To all filipinas - What's the first culture shock you had when you got here

[Sophie]

Out of curiousity, i just wanna know what were the first "culture shock" (if any) you experienced or encountered the moment you got here in uk.

[somebody]

For the Wife apart fromt he Weather which she expected. Was just how quiet it was, the streets were near our house even though many people live there.

[Sophie]

For the Wife apart fromt he Weather which she expected. Was just how quiet it was, the streets were near our house even though many people live there.

exactly! its basically more quiet here, you rarely see your neighbors and if i may add, safer to walk on the streets by yourself and you don't have to worry much of being held up or your bag to be snatched anytime nor encounter hopeless by-standers who would whistle or say something to catch your attention. Although there's still a lot of safer places left in manila, unsafe places are more dominant though.

[Sophie]

I think the first shock i encountered here was when i saw sex education for kids on day time tv and they are talking about oral sex (sorry for the word administrator/moderator) for both men and women in full detail and description. I was just surprised coz it's not thesame from where i come from. Sex talk on day time tv is still quite tabboo there, although there are a few sex education subjects on school now but only to an extent i guess, not as broad and as specific as the one i saw on tv here. In some way, i guess philippines' over population was due to lack of awareness and proper education about sex.

[Mrs Daddy]

yezzzzz I thougt its a ghost town we live in.I suddenly missed my neighborhood but that was few years back but now am coping and settling alright and as well the differences of closeness family ties.

[Tawi2]

For most pinays its loneliness I guess,your never alone in Pinas,always someone around,I wonder what the biggest culture shocks are for Puti going to pinas?

[Sophie]

yezzzzz I thougt its a ghost town we live in.I suddenly missed my neighborhood but that was few years back but now am coping and settling alright and as well the differences of closeness family ties.

very true I was even joking at my hubby if there are any people living in the neighborhood or if there are anybody living in the houses around the area coz i rarely see one.

[Sophie]

For most pinays its loneliness I guess,your never alone in Pinas,always someone around,I wonder what the biggest culture shocks are for Puti going to pinas?

I suppose, having all the filipina's relatives around all the time

[Pepe n Pilar]

Aside from this country is very quiet although i live in a village back home still i can hear cars blowing their horns when entering their gates unlike here. That is an advance notice for the househelper to open the gate for them. I'm used to a quiet place and so it's ok with me.

When crossing the street here cars stops when they see you waiting to cross the street. Some are very polite they smile and wave their hands giving you a sign that it's ok you can now cross the street. I am used to finding my way to cross the streets bec cars/jeepneys are blocking my way, they stop in the pedestrian lane.

I agree with you Sophie the most shocking for me so far are the tv programs about sex. The other night one program caught my attention that was "The worst Embarrasing bodies" i was surprised a woman discussed what she considers as her worst body part is having a very large v****a. I thought she will just talk abt it but she laid down on the table and the camera was on infront of her private part. Gosh! that is very strange....: i cannot even look at it . she was interviewed abt it.

[Mrs Daddy]

yezzz never been alone in PI tawi2 maybe if puti settling down in PI they`ll probably miss the puti food same as us here and as well they`ll probably be a bit Isolated if they`re a bit reserve like my hubby

[Tawi2]

That lady was american itsme,and it WAS quite large Thankfully I am not reserved Mrs D,quite the opposite,everyone said I was tabian kaayo I never experienced culture shock my first time in Pinas as I went there after spending a year in india/pakistan,going to pinas was like luxury after New Delhi It took me a while to get used to eating dog however,and utang na loob was a bit alien

[Mrs Daddy]

I am really proud of you for eating dog I remember that I hadn`t spoken to my neighbor who is dead now(may his soul rest in peace)for a while after he ate my dog when a vehicle run over it.Its good that you aren`t reserve unlike my other half he is determined not to settle down in Pinas

[Tawi2]

I was on a moped in the Boondoks,saw a small sari-sari and needed a coke(my one vice)some lasingueros were eating and drinking,they said the usual "One shot joe" but I pretended I had an ulcer to avoid drinking tanduay Then they offered me food,meat and rice,it tasted great,after cleaning the plate I asked what it was,one guy laughed,went around the back of the store and brought out a dog skin,I still remember seeing the bloody bruises on the flesh side of the hide,maybe they expected me to vomit?I asked for a second helping Some guys cant adjust to extended families and what seem like 100's of people in the house,especially after they are used to UK households,but if your madaldal you fit right in

[Mrs Daddy]

I pitied the owner of the dog

[Tawi2]

Loads of strays over there,my friend told me be careful which ones you eat because of rabies thats not something you expect when you order a hotdog in Jollibee

[Mrs Daddy]

Loads of strays over there,my friend told me be careful which ones you eat because of rabies thats not something you expect when you order a hotdog in Jollibee

I have never eaten a dog

[Tawi2]

I have never eaten a dog

You should try it,tastes a little Ruffffffff if its not cooked correctly,but cat tastes purrrrrrrrrfect

[Mrs Daddy]

It feels like you`re eating your Bestest friend

[Pepe n Pilar]

very true I was even joking at my hubby if there are any people living in the neighborhood or if there are anybody living in the houses around the area coz i rarely see one.

