I think the main issue here is the UK environment/extended family Don't Push Me is living in. Where are you located? Some British people have never looked beyond the end of their noses and 'exotic' is a weekend in Magaluf.

There are things and practices in the Philippines which are very odd to a Westerner, most of the time we just observe and enjoy, accepting things are a bit different and won't kill us (with the exception of Balut)