Monday, January 09, 2006
Christmas Parties in the Philippines
Christmas parties here in the Philippines are very different than those in the states. Filipinos love to have parties. In the states, you have a Christmas party and it is Christmas carols, cookies, maybe a gift exchange and that is it. Everyone leaves and the party is over. First of all, here you have to have a theme. That is how the gifts are picked. You have to have lots of food. There is spaghetti, some sort of fish, chicken, rice of course, and vegetables. Not just cookies and you are good. Also you have to have a Christmas party with every single group. We had one with the office, the Ventures for Victory team, and Outland staff. All in one week with two being on the same day. Then everyone waits around until they are pretty much kicked out. They will wait for someone to leave before they leave which means the parties can last many hours. Also you have to get a gift for all of the people. But unless you tell them too they will not open them in front of you. Culturally it is not okay to open the gift because then you are saying the gift is more important than the person. BUT they love gifts!
Average Day
I keep hearing a lot of requests of what an average day is like for us living here in the Philippines. Well, this is just one of the many reasons of why were wanting to do this trip to see the day to day, in and out, and living a missionary's life or at least here in the Philippines.
Though, this is a hard question to fully explain, answer, and give you every last detail of our “day to day” or “daily schedule” for many different reasons. But, we are wanting to share a story to maybe help shed a little light on an average day. And after thinking about this question there was this perfect day that just explains a lot of what can be an average day in the Philippines.
This was a few weeks ago and I was planning and running a three day high school girls basketball clinic. And I had set up a meeting with one of the main guys helping me out. So the meeting was planned for Thursday afternoon lunch meeting at noon. So this is how that Thursday went.
It started off me checking in and going to the office which is about 3 to 5 minute walk from our place. This particular day I believe I was preparing more for this three day camp, and preparing for this meeting, and did some paper work for Outland Adventure. After doing this, 11:35 comes around time for me to head to my meeting. So 11:35 I walk out of office to take a taxi to my meeting which was set for 12 and it was going be held over lunch. So 11:35 I get into a taxi to head only what should take about 15 minutes if that. Though depending on traffic... that day I was running late and did not get there until 12:05. Though I noticed that it I would be late so me being the nice person/American that I am I texted* the person that I was meeting that I was running a little late. After about another five minutes the person that I was to meet texted back only to share “I better get a move on and get going then”. After several minutes of waiting, I received another text saying he would be there shortly. Well, 12:25 comes rolling around and other text asking where officially should we meet at. So 12:45 we actually figured out a the official place we were going to eat and meet at. So the decision was made I was going to rough it and eat at Pizza Hut. Well, by the time we sit down it's probably no joke now a 1 o'clock meeting which was scheduled for 12! Welcome to the Philippines. So after 1 is when we sit down and start talking about how things are doing, and going on. 1:20 we order our food. And so we talk a little more and then decide lets get down to business and talk about the full plan of this three day basketball clinic. Well, about 2:00 our food comes and the guy I am meeting says lets eat and put aside the business issues of this clinic and just eat and talk some more. If you have not got it by now Philippines stress relationship/talking and making everyone happy over real issues or matters. So after we are officially finished eating it's no joke already 2:45. So know it's time to get down to business and just explaining a lot of the details of whats going on and how to work together to plan this basketball clinic together. Well, finally it was 3:50 and I looked down to see what time it is, and told him I am very sorry we are going to have to finish this up and I had be somewhere else by 4.
So let's just reflect and even I did on this matter. I am thinking man I was so busy and had a lot to do today and then when I look back and figure out what all I did it just shows up as one meeting that lasted forever. Culturally we are looking at this first from the American side people are thinking you had one meeting and went into the office for a little work in the morning then just one meeting the rest of the afternoon. Americans would say your crazy, your lazy, your wasting time, not doing enough, that's all! Though as hard as this is to believe cultural on the Philippine side and being on this side of the world, with all kinds of different factors. This was a pretty busy day! Yet your thinking to yourself all you did was meet with one person! And yes this is true, but the Philippine people who are more interested in the relationship then the task, to a culture that is always late, and sometimes things aren't as easy, convenient, or practical. Welcome to the Philippines!! Though at times especially with being late, and the time Tara has wanted to pull her hair out over the matter. One thing you learn really fast is flexibility! Now that I have tried to paint a picture of the differences through an average day. We also don't want to give the wrong impression that we are just having one meeting everyday that's not the idea or the plan, but sometimes it happens. Though I thought this story was a perfect story to share to show how an average day in the Philippines can be very very different Americans eyes and world!
