Philippine Surprises

[TeapotGirl 66]

no refund policy- If you bought an item that has a defect or realized that you don't want it, you can't get your money back anymore. They will just replace your item with a better one. Same price same kind

Also in a restaurant, if you didn't appreciate the meal and talked the manager, they will just serve you another order of the menu of what you are complaining for.

Asking someone if they can you speak English can be offensive- An ability to speak English is in a way a measurement of intelligence here even if in fact it's just a matter of exposure and education. Remember when you ask a question like this to a Filipino, it's kinda asking them if "they are intelligent or not."

fish is served with a head- Filipinos are not used to fillet fish. Serving fish with a head is just a matter of presentation and "manners". We feed out pets with leftovers here so if you served the fish without a head, it looks like you fed the pets first.

All white guys are American- When Filipinos sees a white guy, even a black guy, they quickly assume it's an American. Who knows it's a German or Brit or Canadian?

Movies and Music- 95 percent of the movies being shown in Cinemas here is an American, 50 percent of the songs on the radio is american too.

You are expected to treat everybody- They think you are loaded so if you invite someone to go out for a drink, you are expected to pay for them. It's a tradition here to share your blessing and it goes the say with everybody.

If there's anything else that you would like to add, just post your comments here and have a good laugh of fun!

Edited November 24, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[TeapotGirl 66]

An American who is trying to speak Tagalog is cute, a Filipino who can't speak English is "looks like an idiot". So don't ask why some Filipinos are conscious with their English, and shy to talk to you. It's because they are afraid that someone's picking on their pronunciation and grammar. Discriminating, huh

Edited November 24, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[CristiFur 15]

An American who is trying to speak Tagalog is cute, a Filipino who can't speak English is "looks like an idiot". So don't ask why some Filipinos are conscious with their English, and shy to talk to you. It's because they are afraid that someone's picking on their pronunciation and grammar. Discriminating, huh

A Filipino who can't speak Tagalog looks and feels more idiotic (me) :rofl: , I had nosebleed for the first two weeks trying to communicate with my tagalog, I got weird and strange looks and the 7-11 cashier had her daily laugh when I went in every morning and tried to have a conversation with her...

[TeapotGirl 66]

A Filipino who can't speak Tagalog looks and feels more idiotic (me) :rofl: , I had nosebleed for the first two weeks trying to communicate with my tagalog, I got weird and strange looks and the 7-11 cashier had her daily laugh when I went in every morning and tried to have a conversation with her...

I am sure you looked cute then and they talked about you when you left. Well for the most part, Filipinos are fluent in Tagalog. They may think in Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicolano etc but they must know how to speak Tagalog. National school books, newspapers, TV and even radio are in either English or Tagalog. If they don't know how to communicate in Tagalog (understand it at least), that means they live in a very remote area, very poor and not educated. So far, I haven't personally met anyone like that.

[CristiFur 15]

I am sure you looked cute then and they talked about you when you left. Well for the most part, Filipinos are fluent in Tagalog. They may think in Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicolano etc but they must know how to speak Tagalog. National school books, newspapers, TV and even radio are in either English or Tagalog. If they don't know how to communicate in Tagalog (understand it at least), that means they live in a very remote area, very poor and not educated. So far, I haven't personally met anyone like that.

Thanks to being exposed to online chat 3 years ago where I mostly learned, my Tagalog is much improved and can hold general basic conversation but no where to story telling level yet. I did understand and was able to speak, it was just that when I spoke it it sounded so foreign to me :rofl: hahahaha my pronounciation was so bad on some words that even I did not quite understood what I was saying Yes, your right, I left PI at an early age and from the Province so my vocabulary was very limited to begin with.

[TeapotGirl 66]

I left PI at an early age and from the Province so my vocabulary was very limited to begin with.

Are you full blooded Filipino? Fluent English speakers that doens't appear foreigner (very Asian looking) doesn't only look smart, they appear rich and handsome too. I don't understand what's the logic.

[Tim/Mav 305]

That made my day Teapot.

Mav cooked her first dinner and the fish head was still attached. I said: OMG

A stupid American like me CANNOT talk Tagalog. Yes we look silly if we try.

[CristiFur 15]

Thanks to being exposed to online chat 3 years ago where I mostly learned, my Tagalog is much improved and can hold general basic conversation but no where to story telling level yet. I did understand and was able to speak, it was just that when I spoke it it sounded so foreign to me :rofl: hahahaha my pronounciation was so bad on some words that even I did not quite understood what I was saying Yes, your right, I left PI at an early age and from the Province so my vocabulary was very limited to begin with.

And yes 34 years ago, there were only a few families with TV in our Bario, lucky our neighbor had one :rofl: we use to wonder how the people got in the little box

[TeapotGirl 66]

Mav cooked her first dinner and the fish head was still attached. I said: OMG

At least you know now why. Just eat the belly button and give her the rest if you are afraid of the bones. I'm sure she will eat the rest just fine. We are fish surgeons!

----

For the dessert: MANGO, cut the ripe mangoes into 3 parts, scoop the cheeks with a wine glass or just simply use spoon. My fiance loves mango but he's messy.

Edited November 24, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[TeapotGirl 66]

And yes 34 years ago, there were only a few families with TV in our Bario, lucky our neighbor had one :rofl: we use to wonder how the people got in the little box

Does that TV got 2 doors, kids come over there to watch every afternoon and pay?

Edited November 24, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[CristiFur 15]

Are you full blooded Filipino? Fluent English speakers that doens't appear foreigner (very Asian looking) doesn't only look smart, they appear rich and handsome too. I don't understand what's the logic.

Yup fully bathe in Filipino blood (dinuguan gus2 u)..lol,

[CristiFur 15]

Mav cooked her first dinner and the fish head was still attached. I said: OMG

I once took a lady (Caucasian) out to lunch at an Asian Buffet and when we get to the food isle and get to the shrimp tempura she ask "WHAT ARE THOSE BLACK THINGS ON IT" she was referring to the eyes, I almost choked on a Jello True some Americans are not used to seeing heads served at the table. My brother in law who is white has his own menu every Sunday dinner at my parents house..mac and cheese for him..

[Leatherneck 693]

Teapot, I remember my first trips to the Philippines and Filipinos refering to white guys as American and other Americans by their ethnicity.

For example, that Mexican guy, that black guy and that American guy when refering to white guys.

Just as some Filipinos think the Spanish last names of non-Filipinos are actually Filipino names. Until they learn the same people that colonized the Philippines, did likewise to much of South America and the Carribean.

I learned this during a trip to the Philippines with my buddies, a Puerto rican, a Panamanian, a cuban, an L.A. born Mexican American and a few white guys in the bunch. The black Panamanian was the real amazement to many Filipinos when we went to Zamboanga and he (same with the Mexican American) was able to commuincate and understand much of what was said in Chavacano.

[TeapotGirl 66]

The black Panamanian was the real amazement to many Filipinos when we went to Zamboanga and he (same with the Mexican American) was able to commuincate and understand much of what was said in Chavacano.

Oh yeah Chavacano. Around 30percent of Tagalog words is actually Spanish say days of the week, months, we also often use Spanish in counting and on some phrases. Our previous president (the woman- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) speaks Spanish at home.

Edited November 24, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[TeapotGirl 66]

also a lot of stuff here are in retail commonly called "tingi". Little packet of anything. Name it..

Toothpaste, shampoo, soy sauce, floor wax, cigarette, catsup, condom

Another thing is..you can buy almost any drug here over the counter. Medicines are in packets and not in bottles with your name and instruction.