This is a milestone post for All Around Bacolod, which I started in February, 2012. My goal was to have my 100th post before December 31, 2013, so I made it with 28 days to spare! I was very happy at the end of 2012 when Word Press Statistics reported that I had more than 8,000 views and this year, All Around Bacolod has surpassed 25, 000 views since January 1, 2013 and this year is not over..yet! I would like to kindly thank everyone who follows All Around Bacolod and all those who drop by to learn about the area where I live and the area I enjoy writing about. A BIG thank you, everyone!
A Fabulous Year
So many exciting things have happened in 2013, which directly and indirectly occurred because of All Around Bacolod Blog! I have many new friends, who I met because of All Around Bacolod. My good friend, Steve Fleming, and I started the best online expat magazine in April, 2013, Retiring to the Philippines. http://retiringtothephilippines.com/
I have published two ebooks about the Philippines this year and both are on Amazon. The Expat Guide To Doing Business In The Philippines is based on my 27 years experience about expats doing business in the Philippines. The content of my book cannot be found online in searches, as it is all first hand personal experiences. I finished my 3rd ebook this year but it is not published yet, however, it will be available in early 2014. 2013 has been a Fabulous Year, thus far and we still haven’t celebrated Christmas yet or our Wedding Anniversary, which is also on December 25. A double Celebration!
Helping Hands
Every week, I am contacted by several foreigners, some already living in the Philippines, who need help in making their transition in the Bacolod Area much smoother. During my work career in the USA and in China, over a period of 36 years, my jobs were Human Services related, so I have enjoyed helping others all my adult life.
I have two local friends who have the largest listing in the Bacolod Area concerning property rentals and sales and I have helped a number of foreigners get the type residential property they wanted for the price they wanted to pay. Both rentals and sales. I have a good friend who knows where the best deals are on second hand vehicles, so we have also helped put expats behind the wheel of the type vehicle they wanted to drive all around Bacolod!
Among the network of expats we know, who already live in Bacolod, we often share where to buy certain items. Just recently, I directed several where to buy those last minute turkeys for Thanksgiving! We also share about new restaurants that serve the type food that expats enjoying eating. Other expats have also been very helpful to me when I needed to find one particular item in the city or in sharing about certain dishes being available in the many new restaurants in our area. A BIG thank you! I still would not know that Wamba’s had apple cobbler on their menu if not for the helpful information from a good expat friend, who has been living in the Bacolod Area almost 5 years.
We are looking forward to 2014, as our area of the Philippines is really an exciting place to live and to raise a child. I would also like to thank my lovely and beautiful wife, Grace, who is also my best friend. My experience would not be the same here in the Philippines without her and without our fabulous 8 year old son!
I really hope to see you one day, somewhere..All Around Bacolod!
~ Gary ~
http://retiringtothephilippines.com/
All Around Bacolod 