For me, Tara, an average day is mainly spent in taxis and lines. Grocery stores here are only in malls which means they are only open from 10am to 8pm and refrigerators are much smaller here so you have to shop for everyday's meals pretty much maybe 2 days but that is it. Also things mold a lot faster because it is so hot. Bread will only last about 2 days not in a refrigerator. So a lot of my time is spent going to the grocery store to be completely honest. However, I also spend time at Faith Academy (the missionary school here in Davao) helping an Asian girl learn English better and a Spanish boy learn numbers and letters. Also I am going to start teaching a class to middle schoolers about babysitting. Then there is also Bible Study which never starts at the time we scheduled. Like Eric said Filipinos are all about the relationship not time.
*texting is instant email done phone to phone. Which is pretty much all that Philippines use. Reasons for using it, it's fast, it's cheap, and fun I guess. (it was also very popular in Europe from my experience there). Though I don't think it will ever be popular in the states we just call which to me makes more since, but they just text a message and sent it to the person all by phone. The main reason for this is because it is usually cheaper to text than to call. Also we can text people in the states even if you would like a text from us just let us know. We would love to send you a text SERIOUSLY!!
Though, this is a hard question to fully explain, answer, and give you every last detail of our “day to day” or “daily schedule” for many different reasons. But, we are wanting to share a story to maybe help shed a little light on an average day. And after thinking about this question there was this perfect day that just explains a lot of what can be an average day in the Philippines.
This was a few weeks ago and I was planning and running a three day high school girls basketball clinic. And I had set up a meeting with one of the main guys helping me out. So the meeting was planned for Thursday afternoon lunch meeting at noon. So this is how that Thursday went.
It started off me checking in and going to the office which is about 3 to 5 minute walk from our place. This particular day I believe I was preparing more for this three day camp, and preparing for this meeting, and did some paper work for Outland Adventure. After doing this, 11:35 comes around time for me to head to my meeting. So 11:35 I walk out of office to take a taxi to my meeting which was set for 12 and it was going be held over lunch. So 11:35 I get into a taxi to head only what should take about 15 minutes if that. Though depending on traffic... that day I was running late and did not get there until 12:05. Though I noticed that it I would be late so me being the nice person/American that I am I texted* the person that I was meeting that I was running a little late. After about another five minutes the person that I was to meet texted back only to share “I better get a move on and get going then”. After several minutes of waiting, I received another text saying he would be there shortly. Well, 12:25 comes rolling around and other text asking where officially should we meet at. So 12:45 we actually figured out a the official place we were going to eat and meet at. So the decision was made I was going to rough it and eat at Pizza Hut. Well, by the time we sit down it's probably no joke now a 1 o'clock meeting which was scheduled for 12! Welcome to the Philippines. So after 1 is when we sit down and start talking about how things are doing, and going on. 1:20 we order our food. And so we talk a little more and then decide lets get down to business and talk about the full plan of this three day basketball clinic. Well, about 2:00 our food comes and the guy I am meeting says lets eat and put aside the business issues of this clinic and just eat and talk some more. If you have not got it by now Philippines stress relationship/talking and making everyone happy over real issues or matters. So after we are officially finished eating it's no joke already 2:45. So know it's time to get down to business and just explaining a lot of the details of whats going on and how to work together to plan this basketball clinic together. Well, finally it was 3:50 and I looked down to see what time it is, and told him I am very sorry we are going to have to finish this up and I had be somewhere else by 4.
