This page is to give you an idea of how J.J. and I live, a simple but happy life together. We don't have air-con, nor do we have many other luxuries here. However, we have each other. For us, this is the most important thing. In time, things will get better for us anyway, I am quite sure of this. Anyway, this is it ... our humble abode. (Don't get me wrong. I'm not crying that I'm now living a more simple life than I ever did before. Even with our previous incoplhey, pls me of about Php 66,000/month ($1200 USD), J.J. and I lived fairly simply then, in a small apartment in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.) What I'm trying to show you, is that you can live as simple of a life as you want, or as high class of a life as you want, but it all depends on you (and the amount of your available income of course). So, are you willing to live on less money, and possibly a more simple lifestyle? Do you have the funds to support a higher class of life here? If you answered no to those questions, then keep hammering at the ol' coal mine until you have enough to retire and live on, hopefully to see that retirement.

We rent this room by the month for Php 1,500 (~$27.00 USD), which is a discount from the normal rate of Php 3,000 per month. Please don't laugh, as there are many people here who can't afford that much to rent a room. In fact, this setup was actually intended for not one, not two, but four student boarders, in each room. Each of them pay one-forth the rent due each month. These rooms are rented as "bed spacer" rooms, with each of the four tenants having a bed space, one of the four cubicle closet areas, and a bit of space to hang some clothes.

Even I don't think I could live in a room this size with 3 other people. I mean, as much as I want to understand, learn, and live like Filipinos do, this ol' southern boy has to draw the line somewhere ... okay, maybe not. (We haven't run out of cash yet, and I'm not so sure what I would consider acceptable if we were at that point, God forbid.)

Anyway, while Php 1,500 isn't much money for most people (especially to most foreigners), it is a great deal of money for us. Our room isn't much, but it's comfortable, clean, and warm. In fact, J.J. has made it our home. It's simple, offers a single electric receptacle, one light, four airy windows, two electric fans (one for the computer) and the small closet. Of course, if we ever get our income back, we would certainly make some improvements to it. Yes, we believe we will continue to live here, even if we get our income back, for a while anyway. We would see if we could rent two adjacent rooms, using one as an air conditioned office/living area, the other as our fan-cooled bedroom.

Since we have been together, J.J. and I have not lived any place, so far anyway, which had air-con. This, in my opinion, has been a blessing to me. You see, with the temperatures here in the Philippines being what they are, walking into the hot summer (it feels like summer year-round here) heat can almost make you pass out, especially if you aren't used to it. In fact, it's odd. Now, if I walk into a restaurant or other building with air-con set low (very cool), it will just about cause me to pass out. So, after living here for more than one year, I have acclimated myself to the client, as much as I am going to anyway. So, if we ever can afford air-con, I'm not so sure we would buy one anyway, as long as we can keep the computer running cool enough during the day.

To give you an idea of the size of our room, it's 4.1 meters long, by 2.6 meters wide, or about 10.66² meters. Or, for those of you who are metrically-challenged, that would be 8.5' x 13.75' (ft), or about 116.8² feet.

Now , here is the view of our humble abode from outside, a true Filipino-style home (as you can tell by the slippers in front of the doorway). This little place is actually a single building separated into 3 rooms. J.J. and I reside in the middle room of this building. There is one more room on the opposite side of the carport, adjacent to the landlord's house. So, they have four rooms available for rent, typically housing up to four tenants in each room. Presently, there are about 12 of us (tenants only) living here. Then, we have the landlord's family, as well as Tom and his family living in the main house in the compound. So, I estimate well over 20 people live inside this compound, currently.

Fortunately for us though, that means someone is here almost constantly, especially since there are two homes (in addition to the four rooms-for-rent) that are in this same compound. Both homes have full-time maids who are here, as well as other members of each household. So, security isn't too bad here. Of course, there is also a locked gate for us to enter through, upon returning home from a typical day out. the only thing that could make it better, would be a twin .50 caliber on the roof.

Now, here is where we make out. We may have only one bedroom ... errrr .. one room, but we have three, count them, three CR's (comfort rooms). The three sheet metal doors you see in the picture to your right, lead into three separate bathrooms, all of which have terrific water pressure, and constantly I may add.

You can also see some of J.J.'s wash soaking for a while in the sunshine. I had heard horror stories of how Filipinas washed clothes by hand and burned up whites by using too much Clorox. (They pour the Clorox directly on the whites, from what I understand.) However, J.J. doesn't, so that may just be talk, as I have yet to see that. She does quite well with our wash, actually. I'm not complaining of course, as I'm still trying to figure out that 'ironing the underwear' routine.

Okay, here is the last house picture. This is the entrance to the compound where we live. We enter through the green gate you see (just right of center) in the picture. Although I didn't take a full panoramic view of our compound, you can take my word for it that we have a complete wall around us, and with some extras for any 'would-be' intruders. One of our security measures is shown below, our neighbor, a super attack monkey. More about her in a minute.

Anyway, to sum up things here, I can say this. We live in a quiet compound, on a quiet street, in a quiet neighborhood, in quiet are of Cebu City, simply. As I have said before, I know many people couldn't, or wouldn't live like we do. But, J.J. and I have things more important than material possessions in our life together. We have each other. Unfortunately, we see too many couples here who are together but are not truly happy. I really wish I could see more like us. No, I'm not bragging here. Wait, okay, maybe I am bragging a bit. I just know I have a woman who is with me for me (it sure isn't for my money), and for no other reason. She loves me, and I love her. She's my best friend, my lover, and my confidant.

Okay, last but not least, this is our little neighbor, Ralph. She is also our guard monkey. Ralph is owned by Tom and Flori Nowelsky who reside here as well. Anyway, Ralph will scream her (yes, her) head off if something isn't right outside. Believe me, it is as though she has a 150 decibel (or higher) voice! Anyway, Ralph is really cool, although most visitors who come to visit tend to be a bit scared of her. Of course she does look somewhat intimidating, weighing in at at least a kilo. Not to mention those gargantuan 1/16" teeth of hers! Hehehe.

Anyway, Ralph is an odd monkey, if I may say. She doesn't like bananas. However, he loves papaya, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, water melon, plain bread, and various other snacks. Oh, she has to smell everything prior to eating it. I do like spending time with the little girl.

Photo Credits: All photos - Paul and J.J. Petrea

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