天美麻豆

Saint Lucia

Jun 2010 - Jan 2011

Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines

I spent almost a year living in Manila. I was sent there to help open a project management office.
IT project Manager
The people were friendly and the surrounding areas were picturesque. Some of the foods was amazing as well. I felt safe the whole time I was there.
Lot's of sex workers/sex trafficking targeting the tourists. As well, there is an abundance of diesel vehicles, so with the volume of traffic and people, smog made me feel nauseous for a few weeks, and is not something you ever get over.

Sept 2009 - Nov 2022

Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

I got married, my wife had 3 children, and we started a homestead
IT project manager.
The cost of living vs the pay potential was really good. I was able to make more in annual salary than my home costed when I first moved there. Things have changed since, but housing is still very reasonable in comparison to job opportunity. It is also very safe. With the two combined, it is a very good place for raising children.
It is very much "keeping up with the Jones's". People are less living in the moment and more competing against each other than other areas I lived. Also, we experienced systemic racism there. It was not "I hate your race" but instead comments like "Oh, your business will do well with your race because you are that race", and other comments similar where people actually didn't know they were being racist.

Jan 1986 - May 2008

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

I grew up in the Fraser Valley, near Vancouver Canada. I spent my childhood there, before going to NY for college. I returned after one year and spend more time living in Vancouver before moving down to Arizona
Hospitality mainly.
This was, by far, my favorite place to live. The people are amazing, there is a great mix of cultures breeding individuality and tolerance. On top of that, the geography is outstanding. It is one of the only places in the world where you could go skiiing then head down and windsurf or suntan on a beach in the same day.
The main reason for leaving is that the cost of living is too much. With average home prices around $2M and no economy to support wages needed to sustain that price of living, it is very difficult to live comfortably.