Job Opportunity Overseas

[Cyclones]

I've been offered a job overseas in Cebu, Philippines.

 

Pros - highly visible position in a publicly traded company

- with paid expenses and tax equalization factored in, it is nearly triple my current salary

- ~$50k worth of actual stock (released after completing 2 year commintment)

- would look great on resume

 

Cons - far from home and family

- we have a 5 year old son....safety, schools, medical care are a concern

- its the Philippines

- State Dept currently has a travel advisory in effect for Philippines

- 2 year commitment to get stock, what if we hate it?

 

 

So long as there is reciprocal satisfaction with the job, I could stay longer than two years. We are leaning towards giving it a shot. I will say that I am very employable, so I suppose if we do hate it, I can come back and just get another job. Anyone have real experience with this? Cebu seems like a decent town, beaches, etc. They would put us up in a great house in a gated community.

 

Advice?

[darin3]

If I had the opportunity to do something like this, I'd do it. I don't have kids, which could certainly change things, though. But triple what you're making here? Jeez, go there for 2 years, get your stock options, save a crapload of money, and move back to the states. Your son will be 7 and ready for the important school years.

[Gonkis]

If I had the opportunity to do something like this, I'd do it. I don't have kids, which could certainly change things, though. But triple what you're making here? Jeez, go there for 2 years, get your stock options, save a crapload of money, and move back to the states. Your son will be 7 and ready for the important school years.

 

 

+1 and I have 4 kids.

[Fatman]

If I had the opportunity to do something like this, I'd do it. I don't have kids, which could certainly change things, though. But triple what you're making here? Jeez, go there for 2 years, get your stock options, save a crapload of money, and move back to the states. Your son will be 7 and ready for the important school years.

 

 

Probably would be an amazing developmental experience for your son, as well.

[skylive5]

Life is too short... stay away from the PI.

 

That is the only advice I have.

[polksalet]

What kind of work do you do? I might be able to hook you up with god paying job "stateside".

[Codwagon]

What kind of work do you do? I might be able to hook you up with god paying job "stateside".

 

 

 

liar. nobody makes as much money as god.

[Cyclones]

What kind of work do you do? I might be able to hook you up with god paying job "stateside".

 

 

Operations VP for an outsourcing company, I am also six sigma master black belt certified.

[The Holy Roller]

Life is too short... stay away from the PI.

 

That is the only advice I have.

 

 

Wisdom speaking here. Money isn't worth being on the evening news. Unless, of course, you're a Muslim.

[Chief Dick]

There is more to life than money.

 

If there is ANY safety concerns, then DO NOT GO.

 

Not worth any amount of money to compromise the safety of you and your family.

[darin3]

There is more to life than money.

 

If there is ANY safety concerns, then DO NOT GO.

 

Not worth any amount of money to compromise the safety of you and your family.

 

I don't think anyone would disagree with those statements...

 

But if it is going to be a safe environment, why not go there, make a great deal of money so he and his family could move back to the states with a ton in reserves?

[skylive5]

I don't think anyone would disagree with those statements...

 

But if it is going to be a safe environment, why not go there, make a great deal of money so he and his family could move back to the states with a ton in reserves?

 

 

 

The PI is not a safe environment. Never has been...never will be.

 

Think about why they are offering what they are.

[skylive5]

I will say that I am very employable, so I suppose if we do hate it, I can come back and just get another job.

 

They gonna pay your way back if you don't fulfull the 2 year contract? Kinda doubt it. You would probably need around 12K to get your stuff back to the states. Then there is the fact that maybe 1/2 of the stuff would make it back. So there goes all the profit.

 

You and the wife really need to think about this very long and hard.

[Bill Swerski]

Think about why they are offering what they are.

 

Good point. Shortly after 9/11, I got an e-mail from some oil company that was hiring for positions in Saudi Arabia. I managed to sneak in a good chuckle before hitting the "delete" button.

[Cyclones]

The house would be furnished, we would only take clothes with us.

[darin3]

The PI is not a safe environment. Never has been...never will be.

 

Think about why they are offering what they are.

 

Good point. Something to certainly consider. I would make sure to assess this situation 100% before even considering it.

[H8tank]

Did you know muslims are actively slaughtering people there now?

 

I bet they would love to have a fat, juicy american.

[H8tank]

1.1 million... http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi...es+kill&spell=1

[Riffraff]

Pros:

 

Life experience - not many people venture past their local community/county/state. The experience could be priceless.

 

2 years - is not a long time at all.

 

Pay - could set you up for a long time if saved/used wisely.

 

Location - probably a very pretty looking locale. Can you take humid weather?

 

 

Cons:

 

Safety - scour the internet and other resources on the locality. 2 years is not a long time, but all it takes is one bad day. Not that America is all that safe either.

 

It's not America - less luxuries, but many places outside America are run about the same way as America is. If your company is there, it's probably not completely 3rd worldly.

 

Language barrier - could make some things difficult, but could also entice someone in your family to be bilingual. Brings your family and co-workers together.

 

Diseases - mostly of the sexual type. a well off American in a strange land with exotic women.. recipe for marital disaster. You don't even have to be decent looking...

[untateve]

I don't much about the phillipines. However, if by moving, I increase the possibility that my son dies, I don't go.

[paxacha]

i've been to cebu. my dad comes from the neighboring island. i haven't been there in a few years, but i can tell you what my experience was like.

 

first, the muslims. for some reason, we traveled to the southern island of zamboanga, and when we got out of the airport, there were cops with m16s hanging around. creepy. however, this island, and all the muslims, are several hundred miles away from you. the links that h8tank posted all describe a situation 250 miles to the south. you have to take a plane and a ferry to get there. i honestly would not have any reservations about traveling to the philippines right now.

