionals.

1:35:41 But there's not enough people becoming them. Money cannot replace family and community. I agree completely; money is not a substitute. Time is money, money is not time.

1:35:58 Time has inherent value. Money cannot necessarily translate to family and community, though it can if you're financially stable and use your money to facilitate family and community. But that's not the case for a lot of people in the US.

Community and Family in the Philippines

1:36:21 They use money to buy status symbols because they want people to like them and admire them. It's very short-lived; it's not resulting in what they thought it would.

1:37:04 That's what I love about the Philippines. I walk around Daggett a lot, and I'm always running into people I know. I can't go out anymore without being recognized at least once. I can't leave the house without running into somebody I know, and it's such a good feeling to stop and talk with somebody.

Minor Celebrity Status and Recognition

1:37:26 I wouldn't have that experience in America, especially not in the Bay Area. People are so busy; they do not have time to stop and talk. They are in such a rush that the social climate is just not good.

1:37:55 Lenny says minor celebrity status. Yeah, that's fair; there's an element to that sometimes. It is subscribers, which is funny to me because I think of my channel as still very small. But people are still very warm and receptive.

1:38:11 I actually had a Filipino guy in the mall yesterday recognize me. I went to Robinson's Mall to meet with some friends for lunch. Afterwards, I was leaving the restaurant, and somebody recognized me. It's flattering; it's still something I'm adjusting to, but I'm adjusting to it more and more every month.

Healthcare as a Need-to-Have

1:38:42 Anthony says he met folks who did the placement of nurses thing on a cruise years ago. Healthcare is always in demand; people are always willing to spend money on healthcare, and it's practical. It's a needed thing, not a nice-to-have.

1:39:01 When I was in tech, I found a lot of success in selling a need-to-have and a lot harder time selling a nice-to-have. So, it's never a bad idea to focus on something that people have to have, something they cannot live without. Food is one of those things; healthcare is another.

Weekend Plans and Local Hangouts

1:39:21 Your margins are going to be higher in healthcare. Your value add is going to be higher in healthcare. Thank you for calling that out, Anthony.

1:40:02 I need to put this water away. What's everybody getting into this weekend?

1:40:25 This afternoon, I'm going to go do laundry since my schedule moved around a bit.

1:40:41 Orion asks how the Why Not place is. I don't frequent it, but I think a lot of people have fun down there. It's more of a party place for people looking to have a good time, not really my scene. But I know a lot of people do enjoy it.

Travel Plans: El Nido and Garez Island

1:40:56 It does seem to be one of those places that a lot of people go when they first arrive, build up a friend circle, and then they get together different places. A lot of people really like it. I like to go to the bakery.

1:41:15 I'm one of those people; I like to go to the W not Bakery. It's a great place to go have a good time, listen to music. A lot of people really enjoy hanging out at the Why Not.

1:41:39 Lenny says on the job training for LPN license. I'm not familiar with OJT. James says we are going to El Nido and Garez Island next week. Have fun! El Nido and Garez both look wonderful.

1:41:57 I've heard a lot of great things about El Nido, and I've seen some photographs and video of Garez. I think you're gonna have a great time, James. That sounds like a wonderful way to spend some time and enjoy.

Moving and Visiting Baguio

1:42:08 Doug says cleaning the apartment today, moving tomorrow. It will be nice for the new atmosphere. He just bought a ticket back to Baguio for March, getting the last of his things. Looking forward to the visit. That sounds awesome, Doug.

1:42:22 Baguio is cool; I think you'll enjoy yourself. It'll be nice to do something a little bit different. Enjoy!

Freelance Gigs and Colombia Travel

1:42:43 We'll probably go another 15 minutes or so; my voice is starting to go. Have you looked if there's any freelance gigs for a side hustle?

1:43:01 Yeah, not too much freelance that I'm familiar with, especially for sales. But for programming, one of my friends here is looking into that. Colombia is great, just need to know Spanish though.

1:43:13 I agree, Spanish is definitely a requirement for enjoying Colombia. I spent several months in Colombia and loved it, but it is definitely a requirement to know Spanish. I struggled at times until my Spanish improved, and then it was a lot more fun.

Nursing School Without Working

1:43:35 Once my Spanish got more up to speed, I had a lot of fun in Colombia. But until then, it was a little bit of rough sailing. It made a difference for sure.

1:44:08 On the job training. I was a CNA for many years and tried very hard to get my nursing license, but had to work 40 hours at nights and school in days. That's been a big reason why I want to do school here.

