Every rose has its thorn and every paradise has its snake.

My hope is the western mindset does not corrupt the Philippines. Due to the Military presence. The Philippines has become westernized. My prayers are the mindset of faith, family, food and blessings never leave the Filipino people, and not replaced with possessions, greed, entitlement and self-aggrandizing.

Our new slogan is: Come to Mindanao, we won't punch anyone 😁

I just ran across your channel as I was surfing around. You do a good job. I’m an older guy living in Cambodia. I have a great life with a Cambodian wife and two adult daughters. I find that the less time I spend on Facebook or KZfaq or around other expats, the better. I’m working on breaking the social media habit. Most of it is just distracting nonsence.

Steve,I hope you never step down from your info channel you have been such a blessing to us all especially the newbies God bless all that you do my friend.😮

I'm glad you addressed this. The Vloggers have made the Philippines look like the Nut Ward for Expats. It's a really bad optic and affects all of us as locals watch these clowns too.

Such sad news that you taking a back step from making your videos!!! You are my go to "chill guy" to listen to. I love your voice, outlook, and subjects you talk about. You "leaving" your channel imo is akin to a favourite work colleague leaving their job - they leave a hole in the workplace and its just not the same!!! Of course, I will listen to your friend, but he has massive shoes to fill. Going to miss seeing you on your chair! Take care

100% agree. I unsubscribe to those guys immediately. I have made my own fantasy here. Mostly by just not having expats as acquaintances.

I had enough of the PI, I can't take the dangerous drivers, the smo9ke from burning garbage, the noise. The dogs constant barking karaoke, being charged the skin tax, and always being asked to borrow money. after 8 yrs I had enough. plus it isn't cheap here anymore.

Are you referring to the guys back in the states who were yelling at everyone to get off my lawn...yup, they are here too.

I'm thinking about China. They are falling apart economically. Rents are crashing so you can get an excellent apartment for just paying the utilities. Cars are being sold by all those newly unemployed to the point you can get anything you want for free, practically. Food and consumer goods' prices are crashing. So many unemployed men and chicks that your Social Security will let you live like a king with many girlfriends. The cities are so well built out that they are like Western cities with great roads and hospitals. Doctors are well-trained and starving for patients that can pay.

Was it ever really a paradise. My uncle was there for several years during the Vietnam War and he said the conditions were bad then.

Hate to hear you are going to leave. I have grown to trust you and take stock in everything you share. I do understand that the drama is just not worth it. Glad to hear you will still be out there helping others. You do a great job. That is why I have really be considering your area if I move there. Can’t express enough how much I have enjoyed all you shared. I wish you nothing but the best in everything you do there. Take care and good luck to you!

I had an expat borrow my dress shoes for a wedding last week. :-) My groups are foreigners (American, Japanese, India, Chinese, Vietnamese, Finland, etc.), kids 1-7 years old, most are in the same English-first school... We are pretty dull with kid issue.

Great video Steve !! Thanks of all your quality content !

Selfishness and jealousy are some the worst human traits that lead to more negativity and pain for all.

The good guys always win, Steve! You have done marvellously vlogging all about the life in the Philippines which deemed interesting and informative!🎉

"The Plane!! The Plane".. fantasy Island 1977 through 1984 on network TV in the USA.. for a single man over 50 with a decent retirement check the Philippines are 7,000 fantasy islands.. where else in the world can a 50-year-old man go and talk to a beautiful 25-year-old girl and she will actually be interested? Nowhere else i know about.. The Plane!! The Plane!! Do not miss the plane and enjoy your and Fantasies in the 7000 Island Philippine paradise..👙😁🏝️🏖️🕺💃🥂🎸🍺🍻🤗😎👍

You cannot say "in the Philippines"! There are so many areas that ARE NOT infiltrated with expats. I live in a place there are not many expats - on purpose.

Also have learned being kind and sharing my blessings can be taken advantaged of then people being resentful when you get tired of them thinking you owe then. I do have a group of wonderful kids here that I help with school and I have them clean the barangay road for a few pesos a day. Yes it can be challenging but I love it here

Another option would be just to stop looking at social media…. Just go about your day…. And find something positive to focus on …. Remember life before the internet?? Thanks for being the. Voice of reason Steve….

I’m so happy we don’t have that drama in Palawan… we have good people and friends here… No Drama.

To thine own self be true. My favorite saying is: "That's a you thing, not a me thing," when someone implies that I am somehow responsible for their BS. I also say "cry harder" to online bullies.

