👋 Introduce Yourself Here!

👋 Hi everyone — I’m Mike!

I’m Mike Hamilton, the founder of the Life in the Philippines Discussion Board and a long-time expat who’s proud to call the Philippines home. 🇵🇭

After years of living here and meeting other expats, I realized how valuable it is to have one friendly place online where we can all share experiences, ask questions, and help each other. Whether it’s visas, local life, or just finding your favorite place for adobo — that’s what this community is all about.

A little about me — I spent most of my career in the U.S. tech and computer industry before moving to Southeast Asia. These days I split my time between running GoSEAsia.com, helping resorts and small businesses build better websites, and enjoying life in the islands.

I created this forum for people like us — expats, travelers, and locals — who want honest advice and good conversation without the noise.

So don’t be shy — introduce yourself, tell us where you’re from, and share what brought you to the Philippines!
I’m glad you’re here and can’t wait to read your stories.

Welcome aboard,
Mike

Hi everyone! John here 
Retired Navy guy living in Cebu about 2 years now. Married to a local and enjoying the slower pace of life.
I found this forum through Facebook and thought it’d be nice to share what I’ve learned about living here long term.
Still learning new things every week (mostly about paperwork). Looking forward to hearing from other expats around the islands.

Hey everyone, Mark here. I just landed in the Philippines about 3 weeks ago, staying in Dumaguete for now.
I’m originally from Texas, worked in IT for years but got tired of the grind. Decided I’d rather sweat in flip flops than freeze in traffic lol.
Still figuring things out like where to buy decent coffee and how to not get lost on my scooter.
Looking forward to learning from you all and maybe sharing a few mistakes so others can skip ‘em.

@mark_h

Welcome aboard, Mark! 👋

Great to have you here, and awesome that you’re living down in Dumaguete — I’ve heard so many expats love that area for the slower pace and friendly locals. Sounds like you’ve found a good balance between comfort and community there.

Jump into any topic that interests you — housing, healthcare, or just daily life. We’re still growing, and every story from members like you helps new folks understand what life here is really like. Glad to have you as one of our first members!

@johnt

Hey John, welcome to the community! 👋

Great to have someone from Cebu in the mix — it’s one of the most vibrant spots in the country with so much going on, from city life to quick escapes to nearby islands.

Feel free to share your experience living there — what you like most, and what surprised you. Every bit of local insight helps others who are thinking about making Cebu their new home. Thanks for being one of our early members and helping us get the forum rolling!

Hello! My Filipina wife and I have officially retired and have moved to Philippines. We met 30 years ago in Philadelphia where we were both in IT. We have been planning and looking forward to this for a long time. We are staying in Eastwood City until our house in Cianta in Completed. I am interested in connecting socially with locals for meetups and chat. My interests are golf and acoustic guitar. Hope to here for you all!