This first-person account is drawn from an interview with Britt McAlister, 56, who decided to retire in the Philippines. It has been edited for clarity and length.
McAlister said life in the US no longer felt fulfilling. After a divorce, he was putting in 12 to 15 hours a day as a sales manager in the roofing business. He owned a car, a condo, and a small yacht, but he still felt something was missing, especially meaningful connection after the pandemic. His family and longtime friends were back in Georgia while he was based in Alabama, where he struggled to form close friendships.
He could recognize faces at a local bar, he said, but he missed the spontaneity of calling someone to grill, invite people over, and spend unhurried time together. He tried pickleball and church, yet most people seemed coupled or tied up with family schedules.
Retiring in the Philippines
Hoping a new setting might help, he rented out his condo and spent six months in an Airbnb in Pensacola, Florida. He found the same pattern. Locals tended to keep to their circles, and building real friendships was still difficult.
That prompted a broader search. He weighed options in Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico for their proximity to the US, and also considered Portugal and Italy. The sticking point, he said, was language. He wanted to live somewhere he could communicate easily with residents.
While watching videos about Southeast Asia, he connected online with an American in Cebu City who described daily life in the Philippines. Those conversations convinced him to make the move, despite skepticism from his father and brother in the US. He said he saw them mainly on Thanksgiving and Christmas and did not want to put his life on hold for a few annual visits.
Preparing took six months. He sold his Gulf Shores condo for $372,000 and retired in November 2023. He figured he could live on a $3,000 monthly budget for eight years, until he becomes eligible for Social Security and his pension. In January 2024, he flew to the Philippines for the first time, bringing one large suitcase, a carry-on, and a backpack with his computer.
As a US citizen, he entered visa-free as a temporary visitor. After 30 days, he applied for a 29-day waiver, then began extending his stay every two months. The Philippines allows visitors from non-visa-required countries to extend their stay for up to 36 months from their most recent arrival. He said he will decide on a long-term plan later.
Finding community in Cebu
Within two weeks in Cebu, he felt at home. The American YouTuber he had met online invited him to a Starbucks meetup with several others. They became close, traveling together, dining out, and spending time at each other’s homes. He said it was the sense of community he had been missing in the US.
Encouraged by creators in the local expat scene, he launched a video channel to chronicle his experiences. As the audience grew, viewers reached out, and he started organizing gatherings. What began as a single meetup expanded to three weekly events: Monday evenings at Texas Roadhouse, Thursday breakfasts, and Friday nights with live music. He said everyone is welcome, including local residents.
He acknowledged that some people say they did not move abroad to socialize with other foreigners. Yet many still seek friends who share cultural references and understand their background. He noted that some Filipinos he met had never seen or heard of the film “Forrest Gump,” which can make certain conversations less familiar.
The meetups, he said, provide an easy way to find travel companions, share meals, and build friendships. His goal is to ensure newcomers do not arrive and feel isolated. Looking back, he said he moved for a slower pace and stronger ties, and retiring in Cebu has delivered exactly that.