This is why I stayed in LAPU lapu and did not go back to Dumaguete

Just got back from a few months in Bangkok, and enjoying your content. Planning a trip to Philippines for later this year, if all goes well. New sub here to your channel. Greetings from Arizona! 👍

Thankyou. I get real information here. ✌️🙏

Steve, I would really hate to see less of you. You are one of my favorites.This is deal though.......ALL well known professional television personalities have trolls, and crazy people. It's just part of the business. And yes it's depressing to see fellow Americans acting like asses there. I think we need to have faith that people can read through the b.s. , and Filippino authorities know how to handle bad visitors. Keep on truckin!

If we all were not following social media, would we even have an issue?........anywhere in the world??

New Subscriber. Watching from North Carolina. Still considering a visit to the Phils

I have opted against starting a KZfaq channel because I know I could not handle the hate that would come my way. I tend to avoid expats because often I can feel they brought their issues from the US here with them.

I'm ALWAYS looking forward to Steve's drama and bullshit-free videos. As a matter of fact, I save this video to watch it today so I can focus and enjoy it.

Steve, thanks for sharing the honesty and truth about what you see, those kind of people creates a bad stigma to “most” expats, we just have to keep our inner circle smaller especially aa we get a little more mature! Thank you for sharing! Have a great day “bubblehead” 🙏

Whew! Thought it's for good. Glad youre keeping the channel, Sir. Take care akways. God bless you, Sir Steve.

I’ve been here for two months and had almost zero drama . Lovely and peaceful here with lovely friendly expats . Dumaguete was a bit hectic for me and Valencia was devine . I’ve been on Siquijor Island for a week and it to is devine . I asked some expats and told who to avoid which I’ve followed . I like your content and am a subscriber. Cheers Thom

I've seen this in other countries before. The problem is too many of one type in one place. Same for Chinese in Shanookville or Germans in Havana. Usually, it's one or two instigators, and I tried to indicate the one I saw long before the blow-up.

I've heard that there is an expat meet up in Evia lifestyle center. Do you possibly have any information about this?

Agreed, Dramaguette is sad. Gives us expats a bad name.

Thanks for the update and info. Don’t understand just live life enjoy the culture and food!

Don't let the idiots get to you. You do a great job. 👍 I've never met you, but have learned alot from you. You can tell pretty quick who you can trust... even watching on KZfaq.

Hello and goodbye to 97% of expats. No thank you. I get to go and have a nice day. ✌

I really enjoy your channel, so please don’t give up. You are making a difference in people’s lives. Thank you

When you have a lot of older white guys all in one close knit area more than likely that is what you will get. Always a few bad apples ruining it for everyone else. I will stay away from Dramagette and also any EXPAT area. Thanks for what you do for your subscribers and always enjoy your videos.

Used to be the best expat life advice in the Philippines was to stay away from expats, now we can add stay away from Dumaguete too.

Baguio City is still awesome

Well I believed if a person make the decision to retired away from they country , if to have mental peace not drama.

to quote Shakespeare "life is full of sound and fury signifying nothing"

Sounds to me like too many people bringing their Western BS attitude and ways to the Philippines. I have no intention of living near other expats, or doing anything with vloggers. I'm going there for a drama free and relaxing retirement. This is one of my favorite channels, so I hope you keep going.

true words brother!!! keep it rollin

It’s embarrassing to me now. I wish these people would get kicked off. It makes us look bad! I will just leave it there… 😂

Great points Steven! This is my biggest concern about living as an expat in the PI. Quite a few expats have come to the PI with issues. To be honest, if you were stressed in the USA, the Philippines could help you destress. Leaving the stress behind is one of the biggest benefits I've heard from expats. But...yes, there's a but in there...Quite a few expats come with a whole host of other issues. Some of those issues require constant medication and while mental health isn't a joke, it's not your job as a retiree to be forced to deal with someone else's issues. If you aren't a mental health professional, you normally aren't prepared to deal with someone who is off his/her meds. As an example, I had someone fixated on me when I was younger who was diagnosed as bi-polar. Now that in of itself isn't a bad issue as long as you stay on your meds. Well this person screwed up their meds and eventually stopped taking them. Well, that fixation turned really bad, where the police were later involved and they got him to a facility where they could get him back on his medications with the help from his family. Imagine having some break like that in the PI where you don't have that support network. It's a recipe for disaster. Now your video deals with other personality types like the classic narcissist. Well, it's a sad situation to be forced to deal with all of those personality types. I guess, the best defense is a strong expat community in your specific location. As they say, there's strength in numbers and a good community can protect the good expats (and filipinos). Keep up the great helpful videos!

yes it's going to happen expats bring their politics and views attitudes to the Philippines spreading this to Philippine people and then you have Philippine people have the same attitude. my 13 years in and out of the Philippines is the warm weather ocean view and the relaxation.

I stay away from the drama on KZfaq. These vloggers that start a channel for the sole purpose of attacking other vloggers, are toxic & disturbed individuals.

