Some Thoughts On "People"

Visiting the Philippines is always an adventure. Experiencing the culture is always a learning experience whether it be trying new foods, visiting in new communities, or getting acquainted with different people and all the different lifestyles. As is common in traveling, coming home sometimes has its adjustments…a little culture shock if you will.

When I am in the Philippines I AM IN THE PHILIPPINES fully aware of my surroundings and taking in all that I see and do. After a few days of adjustment there, I begin to become acclimated to my situations. Since I have been there several times, I have become somewhat accustomed to how to get around in traveling, where my major points of destination are, what to expect when I book and actually stay in a motel, and how gracious the Filipinos are.

One major cultural shift for me when I return home is the traffic and the people. Of course, in my town and in one there, all things are not created equal. At either place, there are quiet times and there are busy times. But I have to say that while I am in the Philippines I don’t experience too much quiet times except after dark. Even then there is much noise as the public transportation vehicles travel down the road.

During the day, there are people everywhere inside and outside. The stores are full. The traffic is thick, the vehicles are noisy, and the sidewalks (if there are any) are crowded. The city of Manila has a continuous presence of people getting on and off transportation vehicles, buying items at the market and little business stands (Sari Sari stores), crowding into grocery stores, and people lining the streets during day. This same scenario is played out on some level in most towns and villages because the population is large everywhere. 

The common denominator in all of this is people. If you want to have a conversation with someone, you don’t have to go far. Actually, you are probably going to be close to somebody most of the time. People are constantly interacting with each other…asking for directions, paying transportation fares, talking to family, ordering food, buying gas, asking for prices of items for sale, and parents disciplining children. I could go on and on with various situations but you get the idea. People, people, people. Even down in the provinces, everything is the same. People walking the streets talking to neighbors, kids playing together, families sitting around talking, and, of course, the sounds of vehicles can be heard. As you might imagine, I like those people near me when I have a question.

When I was an interim pastor in 2007, I stayed with a family in a well-to-do community. (Nothing like mine…lol) They lived on a street full of condos with about eight feet of space in-between each one. Every condo had a garage and a small yard which called for low outside maintenance. 

One afternoon, I was sitting outside studying when people started coming home from work. So I sat and watched. Here is what I saw. Cars would pull into the driveway, the garage door would open, the car would pull into the garage, and the garage door would shut. The person driving the car never interacted with anyone outside of the house. I noticed that happened day after day after day. On Saturday, there usually was a little conversation between neighbors as they cared for their little plot of ground but the talk was short and sweet. There was definitely the feel of a cocoon neighborhood with the house serving as the cocoon. People go in and come out rarely communicating with anyone. As of yet, I have not found that in the Philippines. 

When I get home, that is a big adjustment for me. Everything is too quiet and there is no one around. Yes, I long to hear a bus or jeepney or a motorcycle go by. There isn’t even a faint smell of gas fumes in the air which is a good thing. Lol I keep looking up and down the street to see if anyone comes out of their house or if anyone is walking down the road. Yes, a little adjustment and a big culture shock. Just too quiet. Lol