Back a few years ago when I joined this forum, I mentioned that I was previously an international Field Service Tech, paid to travel to exotic locations and fix things. Loosewire picked up on that and ever since has been repeating (paraphrased) "Anyone who is paid to travel is destined for greatness." I'm not sure when or why he decided that, but I took it as a compliment anyway.

I haven't been living up to Loosie's bar of legend for the past few years; I have been putzing around in manufacturing plants. I have been "paid to travel" within the metro area, but nothing to write home (to AAC) about. Well I'm changing that up, starting in 2 weeks.

I've decided to return to the International Oil & Gas scene. Within a few weeks of filling my new position, I will be put on rotation (28 days on / 28 days off) to South Korea for a few months to a year. After that, the family and I will be permanently relocating to the Philippines (where my wife is from) and I will be accepting assignments to various locations in S.E. Asia (S. Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Africa, China, maybe Australia, et. maybe al.).

So this thread is primarily an explanation for my future potentially prolonged, potentially unannounced absences from the forum and seemingly random changes in my posted location, and secondarily, as a brag thread about my new job (I'm proud of it).

 

Fantastic news!

There will be no excuse for a lack of postings when your in S. Korea - some seriously good internet there.

Congrats.

Sparky

 

Fantastic news!

There will be no excuse for a lack of postings when your in S. Korea - some seriously good internet there.

Congrats.

Sparky

Thanks.

I'll go ahead and give myself an out right now; When I'm on-site, it's 16 hour days, most likely 7 days a week - so my bandwidth will be allocated 99% to skype to see my kids off to bed and off to school, and 1% to sending my excruciatingly detailed and several-pages-long inspection reports back to the mothership. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

 

Congratulations!.
I have worked on 3 different continents and the experience itself is rewarding.
Max.

 

Thanks, strantor for giving Loosewire credit for knowing the right thing .You are a

great example for the forum. You did a good job on your truck. You have been in a

lot projects. Members should pay more attention to people who travel for pay or not.

I am still at the Elbo Room waiting for my next guest, I'm really the real thing,ask Brownout

an other traveler. We are proud of you ,you are one of the greatest asset's on the forum.

 

...
I'll go ahead and give myself an out right now; When I'm on-site, it's 16 hour days, most likely 7 days a week - so my bandwidth will be allocated 99% to skype to see my kids off to bed and off to school, and 1% to sending my excruciatingly detailed and several-pages-long inspection reports back to the mothership. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Nah... You're addicted.

Besides, you'll still need to log onto the forum so we can tell you what the resistor colour codes are... Or something. (That's what you can tell the boss).

And congrats! Sounds awesome.

 

Are you going to work in platforms?

 

Are you going to work in platforms?

As long as it is not in High heels.
Max.

 

Always pay attention to details ,it part of life,work and play.

 

Have a wonderful adventure!

 

and I will be permanently relocating to the Philippines

This is huge! Back in the day when I was on ETO, there was a guy there, I can't remember his name, but he was from Germany and relocated to the Philippines. He was building a house, and he had some really interesting and funny blogs about it. What I remember most was how when he rode his motorcycle, bandits would ride by and try to dump him by putting sticks in his spokes. He had to bring his own sticks and try to dump them. So far, he had won every battle, but I stopped reading 3-4 years ago, so his undefeated record might have fallen by now.

Damn, wish I could remember is name. You could go read his blog and see what you're in for. Anyway, good luck!

 

Sounds like a good deal. Enjoy yourself.

 

I wish you and your family all the best on your new journey. Keep in touch.

 

This is huge! Back in the day when I was on ETO, there was a guy there, I can't remember his name, but he was from Germany and relocated to the Philippines. He was building a house, and he had some really interesting and funny blogs about it. What I remember most was how when he rode his motorcycle, bandits would ride by and try to dump him by putting sticks in his spokes. He had to bring his own sticks and try to dump them. So far, he had won every battle, but I stopped reading 3-4 years ago, so his undefeated record might have fallen by now.

Damn, wish I could remember is name. You could go read his blog and see what you're in for. Anyway, good luck!

I know who you're talking about. His avatar was something brown; like a pyramid or something? Something desert related? I can't remember. But IIRC he was in Thailand, not the Philippines.

I have lived in the Philippines before, for a few months. I have posted pictures here before. Some of it is beautiful, some is not. Some places I could entertain stories of motorcycle (scooter) bandits, other places are safer than neighborhoods less than 1 mile from where I live currently.

I will be making enough money that I won't have to live in a place plagued by bandits - that's actually one of the "gotchas" of this whole thing: the more "upscale" areas with good accredited international private schools, state of the art medical facilities, and "reliable" (relative term) police forces are the places where all the other expats flock to. And where the expats flock, the high real estate prices also flock. I am looking at houses online, and the prices I'm seeing range from comparable to well above the price of a comparable house down the road.

Two things I'm used to and not really excited to live without, is elbow room when I walk out the front or rear door of my house, and a work shop/garage. 95% of all houses in metro areas of the philippines are located 2 feet from the street curb. The floor area of your house is greater than the area of your lot, because your back yard is literally a yard (as in 3ft) strip of pavement that separates the wall of your house from your 15ft castle wall, and your house is 2-3 stories. I would need to buy 5 lots to get the kind of elbow room I'm used to. I could move outside the city and have all the elbow room my heart desires, but then my kids don't get an education and they would likely die if they sustained any major injury that required immediate medical attention.

 

Congrats on the new job, keep us posted on your adventures..

 

Boncuk http://www.electro-tech-online.com/blog-entries/living-in-thailand-and-constructing-your-home-p.139/

 

I lived in near Camp Crame, Quezon City (I got married at the base chapel) when I worked for the Military there. It's a nice area but the traffic is murder if your job is in Metro Manila proper. Have a great time!
https://www.google.com/maps/place/C...e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x6d48fe75e501784c?hl=en

Typical middle class house in the area: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/58964245

Dilliman or Makati are nice areas too.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=...231946623787.0004b36d36ad9abce1656&dg=feature

 

But IIRC he was in Thailand, not the Philippines.

My memory isn't what it used to be.

 

Too bad you did not list Maldives.

 

How many oil wells does the Maldives have off shore.