1:44:19 I've had people back home, family in particular, tell me you can't afford not to work while you're in college. But if my grades suffer and I don't get the license, what difference does it make? I'm not going to college just for the sake of going to college.

1:44:35 I'm going to college to get an education and make money. If I don't pass, it makes no difference. I could go to college for the rest of my life if I don't get the result in a reasonable time frame. It's not particularly useful.

1:44:51 I'm not going to nursing school for fun; it's an investment of my time and money. I've tried working and going to school; it just doesn't work. That's not practical for a lot of people, and it's not popular to admit that, but it's the truth.

1:45:15 It's just not trying to do anything like that and work at the same time. You're competing against people that don't have to work and go to school at the same time. I learned that the hard way and don't want to repeat that mistake.

1:45:29 I wasted a lot of time trying to do that and got burnt out and didn't get the grades I wanted. I actually accrued a little bit of debt that I wouldn't have accrued if I just had the money to focus on it full-time. So that's a great point, Allan.

Future Success and Marriage Visa

1:45:44 On the job training is super valuable. My goal if I did nursing school here would be to not work, which I can't legally do in the Philippines anyway. But to not work and focus on my education, finish in two years, and then go back and make good money.

1:46:04 Put away a lot of money, and then come back over here when I'm ready to retire and be set up for success.

Philippines vs. Other Countries

1:46:57 I now have my permanent 13A marriage visa and can legally work. That's awesome, Allan. That's really cool; I didn't realize the 13A allows you to work.

1:47:06 Orion says, out of your travels, is the Philippines number one? I don't think of anywhere as number one; I think they're all different flavors of ice cream, right? Like I have my preferences.

1:47:23 Cream right, like I have my preferences, but everybody's got their own preferences, and it's hard for me to gauge because I've spent different amounts of time in different countries. I like Thailand a lot, but Thailand was my first love. I say that a lot; it was the first country I went to in Asia, and it's always going to have a special place in my heart.

1:47:46 But the Philippines is awesome. I think different places are good for different people, for different times in their life. And, yeah, the Philippines is fantastic. Like I said, English, nature, and with your current point in life, the Philippines is number one for my purpose. As far as studying nursing, the Philippines is a great option. You have education offered in English, the price is very reasonable, and the Philippines and the United States have a great relationship, so it's very easy for me to stay here long-term.

Student Visa and Manila Trip

1:48:26 I have a lot of friends here, a lot of Americans here. Yeah, I mean, the Philippines is awesome. There's a lot to see here, there's a lot to do here. I get along great with the people here.

1:49:12 But yeah, guys, we'll probably wrap up in the next 10 minutes or so. If anybody has any last thoughts or questions to add, will you change your visa from a tourist visa when you're in school? Yeah, Doug, so I have to go to Manila to get the student visa. Well, I've had people tell me I have to go to Manila to get the student visa. This school may be able to help arrange it, though. I suspect if I were to be admitted, the school would probably be able to help with arranging it, but I'm not certain on that. If I did get admitted, then I would go to Manila if needed.

Sponsorship and Beard Growth

1:49:46 Hey Mr. Dave, good to see you. I hope you're enjoying Pattaya. Wish I had something to drink to make my voice last longer. I'd be happy to keep going, guys, but my voice is definitely starting to go, and I've got some stuff to record this afternoon too. So I've got to spare what's left for today. I need to record some stuff for sponsorship from Christian Filipina, so I'll be endorsing Christian Filipina as the only dating service that I endorse.

Rent and Neighborhood

1:50:47 Yeah, yeah, Mr. Dave's photo is Don Vito's mugshot. Growing the beard back? Good question, Doug. I'll probably get it shaved again next time I get a haircut. I'll probably get a haircut toward the end of this month, and I'll get it shaved again when I do that.

1:51:36 Alan, do you have any plans to work here? Soundboard prank calling? That's funny. Yeah, I remember those days. There are so many funny prankers out there.

Scooter Riding and Face Reveal

1:52:02 So my rent is 8,000 pesos per month for this studio apartment. 8,000 pesos, let's see what that is today. 137 dollars. $137 a month is my rent for this studio apartment. It's furnished with beds, and it's in a good neighborhood and it's convenient for my needs. I like living here a lot. My neighbors are generally quiet and respectful. It's peaceful at night, you know, no karaoke.

