Today I had lunch with the only Pinoy student I’ve met here in NTU. D was introduced to me by his classmate and my neighbour M. It was really nice and refreshing to talk to a fellow student in Tagalog, somebody whom I can freely express my hang ups about school and about life without losing some of my ideas in translation, and without worrying whether he will be offended by anything I would have to say.
We Pinoys have a lot of idiosyncrasies, from pointing to something with our pouted lips, to taking a bath twice to thrice a day. And the only people who can understand us, from our best to our worst, is our fellow Flips. That’s why when Pinoys migrate, they settle in areas where there’s already a large Filiipino community, to make the transition to the new country a little easier.
Which isn’t to say we get along all the time. One nurse I’ve met here in SG told me that in the hospital where she works in, she has a problem managing her Filipino staff. A former colleague left her job here after a mere three months—she couldn’t stand working for her Filipino boss, who was unreasonably competitive and insecure of her.
But for my part, I would like to hang out more with other Pinoys. Nothing beats having to speak to somebody in your native language, and to joke with them without explaining the context. I’m sure there will be people out there I won’t get along with, but I’m going to be a Polyanna—I will believe a person is good, until I’m proven otherwise.
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