What is good for a Filipino, for a Russian — death

The Philippines is a place where hell and heaven are intertwined in the rhythm of the waves. The tropical landscapes here are buried in garbage, and the locals are friendly, but not without oddities. Your attention is drawn to the 10 main quirks of the Filipinos, the knowledge of which will help save not only nerves, but also money.

They consider Russians to be Americans

In the eyes of an ordinary Filipino, every pale-faced person is an American. This means that if you have lost a friend in some wilderness, it is enough to ask the locals where the "Americano" went. At the same time, Russian "Americanos" are considered the richest. Only very few people know where rich Russia is located.

They don't use a knife while eating

A table knife is served only in expensive restaurants. Food is cut with a spoon, whether it is a steak, a piece of fish or boiled vegetables. Some Filipino patriots do not use cutlery in principle — eating with their hands, in their opinion, is both tastier and closer to the roots.

They relieve themselves ... everywhere

Men who relieve themselves are an integral element of the Philippine landscape. They stand along the roads, completely unashamed, sometimes even half-turned. What Filipinos are really embarrassed to do is sneeze. Each urge is restrained with the last of its strength and is accompanied by a sincere apology.

They eat boiled eggs with a fetus inside

Our culinary preferences largely coincide. Filipinos are convinced meat eaters. Grilled chicken, pork and boiled eggs are the main street snack. However, there is one dish here, from which we turn up our noses together. We are talking about a boiled egg with an embryo called "balut". Such discrimination seems strange to Filipinos. "What does it turn out to be? - they are surprised. - They eat the chicken, they eat the egg, but they don't eat the chicken embryo. And it smells so delicious, fish."

They are very much late

The phrase "Philippine time" means that the actual time of the meeting is about an hour later than the agreed time. So, if someone says that the collection is at 10, filipino time, you can come by 11. It is not customary to rush here, and even more so to be offended by lateness.

They don't lock the doors

This is especially noticeable in the outback. If you rent a bungalow in a village by the sea and you are not given a key — this is normal, the neighbors will look after you. And no one will touch the things left on the beach either. And if they do, it's only to bring them to you: they say they forgot, comrade Americano. However, this rule does not apply to places spoiled by tourists.

They speak a mixture of three languages

English is the official language of the country. Spanish is a legacy of the colonial past. It is easy for those who know Spanish numerals to bargain, since you can overhear cab drivers and merchants who discuss the real amount in their native language (Filipino), and declare an inflated amount in English. However, some words-shifters can be misleading: for example, "seguro" in Spanish means "for sure", and in Filipino — "maybe".

They do tattoos in the tribe of human head hunters

Tattooing with a bamboo stick is popular in Asia to this day. But if in Thailand Buddhist monks resort to it, in the Philippines the only bearer of the tradition is an old woman Wang-Od from the tribe of hunters for human heads. Together with her granddaughter, she makes tattoos, which at the beginning of the century could only be worn by the Kalinga warrior-killers.

They live in cemeteries

Filipino poor people settle where they are free: along highways, under bridges, on the slopes of rivers and even among the dead. The northern cemetery of Manila is a huge slum with its kiosks, karaoke machines, children playing among century-old crosses and crypt shacks. Some of its inhabitants are beggars and drunkards. Many are hard workers who have decided to save on housing in order to pay for their children's education.

They are violent Catholics

"Petit seigneur!" a passerby exclaims joyfully and slaps me in the face. "Petit seigneur," I snap, collecting the paint from my face and giving him back. The Sinulog Christmas Festival is the apotheosis of Philippine religiosity and the most striking tourist attraction. Fans of heavy spectacles should wait for the Easter processions, when the streets will be filled with a bleeding, suffering crowd — believers are trying on the torments of Christ.