Thoughts on Culture

Arriving in The Philippines, I immediately noticed an explosion of culture that seemed a world difference from the Chinese culture to which I’ve become accustomed.  Cebu Pacific Airlines played fun upbeat American music, while their stewardess wore brightly colored orange shirts and kaki skirts.  Entering the Philippines airport, I first noticed load talkers, smiling faces, and security.  Each guard had gun (something you never see in China) and airport security was much tighter than anything I’ve seen in China. 

Once leaving the airport, we noticed the green.  Everything was green; beautiful vegetation was everywhere.  And then there was the 80 degrees of warmth that wrapped us up like a blanket.  We left the airport in what the Filipinos call Jeepneys.  They are World War II Jeeps that have been modified to work as a bus, fitting up to 10 people, maybe more for the Filipinos (they are tiny!).   The Jeepneys are only 8 pesos to ride (43 pesos make 1 US dollar).  The problem with the Jeepney’s though, is that they are on a set course within the city, but there are no specific stops.  So unfortunately, we had to ride taxis most places. 

Getting around the city and finding things to do was extremely easy, mostly because everyone speaks English!  The local language, Tagalog, is also spoken, but most people speak English very well.  It was strange, at first, to have airport staff, waitresses, and taxi drivers speak English with us.  It felt, almost unnatural.  I let several Chinese phrases slip out, after which the person would only stare at me. I’d apologize and say it over in English.

The biggest change in culture for us in the Philippines lies in the fact that Catholicism is the national religion.  Jesus and Mary were in print or sculpture everywhere we went. Christian and worship music played on the radio and in the malls.  We could freely speak of experiences we had without code or guarding our language.  Again, it felt unnatural, as if we had stepping into a different world completely.

After a few days, this culture became the new normal. 

I think being a traveler makes you become accustomed to your surroundings a lot quicker.  You have to find the social norms on your own, and then adjust your life to them. For instance, in women’s bathrooms in the Philippines, you must line up behind the stall that you choose.  If you don’t, you’ll be standing in “a line” that does not exist. In the Philippines, you can make a rectangle in the air with your hands to signal to your waiter that you’d like your check.  Tipping is expected in the Philippines (not in China).  If you are calling someone over to you, you must put your hand down and motion your fingers downward (same in China, unlike America). 

Since our new normal set in, leaving the Philippines also has had its challenges.  When Cebu Pacific took us to Guangzhou, China, there were many Chinese on the plane who did not follow the protocol of staying seated with seatbelts fastened, cell phones off, etc.  In China, people rarely pay attention to these rules (I am not sure of the reason, but I will be asking a Chinese friend about this).  Our new normal caused me to be more irritated once stepping into China, as someone bumped into me at the Guangzhou airport.  On our connecting flight, I had to switch culture gears, and I was sure to push through the line to get a spot, change my brain from English to Chinese phrases, and create a new Chinese normal again.

I don’t say these things to imply that one culture is better than another, or even that one is easier than another. But rather, I say these things to reflect on the fact that each culture is different, and if you wish to experience more cultures than your own, you will be challenged in your comfort level, expectations, and even your very definition of social norms.