Happy Filipinos

How often do you see someone smiling in a funeral home? When you're stuck in a traffic nightmare under the hot sun, can you still have a good day? Living in a not-so-developed tropical country, how do Filipinos manage to keep a genuine smile on their faces?

This is one of the reasons why living in the Philippines is fun even though its not as rich as other countries. Almost every filipino smile or laugh at least once a day. Normally, they laugh right after they woke up and saw a funny commercial on the television or heard a hilarious morning joke on the radio. This continues... Some co-workers/classmates/friends will take turns telling funny stories about things that happened to them or exchange even the corniest and oldest jokes.

No joke is too corny for a filipino. No matter how old that joke is, there would always be someone in a group of five friends who would start laughing so hard and the rest would follow. Filipinos are very appreciative, when they know that you are trying to make them laugh, they will always try to find something funny about what you say or do and then laugh to make you feel that you did a great job making someone happy.

Lunch time. Even before this time comes, they are already planning where to eat and what they are going to eat. Lunch time is always exciting because filipinos usually have lunch together with some other people. It is rare to see someone having lunch alone. Someone would remember his/her embarrassing moment while eating and will tell it to his/her companions. They talk while they eat, so what? Its fun and filipinos live to enjoy every moment of their lives.

The day ends. At night, filipinos love to watch some telenovelas and late night gag shows. Some would go to clubs and party all night. So there's still fun and laughter even before they sleep.

Smiling in a funeral home? Some would think its weird but if we will pay attention, we will notice this in almost every funeral home in the Philippines. Filipinos are known for loving their family next to God, they feel so much pain when a family member dies. What they think is.. no matter how much we love a person, they can't be with us forever and we just have to accept the fact that they are gone and just hope that they are happy wherever they are now. Filipinos cry when someone they love dies but they believe that they should be happy so their loved one's soul would be happy too.

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White Skin for Filipinos

If you are traveling in the Philippines, don't be surprised if you see these commercials when you turn on the television..

"Skin-Whitening products"

Probably one of the most popular and the best sellers in the Philippines and in other Asian countries. While some western people spend lots of money to achieve a darker skin, some Filipinos spend theirs on skin-whitening products.

Well, surprise!

Some people would do anything to get that tan beach babe look when some already had it but are still trying to get rid of it. That's just the way things are, we want what we don't have. We don't appreciate what God gave us. Maybe he made us different so someone else could appreciate those differences. Just imagine if everyone looks alike, its like removing the colors of a rainbow.

Some filipinos are born with a lighter skin tone, I'm one of them. People here think I'm lucky and when I say that I want darker skin, they would say "Are you crazy?!".
I don't know why they react like that. Its not that I don't like being light-skinned because sometimes I could use it for my advantage :D LOL. I just want to try something new and maybe I could inspire some filipinos and show them that.. Hey I'm filipino too but I want darker skin! But I realized that by doing that, I will be changing myself and I don't know how that could inspire filipinos not to change themselves.

I wish filipinos would know that in some parts of the world, there are people who appreciate their beauty and would actually want to have some characteristics they have. If most celebrities and rich people here have white skin, how can we tell some filipinos to embrace their dark skin? I don't think it would also be good for the the businesses, the economy if filipinos suddenly stop buying these skin-whitening products because there are a lot of companies who are dedicated in selling these products.

I guess we should just let people do whatever they want to make themselves happy.

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Standard of Beauty in the Philippines

Most Filipinos have brown skin, dark hair and eyes, not so pointy nose and their eyes are usually bigger than the other Asians'. Not all Filipinos look like this because some are light-skinned, taller and look like Caucasians. Its because the Philippines was colonized by Spain for a long time. Some also have smaller eyes, silky white skin, they look just like the Chinese people.

People in the Philippines have their own preferences.
Some may like the Caucasian looking Filipinos, others the Chinese looking Filipinos and some still prefer the ones who look purely Filipino.

