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CULTURAL HINTS |
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Filipinos are outgoing people who are not afraid to ask personal
questions and certainly don't consider it rude. Prepare to be
interrogated by everyone you meet. Filipinos will want to know where you
are from, why you are in the Philippines, how old you are, whether you
are married, if not why not and so on and so forth. They pride
themselves on their hospitality and are always ready to share a meal or
a few drinks. Don't offend them by refusing outright.
A sense of delicadeza is also important to Filipinos. This is what you
might refer to as propriety, a simple sense of good behaviour,
particularly in the presence of elders or women. Filipinos who don't
speak good English will often answer any question you ask them with a
smile and a nod. Be careful: a smile and a nod doesn't always mean "yes".
It can also mean "no", "maybe" or "I have no idea what you are talking
about". Colonization by America left its mark on the national psyche, so
don't be offended if everyone in the provinces thinks you are a 'kano.
Protestations that you are from Britain, France or Australia will often
be greeted with the response, "Is that in America?"
Children appreciate gifts of sweets, the kind you can buy from street
vendors for a couple of pesos. It's not advisable to lose your temper in
the Philippines. Filipinos hate to be embarrassed in front of others and
the culture of revenge is strong, so you might end up being the one that
is sorry.
Filipinos share the same attitudes to dress as other Southeast Asian
countries .
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