Have you ever noticed...

[mrsfrivolity]

...that Pinoy's shyness is a lot more obvious in a foreign country? I know I'm not but then I've always been accused of being slightly thick-faced !

We're in Southsea, Portsmouth at the moment and the presence of a big hospital in the city means there's a lot of Pinoys about. I've been exploring the place and except for literally, two kababayans, every Pinoy I've come across, did not smile back even after receiving a warm friendly one from me, not even a nod to acknowledge. How odd!

My son and I played **'sweet and sour' in a shopping complex today as an experiment to see how we Pinoys rate in the shy-meter...every non-Pinoy person we smiled and say hello to, smiled back and some even chatted with us but my fellow Pinoys, and there were a lot, mind you, all went

Although it's true that back in the nanayland, we'd choose the earth to open up and swallow us rather than say hello to a complete stranger but I would've thought that living/working in merry 'ol England would somehow change that. The locals would always acknowledge, even if it's only to be polite!

Sweet and Sour is a car game where you wave at the people in the next car and if they wave back, they're sweet. if not, they're sour...

Wachafink then?

[ervenescence]

How did you know that those 2 people were pinoy?

We'll anyway unfortunately I experienced similar situation with yours. This happened last year when I was in the shopping mall in manchester, 2 pinay's I knew they're pinays because they were chatting in tagalog. I was next to them as I waited for my husband to come out from toilet, I was with my shopping bags..LOL. Whilst waiting I looked at them and our eyes meet, so I expected the same or even asked me, 'what the hell are you doing here?. But damn! no, instead they continued chatting and keep going.
So, I feel rejected and sad that a fellow kababayan was ignoring me. I feel like a , what a vile creature they are.

Admin: SMILIES PLEASE ERVE - No Blatant Swearing - Thanks

[ervenescence]

Apology for the swear I was just carried away

[mrsfrivolity]

I just find it really amusing. Like I said in my original post, it must be because in our culture, we would really find it suspicious if a stranger was smiling to us

I have a theory though, I think we Pinoys will retain certain habits, if we do not "integrate" with the locals. How else would we know that unlike in the PI where if someone says hello, they're probably distracting you to pick your pocket here in luvley-juvley-Blighty, it's actually rude not to acknowledge a greeting!

How did I know they were Pinoy? I didn't, actually. They could be Thai...

[Pauldo]

...that Pinoy's shyness is a lot more obvious in a foreign country? I know I'm not but then I've always been accused of being slightly thick-faced !

I always just get accused of being slightly thick!

...We're in Southsea, Portsmouth at the moment and the presence of a big hospital in the city means there's a lot of Pinoys about. I've been exploring the place and except for literally, two kababayans, every Pinoy I've come across, did not smile back even after receiving a warm friendly one from me, not even a nod to acknowledge. How odd!

My wife found just the same when we moved here to Stafford, of the few Filipinas here more than half refused to acknowledge their heritage, and most of those that did were real snooty and stuck up.

[andypaul]

My Wife has noticed the same, many make a big point of avoiding my wife but they seem to be the phills who came here on some form of work visa. Maybe they think the Wife has had a easy ride who knows.

But I guess we have to remeber not all brits when in phill make a point of speaking to every brit they meet in phill. I for one will not ignore a brit who says hello and wants a chat, but i won't go out of my way to say hello if the other person is minding their own business.

[KeithD]

Thing I like about Filipino's is that you can innocently say how beautiful the baby/child is without being labeled a pedophile and banged up in prison.....oh the joys of this country!!

[russ01539]

Well its not like that in Kendal where we live. My wife has been accosted on the street and forced to join the Phil. 'ladies club', and now most weekends she comes back from their party with some exotic concoction. Lordy only knows where they get the ingredients from.

But my fiance is new to UK and she has been 'smiled' at by other people from Pi, but was just too shy to say hello. Maybe when her confidence grows she will.

[KeithD]

Friendly folk mostly here in N Wales, although some nurses have the 'I'm better than YOW', attitude.....which I doubt as I probably gamble more in a day than they get in a month

[russ01539]

Well thats your job Keith, isn't it ?

Its a shame none of them trained as dentists, that way they have an excuse for looking down their noses.

[francesca]

mostly, its because they are intimidated if they are just newly arrived in the country and still adjusting to the people around.
Or they dont smile back as we filipinos looked like: Thai, chinese, madagascar, even brasilian or peruvian or paraguays!
Or they are irregulars, and wanted to be discreet.
Or they dont bother, after all, some filipinos, when get together would say:

do you have a phone card? Or loads in cellphone? Can I borrow ten euros?
Ngek!!