Even though they have different tastes, there is still a standard that most Filipinos look for.


FOR WOMEN:

Skin

Since most Filipinos are dark-skinned, light-skinned women are considered rare, exotic and very attractive. Plus, it looks clean and more feminine on women.I'm not saying that dark skin is not attractive, it is.. but I'm just writing about what catches the attention of the Filipinos. Its just that.. if you're in a crowd of dark-skinned people, having white skin will make you stand out. The same when in a crowd of light-skinned people, being dark would make you stand out.


Facial Features

A pointy nose is not easy to find in The Philippines and most of the people who have this feature are the Caucasians and some Japanese, Koreans and Chinese. But a woman's nose should be a little smaller than a man's nose.

Most Filipinos don't really care about the size of women's eyes. Long lashes are just enchanting on women. If a woman has long curly lashes and shiny, expressive eyes. Any man would fall under her spell.

Thinner lips are good. A lot of women here have full lips and full lips are not considered as sexy as it is viewed in Western countries. Although there are some celebrities who get injections to have that Angelina Jolie look--just like other Asians, most Filipinos prefer thinner lips.

Physically, the face matters most. No one could resist a beautiful face even if the body is not as good.

Body

Although we see a lot of tall models and celebrities on Philippine TV. Most Filipinos still believe that women who are shorter than men are more attractive. They prefer women with a Coca-Cola bottle shaped body: big bust, small waist, big buttocks and rounder legs. Of course, not all are like this. The influence of Hollywood is still there so women here feel the pressure of getting slimmer.

Hair

Long and shiny hair. Whatever the color, black or brown, reddish.. Just as long as it looks natural on the woman.

Attitude

In the Philippines, women are expected to be respectful to elders and God-fearing. They take good care of their family, they are loving, feminine and has a lot of knowledge inside the house. I know that there are a lot of women in the Philippines who aren't like this anymore but that doesn't mean that they are not attractive. It still depends on the individual.




Don't worry if you don't have these characteristics. It doesn't mean that no one would like you when you come to the Philippines. Not everyone prefer women who have the characteristics above.

Attitude and personality is still the reason why people stay on our sides, not looks. So even if you have all the characteristics above, you can't expect everyone to like you. After all the scandals that the country has been into, the Philippines is still a conservative nation and people would treat you based on what they see under your skin.

Intelligence is important too. Not always academically, just common sense. Someone who can think outside the box and can still have a good sense of humor.

<3

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English to Filipino (Tagalog) Translation

The best way to impress a Filipino is to talk to him/her in Tagalog. It is common for Filipinos to be able to understand or speak three languages; Tagalog, English, Spanish. Some could speak other Filipino dialects because the Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands. There are over 170 dialects but the Tagalog is considered the official language because it is commonly used.

In this post, I will translate the English words/sentences in Tagalog.
You could e-mail me if you want to know more at joann_mis@yahoo.com
Let's start from the basic:

Yes -- Oo
No -- Hindi
Maybe -- Siguro

Relationships/Family:

Aunt -- Tita
Best friend -- Matalik na kaibigan
Boyfriend -- Nobyo/Kasintahan
Brother-in-law -- Bayaw
Child -- Anak
Childhood Friend -- Kababata
Cousin -- Pinsan
Co-worker -- Katrabaho
Enemy/Foe -- Kaaway
Father -- Tatay/Ama
Friend -- Kaibigan
Girlfriend -- Nobya/Kasintahan
Grandfather -- Lolo
Grandmother -- Lola
Husband/Wife -- Asawa
Mother -- Nanay/Ina
Mother/Father-in-law -- Biyenan/Byenan
Neighbor -- Kapitbahay
Niece/Nephew -- Pamangkin
Office mate -- Kaopisina
Older Brother -- Kuya
Older Sister -- Ate
Oldest brother/sister -- Panganay
Pet -- Alaga
Rival -- Karibal
Sibling -- Kapatid
Siblings -- Magkakapatid
Sister-in-law -- Hipag
Son/Daughter-in-law -- Manugang
Uncle -- Tito
Youngest brother/sister -- Bunso


