Jan v.

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Fiestas, festivals and events in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Feb 6, 2012, 12:22 am
... handicraft you will find there. Expat in the Philippines tries to make a list of the most ... watch fiestas and festivals and events in the Philippines. Check the Fiesta CalendarRelated posts:Festival Calendar this ... Many people from around the world visit the Philippines to witness the man...
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daredevilry, recklessness, foolhardiness, and temerity in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Feb 4, 2012, 8:07 am
I am not sure how to call this: daredevilry, recklessness, foolhardiness, or temerity, but one thing is for sure: it is STUPID. As an Expat in the Philippines I notice many strange things, and many times I am reporting about it. A colleague blogger: “The Travelling Fool” currently spends some ti...
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The 37th International Bamboo Organ Festival

Jan v. posted an article on - Feb 2, 2012, 11:04 pm
For lovers of nice and calm music there is the 37th INTERNATIONAL BAMBOO ORGAN FESTIVAL to be held at ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, in LAS PI
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3rd Philippine International PyroMusical Competition

Jan v. posted an article on - Feb 2, 2012, 4:36 am
When you are a lover of beautiful firework displays (like me), and you live in the Manila area, now there’s a chance to see The 3rd Philippine International PyroMusical Competition. It will be held at the Bayside, behind the Mall of Asia Complex at Pasay City in 12 shows spread over 6 Saturday nig...
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license plates in the Philippines, follow-up

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 31, 2012, 6:19 am
Sometimes Filipinos are strange people. They are proud to be a Filipino, but like to live abroad. They do not like their country called a Third World Country, but keep on throwing garbage in the streets and pee everywhere. They love their country a lot, but hate products manufactured in the Philippi...
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abbreviations in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 30, 2012, 10:08 am
The use of abbreviations in the Philippines is very common. They are used for practicaly everything with a little longer name or sentence, just like everywhere in the world. I have the impression that Filipinos are using abbreviations more than elsewhere in the world, but that’s just my opinion. O...
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musician's property

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 27, 2012, 1:57 am
Recently I was visiting a subdivision to see if there was a nice house to buy when I spotted a remarkable fence around an open lot. The metal structure on top of the wall was formed in musical script with many notes and musical symbols. The owner of the lot must love music a lot or be a musician I s...
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Chinese New Year 2012, year of the Dragon

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 22, 2012, 9:59 am
January 23, 2012 is Chinese New Year. Many countries with Chinese communities celebrate this festivity. One of the TV channels is broadcasting a live event from Querino Grandstand and takes whole evening with a countdown to midnight. The Philippines has a large Chinese Community, and several large s...
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Manila, Toughest Place to be a Bus Driver

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 19, 2012, 9:13 am
Did you read my post More fun in the Philippines ? This story is not part of that, but in a way it has to do with it. The following story I found on the Internet. By Patrick Camara Ropeta, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau, Posted at 02/26/2011 Toughest Place to be a… Bus Driver?, this part of a BBC seri...
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Best Husband in the World

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 18, 2012, 9:49 pm
It doesn’t happen every day that I am proud to tell you something about myself. But today I am happy to announce that I am nominated, together with a few million others, to be the next “Best Husband in the World“. Do not ask me how I know this, but a special friend of mine send me already a pi...
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heinakuh in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 18, 2012, 4:09 am
In my effort to understand the Filipino language and the Filipinos in particular, I still have lots of problems with the expression: hainakuh ! It is also written on other ways, but this is the most common way. There are many t-shirts available in shops with this expressive text, but no one can give...
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screw it in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 16, 2012, 11:26 pm
When I first saw the name of this store in the Philippines I started to laugh at the ingenuity of Filipinos to find a name for their business. I wrote already a few times about this name giving thing in the Philippines. Remember Mang Donald for newly opened fast food restaurant? See the Mang Donald ...
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cheveaux or cheveux or chevaux for a hair salon