1:52:40 Are there any studios by you open? We need a DOA office base. Not that I know of, Justin, but I'll keep an ear out for it. If I hear of one, I'll be sure to reach out to you. Any plans to get a scooter? It's sure nice to explore. I think about it a lot, Doug. I know Mike wants me to learn to ride a scooter. He's been encouraging me, like, 'Hey, Chad's about to go out of town, maybe you could learn.' I don't know, I'm just so risk-averse to riding a scooter. I'm not very coordinated and I worry about it.

US Politics and Economic Outlook

1:53:23 Derek, won't you have to take a test for US state? Yeah, if I study nursing here in the Philippines and I go back, I have to take the NCLEX exam, which is a standardized test for nurses in the United States. You have to pass that to practice. Mr. Dave, I'm trying to become a live streamer and my name will be Handsome Man. If you go slow, then the scooter is pretty safe. Got it. Do you ride a scooter, Mr. Dave?

1:53:59 So you're going to do a face reveal, Mr. Dave? We're all going to... Okay, very good to know. You go slow, you drive slow, that's good to know. You have to be careful with that, Mr. Dave. It's quite dangerous to ride a motorbike, but you'll do a face reveal, so we'll find out. I don't think Mike showed me your face, but if you want, you could add me on Facebook. I don't know if you have a Facebook, Mr. Dave. I'm happy to be Facebook friends so I could see what the real Mr. Dave looks like.

1:54:39 Do you think things here in the US are going to change, get better now that Trump is in charge? You know, I've had that discussion. I've had that discussion. Let's see, I've had that discussion. Alvin U, with a number, I even had it with Steve from Philippines Info Channel. You know, I try to remain politically neutral. I have friends on both sides. I don't... I'm just going to operate on the premise that basically, in my belief, there's no leadership person that can dramatically reduce the prices of things. I don't see any president fixing the housing shortage. I don't see any president reasonably being able to improve the tech job market.

US Economy and Expat Decisions

1:55:43 I think that the US is a very steady ship that you can't really change the direction of very much in any major way. There's certain things like the national debt, for example, $38 trillion, so that's going to come to roost eventually. I think the West has not been going in a direction for a while, and I don't see them being able to make any big changes without breaking some stuff. I don't know if entitlement reform is something that can happen. I look at the US as an economic zone, a place where people go to make money, start a business, for opportunities.

1:56:51 Feel free to send me a friend request, Mr. Dave. I don't know if I've added you or not. My friends list has grown so much, but feel free to do that. But yeah, I don't count on any president to make a major, major difference. I know some people would disagree with that, but like I said, I tend to avoid talking about it directly because I've got friends on both sides. I'll put it this way, because I talked to Steve about this, and I asked him, 'Do you think that's going to make a meaningful difference as far as people becoming expats?' He said, 'No, I think that people become expats for a lot of different reasons.'

Inflation, Deflation, and Car Ownership

1:57:35 Yeah, prices really go down, Doug. We could slow inflation, but as long as there's a multi-trillion deficit, inflation is not going to stop. Exactly. As long as you have a major deficit, that's the only noticeable consequence. The major noticeable consequence for the average American is prices are going to keep going up because deflation would break things a lot more than inflation would. Like inflation, you kicked the can down the road. Deflation, you're talking about like a currency crisis, something resembling the Japanese economy where things are super stagnant.

1:58:33 I don't think a car is in budget, Mr. Dave. I'd love to have a car here, but it's not just the car itself, it's all the things that go with car ownership, like oil changes and tires. My buddy just spent like $1,500 to replace something on his car that was broken, and it's only a five or six-year-old car. So car ownership is not something I want to do here, Mr. Dave. Hey Kyle, good to see you.

Stream Wrap-up and Call to Action

1:59:08 But guys, we're at the top of the second hour here. I'm going to go ahead and wind down. Thank you, everyone, so much for joining today. It's been a great stream and great to connect with everybody. If you can, please give us a thumbs up, it helps with the YouTube algorithm. If you're watching this on replay, comment down below, let us know what you thought about the live stream. And finally, please subscribe to the channel if you haven't already. I'll answer the last couple of ones.

Tuk Tuk Plans and Farewell

1:59:44 Mr. Dave, if you can check my homepage of my YouTube channel, it's got my name on there, and you can send me a message. I'll confirm that. Doug says, 'As I'm getting older, I'm thinking about a Tuk Tuk. I've seen some for sale and I want to go get one.' Doug, they look like a lot of fun. I think you can get one for like three or $4,000 US. But thanks so much, everybody. I'll see you soon. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.