If a foreigner visits our country, who is to adjust?

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Doctor J

I always go by the dictum "When you are in Rome, do as the Romans do".

This is most correct. The visitor is, for all intents and purposes the curious intruder. Therefore he/she can not impose on the hosts. In fact, I would tend to think that the guest who adjusts would enjoy the experience of doing something that he/she is not normally accustomed to doing. This is a great learning process, and this is my own mindset too whenever and wherever I travel.

Just about the only exception would be the hotels who would cater to the whims and fancies of moneyed travelers. A VIP guest can practically re-arrange the suite, and hotel managers oblige, when a VIP guest is booked into their hotels.

moon

the foreigner cause we filipino have nothing to change we are hospitable

luosechi é§±å£«åŸº

There is an old old saying... "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". I think it's self explanatory. I, as a foreigner in the Philippines must adjust and (within the law) try to live as a Filipino; otherwise your Mr. Enrile might deport me.

_smile_'s Kometa of Biga-a

90% for the visitor. 10% for the host.

The foreigner , when I first visited the Philippines , I came in at night so I just seen all the lights from the bay and other big buildings , the next day I was surprised how much Manila was like the US city just lot more nutty drivers . It took me a few days to adjust to the flow of the Philippine people . I spent 5 weeks mainly in Manila and Antipolo. By time I left I had a very good understanding in the ways and how different in the ways people act , the only thing that took me a little while to adjust to is Everyone wants to feed you in some way, I stopped in a small store to ask for directions and a sweet older lady asked me if I wanted something to drink .

The Philippines are very easy to adjust to main things are be careful crossing the roads drivers may or may not see you, life moves slower there and do not drink the water , that one I learned the hard way.

Delauria

The very simple truth is:

"When you are in Rome, do what the Romans do!"

Take it or leave it - you did not go there to change them, but to know more about them.

caito kid

The foreigner. We have this saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. That will apply to everywhere. The foreigner, being the minority, must conform to the rule of the majority. A foreigner cannot change the culture of the land he is visiting out of whim or just to suit his fancy. Look at it this way, when you go to a party and don't like the food, you just don't say to the host, cook me please another dish because I don't eat what you serve. Either you adjust your tastebuds or leave the party.

flipperr

I think it kinda goes both ways. I mean the foreigner should know a little bit so that they don't seem rude to the locals. But at the same time most foreigners who visit a country are only there for a short amount of time. So they probably wouldn't have the time to learn the language in 2 or 3 weeks. Imagine going on vacation to China and not knowing how to read Chinese.

Being friendly to tourists doesn't really mean that you have to adjust your whole culture. Its just a way of letting people enjoy what you have to offer.

***Remember these people are there to visit. Besides they're not exactly foreign invaders armed with cameras and camcorders trying to conquer another country.***

***I have to agree with some of what what "Chris" says. I do notice (in the US at least) that most Filipinos tend to clique together. I don't mind that but they always tend to have their little Filipino gatherings, Filipino lunch buddies, or Filipino only birthday parties. As if they didn't know how to adjust to other people around them. No disrespect but personally I don't mind mingling with different types of people. Filipinos tend to be really cliquish in Korea too.

Naturally the foreigner, after all he is only visiting your country. You as the host can make some minor adjustments BUT you shouldn't have to.
In this era of political correctness it seems to be the other way around in Australia. Everything seems to lean towards the minority groups.

Juan C

the foreigner... he's the one who is in a new environment...

blue gardenia

the foreigner adjusts; we accommodate.

Bhuwisit

In most cases, it is the foreigner. When pinoys visit or work in other nations, we dont force the locals to speak our language, eat our food, or otherwise adapt to our ways--no matter how much I feel that these guys could learn some positive Filipino qualities.

So when I see "Joe", "Abdul","Xing","Dieter", whoever in my 'hood, I fully expect them to show deference to the locals. That means no public bad mouthing or any overt disrespect to any person, location or practice in their environment.

If you're a halfway decent visitor to a nation, you would take the trouble to learn the language, too. Every pinoy who has lived overseas learns the local language with nary an exception. The fact that favor is not returned by long term foreign visitors to the Philippines I consider to be tantamount to a national insult. You know who you are and yes, you better believe it that we feel that way towards you--and that resentment will manifest itself in many ways. Maybe that's why the guilty are charged 5 times more for items. Hey you asked for it.

Chris

Hmmm, when Filipino's come to the USA, they tend to stay in Filipino groups. Let's say 5 Filipino Nurses who work at a hospital, with 40 other nurses (white, black, hispanic, korean, etc). The 5 Filipino nurses will hang out, go to parties together etc. If their child has a birthday party (and goes to school with all white and black children who are their friends) the parent will have a birthday party and not invite a single friend of their childs but rather only the filipino children of their filipino co workers or family.

So if you look at it that way Americans do an outstanding job adjusting in the Philippines. At parties in the Philippines you routinely see American children celebreate with Filipino classmates, and American workers invite coworkers over regardless of race. With exception to cultural organziations and housing, hard to really find Americans congregate in their social habits.

I went to England to visit my Filipino friends, and we went to a number of tourist spots. i was shocked when they could only tell me about the Chinese restaurants in those areas, having never bothered to even try local food when touring. But the truth is that we all have our favorite cup of tea and when touring or traveling we enjoy more from our culture foods. I mean my friends want to cook filipino food and eat it on vacation instead of sampling new and interesting foods. So it shouldn't be a huge shock when Americans tend to seek out more western style and prepared dishes such as baked Chicken as opposed to Pancit or Krispy Pata.

Further, my Filipino friend in Philippines (the guys) like to have girl friend while married, and I don't belive in this. So often times when they go out to drink and invite me they expect me to get a prostitute like they do. But I dont' do that, that's not my cultureal belief to buy a prostitute when you ahve a loving and devoted wife at home...according to Maslow's theory Loyalty (friendship) is below ethics. So you can't expect a person to sacrifice their personal ethics. Also my Filipino friends who are married ladies pretty much do the same thing in the USA (so it's cultural).

So in regards to ethics and food issues, it's best to meet the forienger half way. If they don't like to drink or get prosititue then it's no prostitutes and drunkeness during their stay. If they enjoy some Filipino food then you can be sure to invite them to dinner but have a few baked dishes (as diet is not an issue they can bend too much on), and many americans are overweight and need to eat baked foods (so have an option on the table).

Big P

The foreigner must adjust. The visiting foreigner should always have an open mind but locals (even though some locals are too ignorant) should have an open mind knowing that the foreigner does'nt have the same habits of the locals.

_elah_

of course they will. .not us.. hehehehe!!my own opinion only..

annabelle p

Like it's said "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" which means, a foreign visitor has to adjust to the ways/customs/laws of the country/people s/he is visiting and not the other way. Although there are instances when a local can make allowances for a stranger's remiss/shortcomings in observing some customs as long as s/he does not commit irreparable damage to life and property.

ThinkTank

If I am in a foreign place, I will adjust. The one who is comfortable should adjust.

DNT

It depends on if you want that foreigner's money or not. If you do, you adjust. Otherwise they don';t come back and neither do their friends, If you don't they adjust and if they don't like that, they never come back anyway so it does not matter.

izzy

if any foreigner visit any country, the foreigners are responsible for adjusting but since filipinos are very hospitable, we adjust for these foreigners to feel comfortable and welcome in our country.

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