It was a cold but sunny day of October back in 1998 when I first landed in Sydney. At that time, I wasn’t ready to come here as I was enjoying my life back in the Philippines.
When I celebrated our first Christmas and New Year, I felt so lost and shocked missing the company of my friends and family. But through a company’s sponsorship, we were granted citizenship in less than four years; so I thought maybe it’s fated. It wasn’t hard to adapt to Western life as, through my Dad, I have been exposed to it at an early age. Half of my life was nurtured under the Australian way of living.
But as years progress and I get more acquainted to Filipinos, I realized just how much stuck people are in their old ways that I felt we (my friends and I) were from a parallel universe.
I guess we were different; as other kids play “tumbang preso”, the gang were either too occupied with karaoke, playing the Atari’s “Space Invaders”, our favorite game & watch “Chef”, the badminton or the most popular pc game of “Family Feud” in the 80′s. Or we were busy with reading books, passing on our slum books or dragging the whole “barkada” to Greenhills for driving lessons or shopping.
I expected that the Filipinos here would be more advanced in thinking; unchained from the old habits their parents inherited a long time ago and who now embraces the Australian thinking of being logical and realistic.
It’s Australia Day and as we call this land of opportunity our home, I think it’s about time to get on with it and breed a new generation of Australian-Filipinos who’s evolved from some primitive habits and thinking.
Here are the Top 7 things so un-Australian that are screaming “change!”:
1. Jumping queues – must I really explain?
2. Favoritism – why do we keep getting the same people in various events even though they don’t deserve to be there?
3. Choosing Godparents – aren’t godparents spiritual guardians? So why do people choose base on their status or financial ability, or call them “sponsors”?
4. Being on time – my Dad used to say (Dad was notorious, if you’re 1 minute late, he’s gone.) “What makes your time more important than mine?”
5. Crab-mentality – why can’t people accept that each one has a purpose? A writer writes and a carpenter builds; no one is the same hence each one is special.
6. Birthday Celebration – why are celebrants expected to take friends out for a shout? Friends should be the ones organising the party and/or paying for his/her birthday treat. Isn’t it his/her special day? So why should he/she be financially disadvantaged? Unless of course, the celebrant would like to offer his/her thanksgiving.
7. Gossiping – social passing of info is OK, people are wired to be social but to be judgmental, malicious and critical is darker side of it. Didn’t Elvis Presley once quote, “Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes”?
We need to break away from these old thinking and allow ourselves to grow so we can mentor our kids to have liberal thinking and influence them positively.
That’s the Australian way!
Other post/s by Bless Salonga
- One Journey in Five Parts - March 26th, 2012
- Education starts with DO-RE-ME - January 17th, 2012
- Chained by Fate - November 27th, 2011
- Isang Hibla - July 25th, 2011
- Independence is about accountability - June 22nd, 2011
About Bless Salonga
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Thanks, Nilda. I believe we should also look at:
8. “Utang na Loob” (IOU) – Sometimes people use IOU to their advantage way beyond it’s expiration date; I reckon we should put a limit on it.
9. Manana Habit – Why leave things for next year when we can do it sooner?
10. iLead Attitude – Instead of forming new organization/s, why can’t we use our energy in promoting unity instead?
11. Double Standard – we want SNAGS!! “Men won’t lose anything” does not excuse one from God and society in having “other women”. And on the domestic side, both genders have responsibilities in maintaining a clean home especially because we have no maids in Australia.
12. Boundaries – Australia is a massive land, why do you have to stand so close to me? And, at work or in other clubs or organizations, people have to learn the difference between professional and personal issues/agendas and not cross/mix them. Hitting below the belt nowadays is considered childish.
Okay, getting carried away here. That should be the Dozen Un-Australian Habits
I agree with all of the above. I want to highlight though the flip side of number 8 ‘walang utang na loob’ [ingratitude]. If people can’t bring themselves to show gratitude to those who done good things for them, they should at least have some decency not to engage in ‘operation badmouth’. This also applies to appreciating our adoptive country which has given us opportunities and comfortable lifestyle. I have heard some comment negatively but stay on to continue the reap the benefits.
I definitely agree. We have “user”-friendly people amongst us who will weave themselves into your lives systematically and once they have earned your trust, they become abusive and selfish. Unfortunately, when the relationship doesn’t work out either because you question their motives, you can no longer give them the attention they want or even when you become their biggest threat (unconsciously), they become nasty and spray their “venom” on you unexpectedly. It now becomes all your fault (their choices, their weakness, their failures, etc) and now their focus is to destroy or discredit you. This is what we call in Australia USB – uneducated, selfish b**** or b****** (babae or babaero, hehehe – what we’re you thinking?)