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 16, 2012, 1:52 am
French is a difficult language, especially proper writing, even sometimes for native French people. When I was in high school, a loooooooong time ago, French was one of the foreign languages we had to learn. It became very handy when a few years later I moved to the French-speaking part of Belgium t...
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Expensive food for expats

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 14, 2012, 4:29 am
Being an Expat in the Philippines sometimes is difficult. Especially when you like to eat some food which normally only is available in your home country. And I like to cook from time to time my own Dutch food. Some specific Dutch dishes cannot be made in the Philippines because the right ingredient...
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It's more fun in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 13, 2012, 9:12 am
Recently the DOT (Department of Tourism) launched its new campaign to attract more tourists to the Philippines. Just like two years ago they have brainstormed about a suitable slogan. Two years ago they have copied the colorful logo from an earlier and similar campaign in Poland. Much was said about...
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noise pollution in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 10, 2012, 3:19 am
This post is about my observations about noise, sounds and music in the Philippines. Have you ever wondered why Filipinos in general speak in loud voices? And why they all speak at the same time? Have you ever attended a real Filipino party where many Filipinos are? Did you notice that TV and radio ...
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Happy New Year

Jan v. posted an article on - Jan 1, 2012, 7:14 am
Expat in the Philippines would like to wish all visitors
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magic lights Christmas parade in Cubao

Jan v. posted an article on - Dec 11, 2011, 2:49 am
Every year in the weeks before Christmas a parade is organised around the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon-City. Two years ago we happened to see this parade by accident because we were just visiting Cubao to do some shopping. See something about it HERE. Last year we didn’t have time but this year...
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Time-share at Club Astoria or time consuming sales talk

Jan v. posted an article on - Dec 10, 2011, 9:53 am
Last week, when we visited the Christmas World Food Exhibition in the World trade Center in Pasay, I was approached to fill in a small form to be able to win something in a raffle. That would be nice, we never win anything so … and it is for free …. While I was waiting for my better half I fille...
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MERI KRISMAS EBRIWAN

Jan v. posted an article on - Dec 4, 2011, 5:22 am
MERI KRISMAS EBRIWAN, That’s what I read on a shop window in Ali Mall in Cubao today. Of course this text was made this way intentionally because Filipinos know how to write Merry Christmas Everyone properly. I find it funny, that’s why I took a picture to show you this. Near by Ali Mall is also...
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hand job in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Oct 12, 2011, 11:00 am
You must be thinking: “what is jan writing about this time”. All my regular readers know I like to show funny pictures and remarkable things on these pages. My last post I showed you about the Alcutraz hair salon. This time it is a small sticker I spotted on the back of a car. When you look at i...
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hair salons also have funny names sometimes

Jan v. posted an article on - Oct 10, 2011, 10:49 am
Recently I spotted this hair salon in the Ortigas area. As you can see the owner used a well-known former prison name but made a small change in the name. Alcutraz looks like Alcatraz but is just a hair salon. Filipinos are known to imitate a lot; I wrote already several times about this and publish...
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emergency situation Bulacan and Pampanga

Jan v. posted an article on - Oct 8, 2011, 10:47 am
More than a week ago two typhoons hit the Philippines again and only a few days was in between them. First it wat Pedring followed by Quiel. The names are the Filipino names given to typhoons entering the Philippine Area of Responsability. Pedring’s international name is Nesat and hit september 27...
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What You Should Consider Before Becoming an Expat

Jan v. posted an article on - Oct 6, 2011, 11:47 am
More Britons than ever before are considering starting a new life abroad. But what are the key considerations people should make before taking their first steps to becoming an expat? There are many and leaving your home country to set yourself up in a foreign land is truly a huge life change. Britai...
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bank account in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Oct 6, 2011, 9:47 am
On several websites and forums I have read that it is difficult for foreigners to open a bank account in their name in the Philippines. Today I applied for one and there was no problem in getting one. I went to BDO near our house. I was asked to show two ID’s and I needed one passport picture. Aft...
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new server

