Here, it is common to offer to pay for others. When I say I will cover my own transportation expenses, I usually have to ask my supervisor three times to pay for myself before she politely accepts, “Well, okay!”
One of my favorite expressions of care here has been receiving help with my laundry. I did not have much experience handwashing my clothing when I arrived in the Philippines, but my host parents spent over an hour helping me scrub, rinse, wring and hang my things! Once during the rainy season, I left my pants and shirts outdoors to dry before leaving for work. When it began to drizzle, my host mother rushed outside to bring all my clothes inside for me! Laundry is usually a boring chore for me in the U.S., but it is now one of my favorites here because of the many ways I have been shown love through acts of service.
In all, I feel very grateful to be in the Philippines, a country filled with very kind and service-oriented people. With a culture focused on family connectedness and social harmony, it is no surprise that Filipino people often treat foreigners like their own family!
