Haiti and D.R. are two different countries. Haiti has some of the worst poverty in the region after decades of corruption and coups. Haiti is no paradise and gets no tourist influxes like D.R. does...
No, that's definitely not a common occurence. I've never seen a civilian with a gun in public. I will say this, the rich and the powerful can get away with a lot of things so if it's an upscale club and the chick happens to be the daughter of who's who, I wouldn't be surprised she got away with it. The one difference between the states and the PH is that when you get into a bar fight in the states, you know it's physical and no guns involved unless you're in the ghetto. In the PH, if you're in an upscale bar, be careful if you get into a fight. Though you can clearly beat the crap out of the other guy, you'll never know if he's got a gun or something.
Re the Manilla. My daughters friend lives in Australia because her Mother left M after her husband was shot --- in a nice street as he walked down the road. Its Asia with US American gun controls and a bit of extra excitability (the Spanish heritage?).
It'd be a lot safer if we even had American-type gun control. As long as you set your expectations low, and know where to go and who not to step on, it's a liveable country. You take the good with the bad. I'm gonna stay here until early next year then I'm moving back to Chicago. I miss living in an industrialized country but I trade so much better here without the pressure of a high cost of living like in the states. I've decided trading for a living is not for me. While profitable, I made way more having a full time job and trading part time. I can't do this forever, the stress level of trying to make $50-$75k a year is too much for me to handle. One more thing, I think I'd like to own a condo here and maybe come here during winter eventually if i can do that.
That's very interesting, you just up and decided to move there from Chicago on your own? I'd like to hear about your social experiences there from your perspective (I assume you're a single American male).
Have you considered any other country? What brought you to the PI to begin with? I've been to roughly 20 foreign countries, and can honestly say I lived in each of them for at least 30 days to several years. The PI, while beautiful and full of interesting things and terrific people, would be at the bottom of my list for a place to live long term. A friend of mine who has lived there long term and is married to a woman from there told me in a very casual way that he could have me killed for 500 USD. The arrangements would take no more than a few minutes. I don't know about you but just a casual glance on ET reveals the heart and nature of man. Do you want to live in a place that makes it very easy for someone to act on the idle random thought that enters their mind? For me, if I were to choose a complete third world country, it would be Thailand. The benefit of Thailand is they have first class medical care at rock bottom prices. Of all the places I've been though, you have to sacrifice some third world prices for first world comfort. My top countries would be Panama, Chile, Spain, Switzerland, or New Zealand. Switzerland doesn't belong on a cheap list but it does belong on a best place to live list.
I don't know Philippine and i don't regard them as truly asian cultured. Anyhow making $75k a year in thailand, you can lead a royal life. With that income, why would anyone need to go back to so called First world countries, which to me are not even 4th world countries.
Interesting that you should have Panama at the front of your list. What especially do you favor about the place. I am interested in your thoughts.