So let's just reflect and even I did on this matter. I am thinking man I was so busy and had a lot to do today and then when I look back and figure out what all I did it just shows up as one meeting that lasted forever. Culturally we are looking at this first from the American side people are thinking you had one meeting and went into the office for a little work in the morning then just one meeting the rest of the afternoon. Americans would say your crazy, your lazy, your wasting time, not doing enough, that's all! Though as hard as this is to believe cultural on the Philippine side and being on this side of the world, with all kinds of different factors. This was a pretty busy day! Yet your thinking to yourself all you did was meet with one person! And yes this is true, but the Philippine people who are more interested in the relationship then the task, to a culture that is always late, and sometimes things aren't as easy, convenient, or practical. Welcome to the Philippines!! Though at times especially with being late, and the time Tara has wanted to pull her hair out over the matter. One thing you learn really fast is flexibility! Now that I have tried to paint a picture of the differences through an average day. We also don't want to give the wrong impression that we are just having one meeting everyday that's not the idea or the plan, but sometimes it happens. Though I thought this story was a perfect story to share to show how an average day in the Philippines can be very very different Americans eyes and world!
For me, Tara, an average day is mainly spent in taxis and lines. Grocery stores here are only in malls which means they are only open from 10am to 8pm and refrigerators are much smaller here so you have to shop for everyday's meals pretty much maybe 2 days but that is it. Also things mold a lot faster because it is so hot. Bread will only last about 2 days not in a refrigerator. So a lot of my time is spent going to the grocery store to be completely honest. However, I also spend time at Faith Academy (the missionary school here in Davao) helping an Asian girl learn English better and a Spanish boy learn numbers and letters. Also I am going to start teaching a class to middle schoolers about babysitting. Then there is also Bible Study which never starts at the time we scheduled. Like Eric said Filipinos are all about the relationship not time.
*texting is instant email done phone to phone. Which is pretty much all that Philippines use. Reasons for using it, it's fast, it's cheap, and fun I guess. (it was also very popular in Europe from my experience there). Though I don't think it will ever be popular in the states we just call which to me makes more since, but they just text a message and sent it to the person all by phone. The main reason for this is because it is usually cheaper to text than to call. Also we can text people in the states even if you would like a text from us just let us know. We would love to send you a text SERIOUSLY!!
New Experiences
There are a lot of things we would have never expected to happen to us. Things are sometimes extremely different here in the Philippines. One thing is when people go on strike here they try to keep you from doing whatever you were wanting to do physically by completely blocking your way. In the states they are just outside with signs. Here they put up signs and then line up cars or pedicabs to block your way.
There are brown outs all the time here. A brown out is basically power failure. There is no real reason for the brown out. In the states there is a storm or lightening or something to that effect. Here they might be fixing something so power is out or honestly there is no reason at all. My personal opinion of the worst time to be caught in a brown out is in a grocery store.
In the states your bills will have a if after this date you have to pay this amount which includes your late fee. Here in the Philippines there is a discount period if you pay your bill early, a normal fee which is on time, and a late fee. Time is of no consideration.
Filipinos are very open and honest and will talk about anything. In the states we will not talk to strangers about anything. Here they will tell you all about there prison time or how they were deported if you want to hear.
You have to have spacers for pictures otherwise they will stick to the glass due to condensation and will ruin your pictures. BUT you can't find them anywhere here. And no one knows what you are talking about.
There are brown outs all the time here. A brown out is basically power failure. There is no real reason for the brown out. In the states there is a storm or lightening or something to that effect. Here they might be fixing something so power is out or honestly there is no reason at all. My personal opinion of the worst time to be caught in a brown out is in a grocery store.
In the states your bills will have a if after this date you have to pay this amount which includes your late fee. Here in the Philippines there is a discount period if you pay your bill early, a normal fee which is on time, and a late fee. Time is of no consideration.
Filipinos are very open and honest and will talk about anything. In the states we will not talk to strangers about anything. Here they will tell you all about there prison time or how they were deported if you want to hear.
You have to have spacers for pictures otherwise they will stick to the glass due to condensation and will ruin your pictures. BUT you can't find them anywhere here. And no one knows what you are talking about.
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