Same with me. Whenever i took pictures and send them to my relatives back home they ask me "where are the inhabitants of England"?... So now i tell my husband if he takes picture of me he should make sure the background shows there are inhabitants...

It's the opposite here i have to make sure there are people in the background, and so i wait for the time they pass by
back home it takes a while to take picture with a clear view. People are everywhere. I miss MOA.

[Mrs Daddy]

and I also couldnt believe that I am living in a 100 year old house.When I knew about it back in PI I asked my Hubby if there`s some ghost living with him so far not seen one.Thank God for that!

[Bluebirdjones]

I ate it on a couple of occasions as I worked for a while for a Korean company.

I can remember a few years back when the President of Korea was arriving on a
State Visit to the UK.
The Animal Rights lobby & various other pressure groups had mounted a concerted
campaign to make people aware than Koreans eat dogs, so as a response to this
negative publicity the Korean government took out full-page ads in a few of the
quality broadsheets.

The article rambled on about .... these dogs are not like you understand in the West,
..... bred like your domestic fowl .... not looked upon as pets ... traditional,... etc etc ...
The article was well written & presented, which I'm sure made a few people sympathetic
to their position.

But...... what spoiled it was the one-liner in small print at the bottom of the article ...

... "Cats are only eaten for medicinal purposes"

[Pepe n Pilar]

You should try it,tastes a little Ruffffffff if its not cooked correctly,but cat tastes purrrrrrrrrfect

[eljean]

extreme cold weather you can have four season in a day...lol binge drinking, teenage pregnancy,chubbs,mean neighbhors and they kiss and tell but of course they do have good side as well they dont take everything to heart i mean they dont do grudges...lol if you hit him today after tommorow your friends again...lol older people still enjoys nightlife which i find it amusing and they spoiled theirs kids too much they love wines and beers and they treat theirs kids just like friends...

[Tawi2]

Cats are actually boiled alive in Korea to make medicinal tonics,but having spent four and a half years based in Hong Kong,and travelled often in mainland china the concept of animal cruelty in asia isnt the same mindset westerners have,when in rome,I remember wanting a beefburger in india,I went to one of the first McDonalds opened in Delhi,everything on the menu was chicken,no beef products whatsoever,one mans poison and all that

[Mrs Daddy]

Blimey!cats boiled alive Can I have a hard boiled cat,please

[kimmi]

Same with me. Whenever i took pictures and send them to my relatives back home they ask me "where are the inhabitants of England"?... So now i tell my husband if he takes picture of me he should make sure the background shows there are inhabitants...

same experience in here, we are also looking for backgrounds where there is people..

as for the culture shock, for me I think Ive got loads of it,
- the First Name Basis
- the petrol station(filling ur petrol on ur own)
- CCTV cameras everywhere
- no more security guards
- packing ur own grocery stuffs
-old person still can drive

and a lot more..

[tiN]

same experience in here, we are also looking for backgrounds where there is people..

as for the culture shock, for me I think Ive got loads of it,
- the First Name Basis
- the petrol station(filling ur petrol on ur own)
- CCTV cameras everywhere
- no more security guards
- packing ur own grocery stuffs
-old person still can drive

and a lot more..

First name basis is terrible sis, it does bother me alot, until now

And also packing my own grocery stuffs

And a post man being around everyday

[nids123]

the house r all the same style.i have to look well where i am coz i will going to get lost if i dont look at it.

[Sophie]

You should try it,tastes a little Ruffffffff if its not cooked correctly,but cat tastes purrrrrrrrrfect

eeoowww, gross

[sunshine]

same experience in here, we are also looking for backgrounds where there is people..

as for the culture shock, for me I think Ive got loads of it,
- the First Name Basis
- the petrol station(filling ur petrol on ur own)
- CCTV cameras everywhere
- no more security guards
- packing ur own grocery stuffs
-old person still can drive

and a lot more..

This topic is very interesting to me because im going to submit my application next week, very close now. curious with the "first name basis" does it mean u call your mom and dad in laws their first names only?????