Log Home Building Seminars
in
SOUTHEAST ASIA
THERE ARE NO SEMINARS CURRENTLY HELD IN ASIA. THE INFORMATION BELOW IS JUST FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION:
Some information about Skip's Southeast Asian Log Home Seminar is included below -- and more will soon be added.
For now, if you are interested in attending the seminar on a beautiful tropical island in the Philippines please send us an email at our Asian email address -- Contact Us.
This page will soon contain answers to the following questions:
#1) Why should I
learn about log homes from "Skip Ellsworth" ?
#2) Why should I go to a beautiful tropical island to do so ?
#3) What is the cost of the seminar in the Philippines ?
#4) What is the cost of airfare ?
#5) What is the cost of a place to stay ?
#6) What is the cost of food ?
#7) What is the cost of entertainment ?
#7) How long is the seminar ?
#9) How long shall I plan to stay in the Philippines ?
#0) What additional experiences can I look forward to
enjoying while I am
there ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHY SHOULD I LEARN THIS STUFF FROM SKIP ELLSWORTH ???
Skip is considered to be the world's foremost authority on log homes. He previously taught his two-day (22 hour) log house construction class through the University of Washington's Experimental College for 108 consecutive terms (over 26 years). In addition, he previously taught the same two-day class at many other Universities and Colleges, including (but not limited to) Seattle Central Community College, North Seattle Community College, Shoreline Community College, Highline Community College, Everett Community College, Bellevue Community College, etc.
This might be your "last clear chance" to
learn about log home from Skip, who is already semi-retired, and getting older
each year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHY SHOULD I GO TO THE PHILIPPINES TO LEARN IT ???
After Mr. Ellsworth became "semi-retired" he continued for many years to teach the same "university/college" two-day seminars at his ranch near Seattle, Washington.
However, Skip no longer teaches in America on a regular basis. On one of his recent trips to his home in the Philippines he did not return to America for almost five years -- and no classes were held during that entire period of time.
He now teaches in America occasionally, and you can contact us to make reservations for the American class if you would like to do so.
However, he now offers his two-day class "regularly" at his beach resort in the Philippines.
In my opinion, if you need to purchase airline tickets and fly to the Philippines to learn how to build (or buy) your log home correctly, the knowledge you obtain will still save you a vast amount of money.
In other words, the education you get from Skip will save you many times more money than it will cost you -- even if you need to travel to the Philippines to get the education.
People have always come from all over the world to learn how to build log homes from Skip.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE COST OF THE SEMINAR ???
Currently no Asian seminars are held. Please attend the US seminar instead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE COST OF AIRFARE ???
The price of your airline ticket can vary a lot, depending upon where you are coming from -- the airlines you choose -- the "class" you chose (most students fly "economy class") -- the time of year -- the day of the week -- how much in advance your ticket is purchased -- layovers -- how long you intend to stay in Asia -- etc., etc.
Many of our students purchase airline tickets via the Internet -- from "discount houses" or agencies that specialize in low-cost tickets.
The Classified Ads in the "travel section" of the Sunday paper is a good place to start -- to find out what the "maximum" cost might be.
My last airline tickets from Seattle (via Vancouver and Hong Kong) to the final destination at Cebu, Philippines, cost $675 round-trip. This price was obtained as follows:
"Art"
Bayani Commercial Travel Agency
526 South Jackson Street
Seattle, Washington [98104]
Telephone: 206-341-9770
The return portion of the above-mentioned ticket is good for six months, which will allow you to tour the rest of the Philippines. This beautiful island country will make you think of what Hawaii was probably like 200 years ago.
Warning: You will NEVER want to return home.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT IS THE COST OF A PLACE TO STAY -- AND FOOD ???
Skip's students "camp out" near the beach -- sleeping in hammocks among the coconut trees (no charge).
Occasionally, students bring sleeping bags and air-mattresses -- and sleep on the floor in Skip's beach-front home (no charge).
