although sarcasm appears blatant.. I will say Filipinos are extremely family-oriented and share similar qualities to many Italian families that I have encountered.... Work ethic will prove everything (type of mentality) ---> CHECK Respect for our elders ---> CHECK Respect for all other cultures --> CHECK Live and breath to support your children just so they do not have to struggle-->CHECK.. And I am not even going to get into how we hold family get-togethers/parties... I can say we have assimilated to the American ideology quite well and the majority of us despise making excuses... This is my perception of my culture and have been told by others outside my ethnicity that they have observed the same degree of camaraderie from their Filipino friends... Outside geographical location, a good majority of Filipinos do not consider themselves ASIANS. We are descendants of the Malay Tribe and if you go deep into the provinces of the Philippine Islands--u will also see tribal ancestry very much similar to Africans--ie/ the Negritos(another sect of Filipinos). Further,we have been raped n pillaged by Spanish sovereignty for over 400 yrs... It is very difficult to dissect a pure FILIPINO...it is inevitable to accept our mainstream categorization and can see how many do not care of our differences --> where we are easily grouped into one stratosphere ...I am 100 % Filipino regardless of the mixed blood ...embrace my ideals but have always made an effort to understand other cultural ideologies .. we all have our strengths/weaknesses... I have just always been eager to learn and adapt... this is my individualistic human nature hence-- allowing myself to pursue attraction outside my own comfort zone.. i accept daily stigmatization for being the delineation of the norm... but it has always made my life that much more interesting... Confidence in recognizing your vested commitment to writing your own novel bleeds intrigue across your face. This is seen as a universal pheromone to women of any culture...just sayin' k enough procrastination.. off to memorize 500 more drugs and their lovely interactions FML
You were doing well there till you go to "Work ethic"...
For the past 15 years I've had University educated flip-flops working for me, mostly software developers. Talk about herding cats.
On the bright side, they cost less than 25% of what you'd pay someone from the US. So whilst you need 2 flip-flops for any UK/US educated programmer. You still come out on top.
Of course, they are very emotional and use the flimsiest excuses to not turn up to work (my dad needed a ride to the airport one of my favourites).
As for family oriented - sure. Until that is, your brother borrows 15,000 Pesos from you and then does a runner never to see you again. People will literally disown friends & relatives over $500 there - I've seen it time & time again.
The country itself is a filthy, corrupt, dangerous, shit hole with some of the poorest food on the planet. It's the only place I am regularly offered 13 year old girls by taxi drivers who in the next breath will claim to be devout family loving Catholics.
On the bright side, it's not often you see armed guards outside a McDonalds. At our office, we have armed guards at the entrances AND on each floor by the lifts.
You have to really keep your wits about you there, not only because of the criminal element but also because the police/immigration might just set you up to extort money from you.
Not the sort of place you want to go on vacation for sure.