Jan v. posted an article on - Oct 3, 2011, 3:00 am
Sometimes a website cannot be reached ! For sure you all have seen a similar message on your screen. Most of the time there are problems with that website: files could be corrupted the server where all files are stored is too busy Web.com.ph hosts already almost three years all the files of Expatint...
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ask expat in the philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Sep 22, 2011, 1:37 am
The new forum “ASK EXPAT in the PHILIPPINES” is available for everybody now. Just click on the ASK Forum button in the menu bar,or follow the link: ASK EXPAT in the PHILIPPINES forum Becoming a member is easy and after that you will be able to ask questions, give answers, share tips and more iss...
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Light from a bottle

Jan v. posted an article on - Sep 16, 2011, 7:22 am
How to change someone’s life with a plastic bottle is easy. Just check out the YouTube file below. Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light), is a sustainable lighting project which aims to bring the eco-friendly Solar Bottle Bulb to disprivileged communities nationwide. Designed and developed by s...
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New Forum on Expat in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Sep 12, 2011, 10:02 am
Very soon I will start a new FORUM as part of this website. In the comments on many posts, ... which will be called: ask expatinthephilippines I am still busy building this forum, testing and the like and after that I will move some posts from this website to the forum so we can start a discussion...
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website problems

Jan v. posted an article on - Sep 8, 2011, 11:30 pm
at the moment expatinthephilippines experiences major problems. I am trying to find out what causes this. For that reason you will not see my usual lay-out. Please bare with me……. =============== Update: Most of the problems were on the back-side (editorial part) of my website. Front side (the o...
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welcome to the -ber months, it's Christmas time again

Jan v. posted an article on - Sep 1, 2011, 1:34 am
Today is September 1. The first day of the months with -ber in the name. In the Philippines we call them the ber-months, which means that slowly houses and shops and malls shall be decorated with Christmas displays and lots of Christmas decorations, blinking lights and so on. When people meet they w...
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expat in the philippines computer problems

Jan v. posted an article on - Aug 24, 2011, 9:49 am
Recently I needed to buy a new computer because the old one didn’t work anymore. So I decided to buy new high-end materials and build myself a new one. All went OK until after a week. My new Hard disk of 1 Tb crashed and needs replacement under warranty. Recovering files from the old pc and buildi...
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fighting corruption in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Aug 5, 2011, 1:46 am
Fighting corruption in the Philippines has high priority. Only that way the situation for everybody will be better. (your mouse pointer over the ticker gives you more time to read these statements) Read about the following initiative, initiated by some business people in the Philippines: INTEGRITY I...
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thunderstorm in Manila

Jan v. posted an article on - Aug 2, 2011, 5:07 am
Yesterday evening and also whole night it has been raining. From time to time accompanied by thunder and lightnings. From time to time rain was realy strong and heavy. Unbelievable that so many water can fall on the earth in so little time and on the same place. I was not able to measure it but it m...
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free massage in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 30, 2011, 12:03 am
When I visited SM Marikina just a few days ago, again I spotted something worth telling you and showing you what I’ve seen. After shopping for a while I always need to go out for a few minutes to have a smoke. I know that this is a bad habit of mine, so no need to comment for that. When you are st...
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smoking ban Manila

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 29, 2011, 6:50 am
Now smoking on a lot of places in Manila
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bad weather in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 27, 2011, 8:38 am
Today, and also yesterday, a tropical depression is passing the Philippines, dropping lots of rain which are causing floods, unreachable areas and several casualties. The name of this storm is: “Juaning” (international codename Nock-Ten). It is the tenth ‘typhoon’ in the Philippine area of r...
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search for other house