Students who would prefer a private, air-conditioned room can stay at the resort for $20 per night, which includes your room, all meals, use of the motor scooters for seeing the sights, and of course Skip's incredible hospitality.
The local version of a taxi (a motorcycle with a side-car), from the above-mentioned hotel to Skip's home, costs approximately forty cents (U.S.)
Our students eat with Skip and his family (no charge).
However, for a "change of pace" a restaurant meal in the nearby town of Daanbantayan will cost approximately $1.50 (U.S.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE COST OF ENTERTAINMENT ???
There are sooooooo many options regarding entertainment here in the Philippines. More on this later...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOW LONG IS THE SEMINAR ???
In America, the seminar lasts for two days (11 hours on Saturday and 11 hours on Sunday)
However, in the Philippines we don't know exactly know how long each class will be, because the students generally want to mix a lot of "pleasure" with the "fun" of learning. This means that they spend a lot of time swimming, scuba-diving, fishing, socializing with the native girls, sailing the small boats, island hopping, touring the small towns and villages on motorcycles, socializing "again" with the native girls, sometimes getting "married" to the native girls, etc.)
In fact, sometimes they seem to forget what they originally came for...(?)
Therefore, here in the Philippines we generally like to allow three or four days to cover the "log house" material.
Frankly, it doesn't matter to Skip if people want to "hang out" for up to (and including) seven days, because each student is encouraged to learn at his own speed.
In other words, Skip will spend up to seven days with his students -- working around whatever "breaks" they want to take.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU PLAN ON STAYING IN THE PHILIPPINES ???
The answer is, "You should stay as long as you possibly can."
You will want to tour as many of the islands as possible. There are 7,200 beautiful tropical islands in the Philippines -- and half of them are NOT inhabited.
Filipinos are the most friendly and hospitable people in the world -- and you will be safer here than you are in America.
No matter how long you plan on staying, you will be sorry that you did not arrange to stay longer.
Almost everyone who comes here ends up staying MUCH longer than they originally planned.
Also, with no exception, EVERYONE who experiences the culture here says that they want to retire here as soon as possible
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES (THINGS TO CONSIDER) ???
FISHING:
Skip's "island home" is in an area that is populated by native
fishermen who live in grass shacks near the beach, and fish from
small "native-style" boats that have outriggers on both sides. Some of
these boats require the use of paddles (like a canoe) -- some have sails -- and
some have 12 H.P. or 16 H.P Briggs and Stratton engines. For $10 (U.S.)
the native fishermen will take you fishing with them ALL DAY LONG.
ISLAND-HOPPING:
There are 7,200
(+) beautiful, tropical islands in this area, and more than half of them are NOT
inhabited. For $12 (U.S.) per day, a fisherman with an engine-driven boat
will spend the entire day with you -- taking you to one or more of the islands
in this area.
GOING NATIVE:
A lot of Skip's students/friends
have greatly enjoyed spending a few days with the natives on one or more of the
small islands, learning various aspects of the native culture (including
survival skills, boat building, sailing small boats, plowing with water-buffalo,
building grass shacks, climbing coconut trees, learning the martial-art of stick-fighting, etc.).
Here are a couple of pictures Steve (of one of our visitors in the Philippines) and Skip.
Click on the picture for a full-size view.
This is Steve in front of a nipa hut (which is what they call the "grass shacks" here).
Steve had such a great time during the class that he extended his trip so he could stay a total of four weeks. In other words, Steve spent every day with Skip for four weeks. Needless-to-say, they became life-long friends.
Steve and Skip in front of Skip's new boat, THE LUCKY CHIP (while it was still under construction).
The boat was named after Skip's son, Chip -- who is now eight years old.
Steve returned to America on December 3, 2002. Skip and his family and friends were very sad to see Steve go -- but we all know that he will return soon.
MORE PHOTOS TO BE ADDED LATER...
Return to the index of log home building articles