Sentences:

How are you? -- Kamusta ka?
My name is (name) -- Ang pangalan ko ay (name)
or
I am (name) -- Ako si (name)
What's your name? -- Anong pangalan mo?
What's his/her name? -- Anong pangalan nila?
Thank you -- Salamat
or
Thank you very much -- Maraming salamat
You are beautiful -- Maganda ka/Ang ganda mo
or
You are very beautiful -- Napakaganda mo
You are handsome -- Gwapo ka/Pogi ka
or
You are very handsome -- Napakagwapo mo/Napakapogi mo
I love you -- Mahal kita/Iniibig kita
I like you -- Gusto kita
Take care -- Ingat/Mag-ingat ka
I love you very much -- Mahal na mahal kita
I want to marry you -- Gusto kitang pakasalan
Where do you live? -- Saan ka nakatira?
Do you love me? -- Mahal mo ba ako?
Do you like me? -- Gusto mo ba ako?

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Dating Site,Home of the Thieves,Are You Safe?

There are a lot of people who will do anything just to get money.
These people usually use the internet to fool someone and get their money.
You can find some of them on internet dating sites.
She/He could be that beautiful woman you just met on the site or may be someone you've been talking to for a long time.
You need to be careful and do not give them your money just like that,she will leave you right after you gave her the money.
Do not be fooled.
Here are things that those thieves could do and how you can avoid being fooled.

He or She may

-use a picture of a beautiful/handsome woman/man so you would find her/him attractive

-talk sweet to you and compliment you all the time

-say she/he loves you even though you only talked to each other in a short time

-always ask about what your job is,ask if you have a car,if you're rich and anything related to money

-you always catch her/him lying

-if she/he is too good to be true,then she/he probably isn't (true)

-if she/he talks about how hard her/his life is,that someone from her/his family is sick and how poor they are,that they don't have money,she/he probably just want you to give her/him money or want to use you as a milking cow

It is really hard to find someone who would really love you especially at this time,finding an honest person is like one in a million.

Here are things that you should do to avoid these thieves and find true love.

-investigate,interrogate (does that sound funny?) anyway,its not wrong to trust but it wouldn't hurt to ask

-ask her/him about her/his life,then remember all her/his answers,then ask her/him the same questions again after some time,if her/his answers did not match to her/his answers before..

then..

the theft is probably an amateur or has poor memory,stop talking to her/him,what a liar

-do not believe in everything she/he say

-chat cam to cam,facial expressions are important to see if a person really mean everything she/he say,check your chat mate's facial expressions..

does it match what she/he say?

-web cam is also important to see if that person is really the one you are talking to,

also..

some people use other people's picture,these are fake profiles,make sure that she/he is really the person in her/his profile photo

-try to meet her/him in person,its hard to show your feelings or give everything on the internet

If you're sure that she's/he's honest,don't let her/him go!

Get to know her/him more and maybe something will grow between the two of you and could lead to marriage.

Hope this helps!If you have questions,feel free to give a comment.

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Ways To Show Respect To Filipinos And Not Offend Them

Filipinos are humorous people but they are very sensitive.
A non-filipino who is very frank may easily offend a filipino without being aware of it.
Being frank in the filipino culture or going 'straight to the point' is considered RUDE and disrespectful especially if you're giving a not-so-good comment.

Here are things that you should do or say so you won't offend anyone:

-don't talk about politics or the philippine economy,corruption etc.