Sounds dangerous to me. These trolls could get zapped out there.

Moving to the Philippines in September with my Filipina wife of 23 years. Our question is about virtual mail, do you use virtual mail to get your mail from the states and if so, what service do you use? We want to be able to have a stateside address for our mail and be able to have credit/debit cards mailed to us from the states once we live there. Amy advice would be great. Thanks so much…

That's so selfish to others, to me That's evil, hate to hear this is happening.

Dumaguette or Dramaguette is ridiculous.

I enyoy you videos when I get to watch them.

I actually made a huge mistake interviewing on KZfaq in 2021 with the person in the spotlight. It turned out to be a disaster and I got charaded by negative comments. I avoid him and most others since and while I was there in the Philippines for a month last July

They're all fighting for those clicks&views, but have nothing original to offer to set them apart from any other vlogger so they have to resort to drama to get them. At some point in time they may graduate from high school and leave the childish drama behind and actually grow up. Maybe set up a ring in the center of town and let them all have a Royal Rumble and provide some real entertainment for everyone. You could charge admission and split the proceeds among their wives so they can get therapy.

You’re absolutely right. Too much garbage on a few of those channels. Drama queens making videos at the expense of others

Saddened to hear this Steve, but understand how and why you feel the way you do.

There's more than a thousand islands in the Philippines, each a paradise on its own. We're retiring there this June and will be living in a small town, 5 minutes walk to the beach and 10-15 minute drive to the mountains. We get our water from a mountain spring and will be living a simple, quiet life. There's a handful of expats but they too are busy living their quiet, simple life. It's all about perspective and lifestyle when you live there.

That’s why I am not opening a KZfaq channel , too much drama , ignorance and envy. I don’t have patience for that. KZfaq can be a war between bloggers, and someones loves that.

dont get discouraged. dont let the negative people knock you off your stride. your vlogs are very good. most of us appreciate your work and benefit from it. if we cave in to the negative people, we are letting them win

In the US it has been said that a person's true personality comes out in his driving habits, good or bad. This is also true as to expats living or visiting the Philippines in their behavior and how they treat the locals and other expats. Their bad, toxic behavior intensifies in the new environment they find themselves.

Like alot of your advice

The Philippines is a great place if you stay far away from expats. Accept and enjoy this beautiful country and friendly people. Remember you are a guest here act accordingly believe me everyone already knows the issues things operate differently here, relax and go with the flow.

You have a good channel don'ts stop

I honestly just wanna stay clear of as many expats in general as possible. It's one reason I wanna move to the Philippines. It just seems most Filipino's are kind and most expats are trouble of some sort. Life's too short to deal with that. The Lord's coming back eventually and life is a vapor. I try to encourage people and keep moving forward and not hang around with them. You become the people you hang around with. Either you're winning them or they're winning you. The Lord said, come out from among them, be ye separate from the world, touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. Jesus said His Kingdom is not of this world. I'm in the world but not of the world. Because of God's mercy and grace and I have to have the same mercy and grace and do wisely with what God's given me and the knowledge He's given me.

I don't live in Dumaguete and the only expat community I am in touch with is yours in Cavite, which is about an hour drive from where we live. There are some expats where I live, not many, but I rarely spend time with them because I teach from home all day and spend my free time with my family.

I hate to see you give up this channel. You have useful information on this channel as opposed to the jealousy, gossip, and fiction that characterizes the Dumaguette vloggers.

Hi, just subscribed but have been watching for awhile. I just have an expat question. I’m retired, moved to Eastern Europe, with the current world situation I’m considering the Philippines, can you do a video on what are the expat concerns with Philippines and conflict with China. Thanks

Sadly, social media can be a godsend as well as evil. I have learned so much from the internet, but I also have learned to filter what it is I watch. There is so much bad information out there. Don't believe everything you see or read on the internet. I thoroughly enjoy your channel. Please keep posting your content!

If a person is not happy in the US, he will most likely not be happy in the Philly willy either.

I have watch your channel for a long time. I have often refered people to your channel when I thought you had better knowlledge than I could give them. Anybody that would criticise you are just unhappy with their lives and want to put down those who live a great life here in the PI. Keep doing what you have been doing.

Hi Steve, I enjoy your channel and laid-back attitude. You’ll be missed. You do realize you can block the trolls, right? I started a KZfaq channel. I have a whole 11 subscribers, but I didn't do it for fame or fortune. I'm doing it to keep family and friends updated on my adventures, and I'm waiting for the trolls to settle in. I don't need or want the drama, and I'll block them in a second. I would love to come to the Philippines to live the tropical lifestyle, and the English-speaking natives would make it easier. The major obstacle is my lovely wife, she's a family girl, and being so far away from family would be difficult for me as well. Good luck with your choices, you will be missed if you leave. Maybe someday I'll get to come to the Philippines and meet you and check it out for myself.