 

except for deep, deep south islands, everywhere else in the philippines is as catholic as can be. if you've ever been in a filipino household, they all have the same picture of the last supper in their dining room. they're very friendly and good natured. something about living on a pacific island will do that, i guess.

 

americans get treated like celebrities over there. even if you're filipino, if you were born here, everyone will admire you for no reason. when you move there, all your neighbors will probably show up at your house with food. and of course, everyone over the age of ten speaks english.

 

regarding schools, look into private schools before you go. they're not as expensive as private schools here. i don't know much about medical concerns though... although half our hospitals are staffed by filipinos, so how bad can it be...

 

i think you should consider it.

[Ursa Majoris]

i've been to cebu. my dad comes from the neighboring island. i haven't been there in a few years, but i can tell you what my experience was like.

 

first, the muslims. for some reason, we traveled to the southern island of zamboanga, and when we got out of the airport, there were cops with m16s hanging around. creepy. however, this island, and all the muslims, are several hundred miles away from you. the links that h8tank posted all describe a situation 250 miles to the south. you have to take a plane and a ferry to get there. i honestly would not have any reservations about traveling to the philippines right now.

 

except for deep, deep south islands, everywhere else in the philippines is as catholic as can be. if you've ever been in a filipino household, they all have the same picture of the last supper in their dining room. they're very friendly and good natured. something about living on a pacific island will do that, i guess.

 

americans get treated like celebrities over there. even if you're filipino, if you were born here, everyone will admire you for no reason. when you move there, all your neighbors will probably show up at your house with food. and of course, everyone over the age of ten speaks english.

 

regarding schools, look into private schools before you go. they're not as expensive as private schools here. i don't know much about medical concerns though... although half our hospitals are staffed by filipinos, so how bad can it be...

 

i think you should consider it.

 

Looks like the best advice so far.

[Big Dogs]

So, let me preface this answer by saying I've never done an ex-pat assignment before, but I did have the opportunity once about 5 years back to go to Hong Kong. While I did pass it up at the time, I'm not so sure I would make the same decision this time. And now I have kids.

 

I know about 12 - 13 people that I work with that have done ex-pat assignments somewhere in Asia and all of them got a lot of enjoyment out of the entire experience. Most of these co-workers did have children, but a few did not.

 

While there is a safety concern, you and your family are also usually well taken care of. Usually all expenses are paid and most people get servants in their home to cook and clean. For the kids, they usually attend an international school and get to learn about cultures from all over the world, so it gives them a ton of knowledge and experience they'll take with them their entire lives. (at least that is the feedback I've gotten from the families I've known who've had kids on ex-pat assignments.)

 

The money is nice because you also don't really pay taxes on that income either, but there are other small expenses. It's a tough decision either way, but make sure you and your wife are 100% comfortable with the decision, and don't let just money make that call.

 

Good luck with the decision.

[wiegie]

I'd probably do it--I would just check with the company to make sure that if the threat of terrorism significantly changed in the area where you are living that they would not penalize you too severely if you went back to the US.

 

Here is the State Department's Current Travel Warning for the Philippines (it seems that most of the terrorist danger is on other islands (as has been noted already above)):

This information is current as of today, Fri May 25 20:12:27 2007.

 

PHILIPPINES

April 27, 2007

 

This Travel Warning updates information on the security situation and reminds Americans of the risks of travel in the Philippines. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for the Philippines issued June 16, 2006.

 

U.S. citizens contemplating travel to the Philippines should carefully consider the risks to their safety and security while there, including those due to terrorism. While travelers may encounter such threats anywhere in the Philippines, the southern island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago are of particular concern. Travelers should exercise extreme caution in both central and western Mindanao as well as in the Sulu Archipelago.

 

Kidnap for ransom gangs operate in the Philippines. In January 2007, one such gang abducted two U.S. citizen children outside their home in Tagum City, Davao Del Norte, in Mindanao. The New People’s Army (NPA), another terrorist organization, operates in many rural areas of the Philippines, including in the northern island of Luzon. While it has not targeted westerners in several years, the NPA could threaten U.S. citizens engaged in business or property management activities, and it often demands “revolutionary taxes.”

 

Terrorist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Jema’ah Islamiyah, and groups that have broken away from the more mainstream Moro Islamic Liberation Front or Moro National Liberation Front have carried out bombings resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. Recent incidents have occurred in urbanized areas in Mindanao. On January 10, 2007, separate bombings in the cities of Kidapawan, Cotabato and General Santos killed seven people and injured 41. While these incidents do not appear to have targeted Westerners or Western interests, travelers should remain vigilant and avoid congregating in public areas.

 

Many people who reside in or visit areas that face terrorist threats, such as in Mindanao, travel with their own security force, avoid an obvious presence, or both. In some areas of the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, visitors should avoid travel at night outside metropolitan areas. U.S. Government employees must seek special permission for travel to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. When traveling in Mindanao, U.S. official travelers attempt to lower their profile, limit their length of stay, and exercise extreme caution.

 

The Department strongly encourages Americans in the Philippines to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Manila through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. The U.S. Embassy is located at: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines, tel. 63-2-528-6300. The Consular American Citizen Services (ACS) section's fax number is 63-2-522-3242 and the ACS web page is at http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/rp1/wwwhmain.html.

 

Americans can obtain information on travel and security in the Philippines from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States; or 202-501-4444 abroad.

 

For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for the Philippines and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, located at http://travel.state.gov/ to obtain updated information on travel and security within the Philippines.

[yo mama]

One of my clients recently located to Dinan, Laguna, Philippines (where ever the hell that is). He likes it. The more visable poverty depresses him somewhat, as there is a greater divided between rich and poor.