-do not talk to elders and women in the same way you talk to men of your own age
talking to women and elders should be with more respect

-if someone offered you food,take it
refusing is considered disrespectful

-don't give comments like

'disgusting'

'i don't like this'

or any facial expressions that could give that meaning

-if you don't like the food,don't say

'i don't like it'

just say

'thanks but i prefer this one'

-always smile so people will feel good about you

-its normal for filipinos to smile,do not think that they are crazy

-if someone asks for your opinion
be kind,
don't be frank

Example:

Someone asks you if her dress looks good on her,don't say something like

'no'
or
'if i were you,i would never wear that',

just say

'yes but i think the other one would look better on you'

always follow it with a suggestion so you wouldn't feel guilty about lying

-during an argument,when a woman is already mad and she speaks
a guy should respect her,never answer back

-don't answer back when elders are giving you comments for something bad that you did

-never turn your back on someone who is talking to you

-'yes' in Tagalog is 'oo' but if you are talking to someone older than you or someone in a higher position,you should say 'opo' to show respect

-bowing your head when saying 'sorry' or 'smiling' are the simplest ways to show respect

-saying 'how are you?' (kumusta ka?,in Tagalog) or 'how do you feel?','are you okay?' is a way to show them that you care

-joining a conversation with them or simply drinking beer with the guys are signs that you wanna make friends

-don't be too quiet,some people would think that you're a snob

-if you're uncomfortable,you can stay quiet but keep a smile on your face

-karaoke!filipinos love to sing,they may ask you to sing
singing at least one song even if you're not good or totally out of tune will make them happy
it would be appreciated

-saying a sentence in Tagalog (filipino language) would be very much appreciated

-respect the women
filipino women are not cheap or easy
the desperate ones who only want your money should be ignored
the hard-to-get ones are the women who would really love you forever

-compliment-calling the men 'pare' (pah-reh) shows friendliness

Hope this helps,if you wanna ask something,feel free to give comments!

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Filipino Guy:When Men Cheat

A filipino man giving you a cold shoulder may act like this

-always come home late or sometimes not come home until the next day

-hangs out with his friends after work instead of going home

-comes home but acts like you don't exist

-kissing,hugging or all kinds of affection annoys him

-sleeps in the far side of the bed

-sleeps on the sofa instead

-doesn't wanna go together with you on a vacation saying he needs to work,watch the house and other crappy excuses

-wouldn't have sex with you and make love with the beer instead

-flirts with other women,check his phone,he may have a lot female 'friends' that you haven't heard of before

sometimes men use masculine names to hide the 'other woman' and don't get caught by their wives,names like 'jack','carlo','roger' etc. are used so their wives wouldn't be suspicious when they see their contacts list which is funny when you see a masculine name like what I've just mentioned saying 'I love you' to your husband or calling him 'baby' in text messages
if you ask him

'Why is this guy calling you baby?'

he would say

'He's just a male friend,he's just joking'

then you ask

'Are you gay?'

thats the easiest way to make him admit that he's cheating 'cause he'd rather tell you that he has another woman hiding in a guy's name in his contacts detail than tell you that he's gay,that is..if he's straight.

In Filipino culture,the husband should work and be a good provider
the wife should stay at home and take care of the family
the wife always acts feminine
filipino women are raised that way
their parents always teach them to be patient,caring,sweet,loving and should do the house chores
although there are some filipino women who hire a 'yaya' to take care of their children
its very rare to find those kind of filipino women
happens if they are not raised in the Philippines and with their filipino family.

Sex is the best way to get man back,be more affectionate,intimate,passionate whatever..haha

okay serious..

show him that you want him,you need him,feed his ego,tell him how much you love him
instead of going out there and humiliate him in front of everybody including his 'other woman'
investigate
be observant
look at that woman and ask yourself

'What does my husband love about her?'

'What does she have that I don't?'

don't fool yourself and criticize the 'other woman'
come on honey
you know you're better than that
that would only prove that you're insecure
see the truth!

If the woman is sweet and sexy,then be SWEETER and SEXIER!

Learn something from her and do it BETTER,your husband would just realize that he made the biggest mistake of replacing his wife who is so much better than his 'other woman'.

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