Home for the Holidays, Part 2: The Old and the New

This is my third time vacationing in the Philippines since I migrated to the U.S. For each visit, I had a different perspective: the first, as a predominantly Philippine resident who was just coming back from a long trip; the second, as a transitioning U.S. resident who was “getting into the groove”; and this time, as a mostly assimilated immigrant. Because of these differences in perspective, my experiences during my vacation—in essence, my view of the Philippines—were likewise different. The first time, I felt like I had just been away for a while and that I still knew my way around. The second time, I began to notice changes that had happened while I was away. This time, I am now assimilated enough into the American culture and mindset that I am able to perceive things from a non-Filipino’s point of view.

Take the famous Filipino hospitality, for example. Before, whenever travel shows would highlight how friendly Filipinos are, I would of course be proud of the compliment but I never really understood why it was such a big deal. If you worked at a store or greeted customers, aren’t you always supposed to smile and be gracious? (duh) Now, having lived in the U.S. long enough to get a good grasp of its culture, I can see why it was so noteworthy.

In the U.S., if you are in, say, McDonald’s, you really don’t expect the person taking your order to say anything other than “you want fries with that?” or “you wanna biggie-size that?”. Said with all the vibrant energy of a sloth (maybe a turtle on a good day). In the Philippines, the very first thing that you hear as you make your first step inside a McDonald’s is “Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening Sir/Ma’m, Welcome to McDonald’s!”—and that’s not coming from the doorman, that’s coming from one or more of the service crew (which I think number on average around 20, all young and full of energy) who are either behind the counter or cleaning up the tables (did I mention you don’t have to clean after yourself here?).

The other night when I was at a nearby McDonald’s and was trying to buy a spaghetti-fried chicken combo (yes, they have spaghetti and fried chicken here, and the spaghetti is called—you guessed it—McSpaghetti), the girl taking my order informed me that there was only one piece of chicken left and that the spaghetti was also out (it was nearing closing time). I decided to take it anyway, and as I was paying for the meal, the girl assured me, “Di bale sir, malaking piece naman e” (“Don’t worry sir, it’s a big piece”). Maybe it’s a little gesture, but the fact that she said it, coupled with the way that she said it, makes you feel just a little better.

Of course, this is not to say that the service industry in the U.S. is bad and that all restaurants in the Philippines offer excellent service. Far from it. I’ve had numerous encounters with excellent service in the States, both face-to-face and over the phone (and not offshore call centers). But I guess the thing worth noting about Philippine hospitality is that because it originates from the culture itself, it permeates all industries and thus in all dealings with customers.

Another thing—Traffic. Ah yes, the infamous Manila traffic, where the lines on the road are merely suggestions and you count your travel in hours, not minutes. Having been born and raised in Manila, I am used to the idiosyncrasies and frustrations of the Manila commute. On the way home from the airport, what would ideally be a 15-minute ride took more than an hour. The culprit: construction and lots and lots of vehicles. But this is 2 AM, I thought, shouldn’t there be less cars? Well, turns out today is a Friday AND a payday—a desirable combination if you’re a store owner but one to stay away from if you happen to be on the road.

A few days later, we were riding in a car on the way to the mall, and I noticed another thing that I had forgotten while living in the U.S.—street children. In Manila it is not uncommon to see children as young as four years old mingle among slow-moving traffic. Some sell flowers. Some sell lottery tickets. Some offer to wash your windshield. Some knock on your driver’s side window to ask for money. There have been reports of gangs that exploit these children to get money, but either way everyone agrees that these kids do not belong in the streets. I thought to myself, right now I’m worried about my son’s safety inside a vehicle, but what about those kids who are inches away from getting hit by a car everyday? Something’s not right here.

Speaking of Manila traffic, here are some pointers on driving along Manila’s roads:

• There is no such thing as a short ride. Be ready to allocate one to two hours (one way) for commuting.
• If you have a car, don’t use it. You’ll get there faster and in a better mood. You can even catch up on some reading (but then again, nobody reads while commuting; they converse with friends through text messaging). It’ll save you the hassle of finding a parking spot too.
• Stay away from malls, if you can. The roads around malls are like quicksand; once you’re there you stop moving and there is no getting out.
• Being nice is good, but you’ll definitely finish last. The recommended distance between you and the car ahead is six inches. Anything larger than six inches is a temptation that other drivers will not be able to resist.
• Never, under any circumstance, assume that another driver is letting you pass. Unless you have it in writing (and notarized), they are probably just distracted (with texting—did I mention drivers txt while driving?).
• Flashing your light at another driver means YOU are going first, not them.
• Don’t be shy about using your horns. Believe it or not, it is an essential part of road communications, and is much better than rolling down your windows and shouting some flattering compliments or using sign language using your fist or finger.