Cultural Differences: Some things I've noticed around here...
(This is by no means a critique! I love being here and learning to live with the differences! It is often amusing but also trying.)
1. Rubber time
I am often late, as many of you know and have experienced first hand. But my inablity to organise my time efficently is no match for the Fillipinos! Case in point: I had set an exam for the graduating high school students and only 4 were there when I started the test. 3 even arrived 1.5 hours after the exam was scheuled to begin! This, I discovered, is by no means an unusual occurance. I am learning to wait. Patience.
2. Measuring a journey in time taken, not distance covered.
When I ask how far away a destination is, I always get a response in terms of the amount of time we're expected to travel, followed by a hope for good traffic conditions. So once I repeated the question, "No, I mean, how far away is it in kilometres?" My host had no idea. Because traffic here is so unpredictable, it is rather senseless to measure a journey by kilometres; it makes no difference anyway!
3. Physical affection
For some unknown reason, I am one of those strange creatures that have an aversion to being touched. Although I am sure it is partially cultural, it's also part of me. But Fillipino culture is not like that. The girls like to loop their arms around me when they walk with me, or hold my hand when talking. I'm getting used to it and not squirming when it happens. I'm okay with the girls doing it now but when the boys do something similiar I have to mentally remind myself that it's not personal, it's just cultural.
4. Sour food
Okay, so I thought I liked sour food, right? Wrong. I do like sour foods. But not to the extent of my Fillipino friends! We were having sour mangoes after lunch one day. And they were laughing at my face scrunched in agony as they happily munched on. And I then realised that sourness is not a taste often featured in Chinese cooking. Or if used is usually very mild like in sweet and sour pork.
5. Salty food
I confess I like what may appear to be bland food. I don't add any salt to my cooking. Fillippinos take it to the other extreme. I find myself taking more rice to combat the saltiness and water to wash it down. Frequently, I find myself enjoying a particular dish but not wanting to eat more of it because of its saltiness!
6. Insane traffic
I've always heard about traffic in Bangkok but traffic here is mad too. If you have to travel somewhere, arriving on time at the destination is not an option. When the Singapore team was here, it felt like we spent most of the week seeing the inside of the van! Sometimes it seems like there are no road rules. (Especially when the vechicle you're in crosses the divider and goes on the opposite side of the road with the on-coming traffic!) Crossing the road as a pedestrain is also an adventure in itself!
7, 8, 9 and 10 still to come...
1. Rubber time
I am often late, as many of you know and have experienced first hand. But my inablity to organise my time efficently is no match for the Fillipinos! Case in point: I had set an exam for the graduating high school students and only 4 were there when I started the test. 3 even arrived 1.5 hours after the exam was scheuled to begin! This, I discovered, is by no means an unusual occurance. I am learning to wait. Patience.
2. Measuring a journey in time taken, not distance covered.
When I ask how far away a destination is, I always get a response in terms of the amount of time we're expected to travel, followed by a hope for good traffic conditions. So once I repeated the question, "No, I mean, how far away is it in kilometres?" My host had no idea. Because traffic here is so unpredictable, it is rather senseless to measure a journey by kilometres; it makes no difference anyway!
3. Physical affection
For some unknown reason, I am one of those strange creatures that have an aversion to being touched. Although I am sure it is partially cultural, it's also part of me. But Fillipino culture is not like that. The girls like to loop their arms around me when they walk with me, or hold my hand when talking. I'm getting used to it and not squirming when it happens. I'm okay with the girls doing it now but when the boys do something similiar I have to mentally remind myself that it's not personal, it's just cultural.
4. Sour food
Okay, so I thought I liked sour food, right? Wrong. I do like sour foods. But not to the extent of my Fillipino friends! We were having sour mangoes after lunch one day. And they were laughing at my face scrunched in agony as they happily munched on. And I then realised that sourness is not a taste often featured in Chinese cooking. Or if used is usually very mild like in sweet and sour pork.
5. Salty food
I confess I like what may appear to be bland food. I don't add any salt to my cooking. Fillippinos take it to the other extreme. I find myself taking more rice to combat the saltiness and water to wash it down. Frequently, I find myself enjoying a particular dish but not wanting to eat more of it because of its saltiness!
6. Insane traffic
I've always heard about traffic in Bangkok but traffic here is mad too. If you have to travel somewhere, arriving on time at the destination is not an option. When the Singapore team was here, it felt like we spent most of the week seeing the inside of the van! Sometimes it seems like there are no road rules. (Especially when the vechicle you're in crosses the divider and goes on the opposite side of the road with the on-coming traffic!) Crossing the road as a pedestrain is also an adventure in itself!
7, 8, 9 and 10 still to come...