The reason for these issues is most likely due to Narcissistic Personality Disorders. Any amount of attention is better than none at all in order to feed their narcissistic appetite. Thanks for addressing it in a mature manner..

Ur right Steve. There will always be smelly trash in the world but it's up to us if we will get away from the stink and trash or to be around it, and even entertain it. It should be called out for what it is. Then we need to choose if we want to be a negative or a positive person! 😇🧑‍🎓👩‍🎓😇

Very good topic. As you might remember (most likely not😂) I worked and lived in the Philippines several years. I am married to a filipina 22 years. I can see the changes of the country - not only the changes/developements through out the years, which is normal) but also the bad changes caused by toxic expats. I can see, most toxic are from the US (maybe because they are the majority if the expats in the Philippines). We all should remember, that only one person out of one hundred can ruin the reputation of a whole country. It is sad, but it is the reallity.

Ground Zero is having a special , large coffee and a free black eye to go

Some Expats even cause traffic accidents then avoid responsibility. Imagine that!

That's why i keep away from other foreigner's i wouldn’t go near a place like Dumaguete i have seen a few videos were foreigner's are even fighting on the street not a good example to show, I think the drama has gotten worse over the years maybe because of social media there's so many channels now about the Philippines, When you have a large group of people getting together it's inevitable not everyone is going to get on, Personalities will clash its human nature, Its the same in any country i think the reason why there's so much of it between foreigner's in the Philippines most of the guy's will be retired living of social security and have so much time on their hands many maybe won't have a hobby, Back in the west most people will be busy with work. Sorry to hear about you thinking about stepping back from KZfaq you have a good channel Steve maybe you just need a long break from KZfaq.

Sick Grandpaw lives up to his name, I saw him in Cebu

It never was a fantasy island.. let's be real

Time to boot out all the vloggers from USA.

You are a good man, Steve

This video seems to be much sharper/clearer/ in focus than normal. New camera?

Currently living in governor Generoso not many expats

Sounds like some stuff that was going on in Thailand a few years back with a guy everybody called "Bender." Eventually another volgger punched him out, or his wife punched him, I can't remember..... 🤔 When I left the US two years ago I thought I was leaving the BS behind, THEN I discovered how crazy expats can be! 😱 I am at the point in my life where I don't want drama, it's a waste of what little time I have left. I've lived in Thailand, and I'm currently in Mexico, but I am seriously looking at the Philippines now. Thanks for a more balanced and drama free perspective on things.

One of the reasons why I came here was to get away from western way of thinking

No Island is Fantasy Island. It's sad to see how many folks need to expand on problem childlike behaviors of others for clicks...

I don't even know of those channels other than hearing they're out there. I only watch a select few, like yours

Interesting... guess why expat friends ( SE Asia) going to Vietnam all say, "stay away from Americans." Also scary for me wanting to make a movie and now "words out" and prices going up everywhere (couple hundred thousand Russians now in SE Asia, Saudi, China..., digital nomads all incoming still possible I hear but taking more foot time (e.g., Vietnam) to find deals.

To be completely honest I watch your channel for the most part if I watch KZfaq at all I made one exception last week. I watch old dog new tricks video on John the broke exspat because he is now back in the Philippines and doing well now. I came to the Philippines to live a stress free peaceful life. I befriended a KZfaqr in Davao his wife and kids to find out the man was a lier and cheater, calling himself a Christen. He did finally take my advice and go home to file for his divorce. His wife and kids were wonderful him not at all. I know of four filipinas who were sexually used by him during the time he was in the Philippines. He is the reason I refuse to get to involve or know any exspat's now here in the Philippines. To much bullchit, to much Drama. Good video Steve.

Good morning Steve, this is not new to most of us who have lived in Asia. It's common and that's a HUGE red flag living in areas with lots of expats. (my opinion) I think the internet has amplified the problem and now everyone can see the results. Words of wisdom, "choose your friends carefully."

I'm seeing foreigners that have issues in their own countries that are finding they can leave because of social media, the behavior is showing they were probably problematic before.

Whatever you do do not go away. I want to see you on videos. I enjoy your content. You have a honest opinion about everything. Please don't go away

I moved to a small town in baja in 2005. By 2015, the town was overun with tourists looking for "Beach Property."... i moved back to the usa and sold my house in mexico in 2018. That part of Mexico is ruined. I now am in south thailand. I avoid ALL farang. They cause to many issues. The new bloggers are not worth a rays ass

Steve , do most ex pats go there for low cost of living?

I beginning to believe that most of the stuff on Utube will be replaced with AI videos.