FilipinaTransition

Beyond the Surface: A Filipina's Actual Issues of Transition

When a Filipina decides to make her life outside of her own familiar world, there are essential key issues that goes beyond the surface of how we see the Philippines as a country of poverty and the Filipino as a whole. The entire culture itself cannot be summed

up in give away bullet points from the way we see it from the outside. They will easily get over minor adjustments such as having 4 seasons, operating household machines, and social manners. It is not even a part of the culture but a question of experience. A Filipina's actual issues of transition is a mental and emotional reaction to differences.

The key words for a Filipina's adjustment are habit, discovery, learning and adaptability. The long process of adjustments begin with identifying her own habits, of her own beliefs and convictions as an individual. It makes her discoveries clear in knowing the similarities with
that of her own makes her tolerant. Knowing the difference makes her learn. The adaptability
of experiencing that there is no such thing as better or worse, only different.

The Pursuit of Familiarity. For a Filipina being so far away from what she has known and believed, the parade of the new will keep her asking for more. Apparently, when the discovering has slowed down, and the learning and adaptability sets in, the awe will not overcome the mood swings. Being immersed in another culture does not mean that she have totally put aside that one of her own. Reaching out for the accustomed may come in the form of household decors, at times that do not make sense at all but for just memento's sake, entertainement, and most of all food. One quality that surprises outsiders is that Filipinos are practical. At one time or another, they do not conform for what is stylish but for what makes them feel more comfortable; Connecting to the familiar reminds them of who they are among all the physical, mental and emotional changes, likewise lessens the feeling of being lost.

Sense of Belongingness. It is not a question of the physical living environement. Whether houses are just a wall between your neighbors, or a garden apart, Filipinos truly cohabit with everyone in their area making it be like a big family (although at times it becomes a problem soemehow with gossiping). Weather makes them open their doors, and because of the size
of their homes, hanging clothes visible to the public is but of no choice. The deeper adjustment issue here is the craving for that sense of belongingness, of feeling comfortable and good about themselves, when they have arrived a new city late in life. People are all different but being treated indifferently is a whole new story. Filipinos are sociable beings with a smile permanently formed on their lips. This is more than a habit. It is a culture, and say, to discover that other countries may receive this openness rather too forthcoming, poses a dilemme to a Filipina, among others, making them feel alone.

Tourist VS Resident. The process of discovering and actually living in another country is an adjustment that begins when she steps out of the four corners of your house, that has become her own little world. And this is not easy as it will make her feel in limbo. She is now a resident but in the same way knows so little of necessary and essential information. To add to this, being a foreigner is just as well being treated as a tourist. Handling administrative matters has to be spelled out clearly that it might be only in the Philippines that it is easy to go around with. The discovering creates the constant comparison of there and here, and with all the things she will come across with. It takes time and experience but it is significant to begin with the foreign husband to introduce her to real exterior issues that will assist her to be fully enganged in her new home.

Support Development. Moving to another country also means a whole new different life. Things that she have lived to make is all back to zero. This change likewise comes with the wonder of whether the experiences she had known and believed will work in another country. It will make her feel like a 6 year old again, just starting to learn to do new things on her own. The process of beginning a new life again is long, frustrating and tedious. her full engagement to another country can begin by supporting her sense of independence to discover and learn by herself. It will open doors of opportunity to further her development, from things she wanted to do but never had the chance like painting, poetry writing, etc., to gathering more experience to be able to work. This does not only fight the sighs of boredom but likewise gives her confidence to feel good about herself.

Ancient Future. With the times of the world now, Filipinas have an innate quality of being wife and a mother, may they be a working woman or a housewife, city girl or country girl. This traditional chatacteristic have been passed on from the time of our mothers, who taught us how to truly take care of our husband and family. With this trait, for some it may pose a problem to a husband of different national. A Filipina's nurturing might be at times "too much," it seems that they are always at your back, being in every space as we would call being "makulit." Giving you what you don't really need, and overlooking what you really do. Although we all know that Westerners are of independent nature and that they know how to move around even before a Filipina came into his life, it is a culture that is to be kept especially when exposed to another way of life.

The Shining Green. Saddening as it is, there are numerous green-eyed filipinas that attachment to numbers, or material things signify success or movement, and are often times mistaken as a sense of belongingness. Colonial mentality has become a culture through time and has purged to the bones of Filipinos that others are always better than theirs. It is quite difficult to have them acknowledge to real Filipino culture of humbleness and simplicity when poverty now becomes the standard of living. But somehow, having to experience living outside the country is the right time to reevaluate this and remind them that movement does not always mean growth.

A Language of More Importance. With all the adjustments that a Filipina has to go through, her adaptability strengthens when she and her husband speak the same language. Especially in a country that is not english speaking, this language handicap becomes the biggest hurdle. But when they sincerely understand each other in every way, it is all that matters. When she goes out to the world of strangeness, she will alawyas feel this happiness of knowing that she has a home, a world to go home to: you.