(SNIP) I have a large group of friends here, whom are in all types of employment and we are into many different sporting activities, such as rugby, football, cricket, diving & off road motorcycling I can highly recommend this City.
The expat community is tighter here, the city is much less crowded than manila and there is more of what you would expect in terms of Pacific Island living going on in this part of the Philippines. All that being said, Cebu is becoming a prosperous and sophisticated Industrial / Commercial city as well. You might find that it is the right recipe for the your planned trip abroad.