Respect in a different perspective

Every Filipino-raised child in this world is taught a great deal about respect. We have almost have infinite forms of it. We add words in our sentences to show it like "po" and "opo". Whenever we meet our elders, we take their hand and touch it to our foreheads. We say "kuya", "ate", "tito", "tita" to practically everyone that is older than our age group. In old tagalog, there is even a name for every rank of the siblings. Considering the large numbers of children in the family, simply calling everyone older than you as "ate" and "kuya" just doesn't seem to be enough. There is the "diko", "ditse", "sanko" and "sanse". At schools, we address teachers and staff as ma'ams and sirs. This extends to the workplace when we give everyone in higher positions specific titles. The company I worked before goes beyond that. In there you call everyone, boss. I found it funny at first. But you learn to play along after awhile. And the list goes on and on. This is the Filipino way.

This is the way I was brought up in. And I have always wondered what the western way was like because it was supposed to be very different. I have heard stories that children call their parents by their first names. For me that was unthinkable. So when I got to Iceland I found out that it was really different.

For starters, everyone calls everyone by their first names. Yep as strange as it may seem, that is how it is here. So you'll never hear a person being called Mr. Lastname, as you would oftentimes be called in the Philippines. That goes true even at work. You don't have to call your boss, boss or sir. It got a little uncomfortable for me when I went to school. It just felt awkward calling your teachers by their first names. That took some getting used to.

It may sound strange especially for Filipinos, but the good thing is people still respect each other. The Icelanders don't need to use titles to show respect. They show it by the way they act and relate to other people. That is their way. I'm not saying this is better or worse than what I've been used to. I mean, it worked for them. Our way worked for us. It's just a different way of expressing it. I wouldn't have known that if I haven't lived in another country. This is just one of the many realizations that I made since getting here.

Graduation

Living and growing up in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of how things work in the world. I mean, how hard could it be? You go to school, get a degree, get a job, start a family, have kids and die happy. And so there I was, finally making my parents proud and adding 4 letters before my name. I felt on top of the world.

I imagined this moment many times in my life. A time when school would finally be over forever. Everyone wearing those togas, black this time! The graduates feeling all excited, ecstatic, sad and nervous all at the same time. No wonder I saw a lot of tears that day. Not only from them but from the parents as well. I'm sure our parents were extremely delighted to see their children march off to get their diplomas. But I guess they were more relieved than anything. After all Filipino parents consider giving the education to their children their supreme mandate.

After all the ceremonies and camera flashes, I celebrated with my family. After that I felt I fell into a deep sense of blankness. For years before, it was completely routine. Year after year, I would wake up and go to school. Classes would start, during which all I would wish for is for the next vacation to come. Then when it finally comes, I would be bored in just a couple of weeks. That's the time I would wish classes starts again. The school may change, the classmates may be different, but it's basically the same idea.

But now, there's no "next term" or "next semester". There is just "Opportunity". That's what everyone calls it. I could do whatever I want. Then it hit me. What do I really want? Well years before if you asked me that question I would have answered with all the newest toys or the coolest cellphone or probably a car. But now it's for real. Decisions have to be made and the consequences can be great. From then on it becomes scary. You see, I consider myself a nearsighted person when it comes to these things. I really have no clear sense of future. Whenever I get that question in a job interview, I would answer with every good thing I could think of just to impress. Honestly though... I have absolutely no idea. All I could figure out is maybe one or two years from now. So the prospect of planning my life from this point onwards was really daunting for a simpleton like me.

With that I braced myself for things to come. With every journey, the first steps are the scariest and definitely the most exciting.

WBC Lightweight Champion Manny Pacquiao

I know every Filipino in the entire planet already knows about this win by Manny Pacquiao. But we should never tire to talk about the things that make us say we are proud to be Pinoy. And clearly, Manny Pacquiao is one of them. Once again Manny proved to us Filipinos what we can achieve if we set our goals and do everything in our power to get there.

Many people only see Manny in the 12 rounds he fights on the ring and the many endorsements he now has. But behind all this is the amount of hardwork and training that he puts in every fight he goes into. If you read writeups about how this guy trains, you'd get the impression that he isn't human at all. He tires out even those that train him. And his coaches have to hold him back to keep him from training too hard.

This works all to his advantage as he reaps dividends in every fight. He deserves to win.

I leave you with a clip of Manny's icing to the cake.




Congratulations Manny Pacquiao! Once again you did us proud!