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 23, 2011, 7:07 am
In our search for an other house we haven’t had success yet. But we are also not in a hurry. Many thanks to the readers of this blog who are helping and giving tips. Recently I spotted this nice tree house not for from our place. But definitely this is not the kind of house we are looking for. Alt...
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turn your engine off in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 17, 2011, 10:05 am
Yesterday I wrote about an advertizing sign with wrong spelling. Today I like to write about an advertisement I saw recently in a motel. Flor and I were attending a wedding in Manila and the reception was held in a hotel. This hotel is also known in Manila as a motel and has many guestCommentsJuly 1...
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signs in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 16, 2011, 6:27 am
Everywhere you are looking in the Philippines you see sign boards. Along the high ways they are the huge bill boards with commercials, in more common streets they are smaller and show shop names and the like. Lots of Filipinos have problems in spelling. They often just write what they hear or think ...
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buying property headaches

Jan v. posted an article on - Jul 10, 2011, 1:28 am
When Flor and I moved to the Philippines in 2008 we decided to rent for some time and see if and where we were going to buy a property to live. We decided to do it this way so we were not in a hurry and could make a better decision and choose a houseCommentsJuly 11, 2011, Vicmico writes: Jan, &...
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van damme and van dam

Jan v. posted an article on - Jun 22, 2011, 11:22 am
Living in the Philippines is funny for me from time to time. This also has to do with my family name which is ‘van Dam’. It happens every time when I have to fill in my name in forms or in shops and other places. And it also happened when I applied for my 13aCopyright
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Jose Rizal 1861-2011

Jan v. posted an article on - Jun 16, 2011, 11:51 am
June 19, 2011 is Fathers day in many countries in the world. Also in the Philippines. But the Filipinos also remember the 150th birthday of one of their greatest hero’s: Jose Rizal. JOSE RIZAL, the national hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was born on June 19, 1861, in the to...
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independence day, june 12, Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jun 11, 2011, 12:03 pm
Tomorrow, June 12 is independence day in the Philippines. A little history of the Philippines: The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated...
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rainy days in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - Jun 9, 2011, 1:06 am
This time of the year is rainy season in the Philippines. many low pressure systems are passing the country and some are even developing into Typhoons. When (sometimes heavy) rains start hitting the country in May and June everybody is bringing an umbrella to be protected for the rain. Stores are ma...
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expatinthephilippines suspended for a while

Jan v. posted an article on - Jun 1, 2011, 11:38 am
Today this website was suspended by my hosting company, due to very heavy load on their servers. Wondering why this was so Web.com.ph and I were looking for the cause. First we were thinking of a hacker or a virus….. They reported me that the file index.php was the trouble maker. They were plannin...
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smoking ban in Manila

Jan v. posted an article on - May 29, 2011, 7:40 am
Last year I published already a post about smoking in the Philippines and the possibilities to buy cigarettes everywhere, even in traffic jams and public places like markets, jeepney stops, bus stations and many more. A few days ago it became public that the MMDA will implement a non-smoking policy ...
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coca cola promotion in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - May 28, 2011, 11:17 am
When you are in the Philippines and you see this Coca Cola truck parked somewhere, it’s time to get into action. On the back of the truck is a large button saying: ‘push’. And when you press it, you will receive a bottle of Coca Cola or even other surprizes in the small compartment next toRel...
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what people are looking for on the internet

Jan v. posted an article on - May 26, 2011, 11:58 pm
One of the most used search terms on the internet is ‘sex’ or ‘girls’ or even ‘teen sex’ and lots of times in combination with ‘philippines’. In my statistics I can see that, check the pictures on this page. Last february I wrote a post about the sexual moral in the Philippines and I...
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luxury hotel in the Philippines

Jan v. posted an article on - May 26, 2011, 8:53 am
There are many hotels in the Philippines. Some have even 5 stars and are very luxurious. All these hotels are for tourists or business people visting the Philippines. Nothing wrong with that, but: Now we have a new best hotel in the Philippines and only very few can afford to pay the costs of stayin...
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