He is an American retiree who loves traveling to the Philippines. Meet larryberry here.

I am married and have 5 adult kids who all live on their own now. I am retired from 37 years as a telephone technician.

What do you like the most about the Philippines?

What I like most about the Philippines is that Filipinos speak English as a second language so it's easy for me to get around and I don't need a guide or interpreter as in other countries. I also like the culture there and the way Filipinos try to be happy in spite of all the hardships they face. I also like their strong family ties and how important family is to them.

How do you spend your time off?

I have a lot of free time now so in the summer months I love to grow vegetables in a big garden. My favorite vegetables are sweet corn and tomatoes. We preserve about 50 bags of sweet corn in the freezer here at my house so that we can eat it during the winter months. I also have a big yard and a fish pond so I enjoy doing work around the house and taking care of my property.

What other websites do you regularly visit?

The other web sites I visit are Filipinaheart.com so I can meet Filipinas and chat and Yahoo.com. My id there is larryberry54.

Why did you join Asia Observer?

I joined Asia observer because I have an interest in Asia, specifically the Philippines. Asian culture is so different from American or European culture so I am interested in learning more. I have also visited Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand but the language barrier makes learning those cultures difficult.