15 Cases of Culture Shock Abroad as a Filipino Traveller

Travelling to another country is like going to school for the very first time. Sure, it’s exciting. But even as prepared as you are sometimes, you can’t always anticipate all the most outrageous things that can happen while exploring a foreign land.

I don’t know about you, but these things have definitely managed to give me that ‘shookt’ moment I wasn’t prepared for as someone who grew up in a country like the Philippines.

Also read: 15 Struggles of a First-Time Filipino Traveller Abroad

1. Ang bilis ng tren!

It might be a norm for countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. But coming from the Philippines, where our train system is still far from the most modern, it’s certainly like being young Lewis of Stephen John Anderson’s Meet the Robinsons!

2. May ganitong flavour pala?

Spicy, sour, bitter — you name it. Even flavours I never even thought had a name of their own actually existed in the most unusual destinations.

3. Jetlag for real

It wasn’t until I travelled to Nepal that I started to believe the effects of a different time zone. I know, it’s a mere two-hour difference from the Philippines, but still. It not only meant a change of environment, but also a change in the way my body functioned altogether.

4. Pakihinaan naman aircon

I thought Manila was hot, until I went to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah in the summertime. I believed I’d already experienced the coldest weather in Baguio, until I went to Nepal in the wintertime! I guess we’ll never really appreciate our own weather until we encounter these insane temperatures from other countries first-hand!

5. Ansabe mo?

Growing up in a country where English is spoken and even capitalised on every day, I once found it hard to believe that this so-called universal language isn’t as widely used by other nationalities. As a young traveller who didn’t know the benefits of learning a language when travelling before, I often had to rely on a live or digital translator to communicate with the locals.

6. Overrated much?

I used to think that it was just me who often found a number of attractions abroad disappointing after being on social media almost all the time. But no, there really are places that are too good to be true in photos!

7. Ilabas ang calculator!

Not only do I deal with different colours, textures, and even shapes of money when I travel abroad, I also have to deal with completely different price points. That means consulting my trusty phone calculator (if not Google) every time I spend on something.

8. Discrimination… it still exists

I used to volunteer with Westerners in a foreign homestay where we were supposed to do a similar set of tasks. But thanks to our local host, they totally got away with all the ‘real’ work around the place while I attended to them all the time. Unfortunately, I was even called out when I tried doing the same.

9. Bakit nasa kanan ‘yung manibela?!

Much like time differences, following the opposite road traffic system in another country requires me to reconfigure my entire mindset. Malaysia, for example, requires cars to drive on the left side of the road as compared to the Philippines. This time, however, it’s also a matter of safety. Tingin muna sa kanan? Yeah right.

10. What’s that smell?

A foreigner friend of a friend once said that Filipinos smell like fish, or basically anything with a saline odour. He didn’t mean it in an offensive way, though. When I was in a certain country, I thought locals smell like garlic. In another, curry. I guess we really are what we eat.

11. NOT only in the Philippines

Crazy traffic, durian, native transportation, taxi ‘problems’ — I was stunned to find out these things aren’t unique to the Philippines. They have tuktuks in Cambodia that look like bigger versions of our tricycles. They have a love for durian in Vietnam like that in Davao. Then, there are overcrowded roads and ‘choosy’ taxi drivers in Kathmandu, just like in Manila!

12. Ilabas ang kanin!

Love it or hate it, rice is part of Filipino culinary tradition and it has been for hundreds of years. I myself consume at least three cups of it in one sitting. So you can only imagine how frustrated I get when I go to countries where rice is not an option.

13. Doppelganger pa more

“Are you Filipino?”
“No, I’m a local.”
“Are you Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian?”
“Ay Pinoy rin po ako!”

Enough said.

14. Hala ang bait

I grew up believing that Filipinos are the most hospitable people in the world. So meeting nationalities who actually end up being a lot nicer to me even as a visitor always takes me by surprise.

15. Or not…

From friendly locals to rude and insensitive. Without naming names, I think it’s pretty clear that some nationalities are just notorious for their bad manners, from knocking into others on the street without apologising to stealing a table inside a restaurant or cutting in lines at visitor attractions.

Also read: 5 Foreign Experiences That Made Me Miss Life in the Philippines

I may not be as well travelled as the rest of you, but these things have proven to me that culture shock, good or bad, is no joke. But that’s okay. For newbie travellers, know that you’ll learn your way around them the more you keep on exploring. Just be ready and be respectful as much as possible!