10 Cultural Differences Between America vs. The Philippines

Summary

This video explores 10 cultural differences between America and the Philippines, based on the personal experiences of an expat. The list covers various topics, including communication styles, use of language, social behaviors, pace of life, respect for elders, and tipping practices. The video highlights the contrasts between the two cultures, such as Filipinos' polite and non-confrontational nature versus Americans' directness, and how cultural norms shape everyday interactions. The host emphasizes that these observations are generalizations and shares them to provide insight into the cultural nuances of both countries.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Cultural differences between America and the Philippines are diverse, particularly in expressions and daily habits.
• 👄 Filipinos often point with their lips, while Americans use their fingers.
• 🌞 In the Philippines, people avoid the sun and use umbrellas for shade, while in the U.S., being tan is seen as attractive.
• 🗣️ Language differences include terms like 'soft drinks' in the Philippines vs. 'soda' in the U.S., and 'aircon' vs. 'AC'.
• 🙏 Politeness and sensitivity are key in Filipino culture, with a non-confrontational approach, unlike the more direct American style.
• 🏃‍♂️ The pace of life in the U.S. is fast, while Filipinos have a more laid-back, slower approach.
• 🍲 Sharing is a strong cultural norm in the Philippines, especially when it comes to food, while Americans tend to emphasize independence.
• 🚶‍♂️ Americans value personal space, while Filipinos are more comfortable being close to others in public spaces.
• 👵 Respect for elders is deeply ingrained in Filipino culture, with special terms and gestures, while in the U.S., it's more casual.
• 🍽️ Meal structures differ, with Filipinos often eating five to six smaller meals a day, compared to three larger meals in the U.S.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video?

The video discusses 10 cultural differences between America and the Philippines, based on the personal experiences of someone who was raised in the U.S. and currently lives in the Philippines.

How do Filipinos and Americans differ in non-verbal expressions?

Filipinos often point with their lips and raise their eyebrows to indicate 'yes,' while Americans point with their fingers, nod their heads, give a thumbs up, or use an 'OK' gesture to indicate agreement.

What is the significance of using umbrellas in the Philippines compared to the U.S.?

In the Philippines, umbrellas are used not only for rain but also to protect from the sun, as being dark-skinned can be seen as lower class or frowned upon. In contrast, Americans generally use umbrellas only for rain and often seek to tan under the sun.

Can you give examples of word differences between American and Filipino English?

Yes, some examples include: 'soft drinks' in the Philippines vs. 'soda' in the U.S.; 'aircon' in the Philippines vs. 'AC' or 'air conditioning' in the U.S.; 'tissue' in the Philippines vs. 'napkins' in the U.S.; and 'slippers' in the Philippines vs. 'flip-flops' in the U.S.

How do Americans and Filipinos differ in terms of politeness and sensitivity?

Filipinos tend to be polite, subtle, sensitive, and non-confrontational, while Americans are more assertive, direct, and confrontational. In the Philippines, even a small negative comment can be impactful, whereas in the U.S., such comments might go unnoticed.

What are the differences in the pace of life between the U.S. and the Philippines?

Americans generally have a fast-paced lifestyle, focusing on punctuality and efficiency. In contrast, Filipinos tend to have a more relaxed and laid-back approach to life, often arriving late to events and moving at a slower pace.

How is the concept of sharing different between Filipinos and Americans?

Sharing is very common in Filipino culture, with people often willing to share personal items and food generously, even with strangers. In American culture, there is a stronger emphasis on independence, and sharing is less common.

What is the American perspective on personal space compared to the Filipino perspective?

Americans value personal space highly and typically maintain physical boundaries, especially with strangers. In contrast, Filipinos are more comfortable being close to others, even in public spaces, and may not adhere as strictly to personal space norms.

How do Filipinos show respect for their elders?

Filipinos address older individuals with terms like 'Ate,' 'Kuya,' 'Tito,' and 'Lola,' and they practice 'mano,' where they place an elder's hand on their forehead as a sign of respect. This shows deep respect for elders, which is more pronounced than in the U.S.

What is the difference in meal structures between the Philippines and the U.S.?

Filipinos often eat five to six meals a day, including several 'marienda' (snacks), while Americans typically have three larger meals per day. The total amount of food consumed may be similar, but the structure and frequency of meals differ.

Outlines

00:00

🇺🇸🇵🇭 Exploring Cultural Expressions Between America and the Philippines

This paragraph introduces the topic of cultural differences between America and the Philippines, focusing on expressions and non-verbal communication. It highlights specific examples such as Filipinos pointing with their lips, using hand gestures to indicate something is gone, and raising eyebrows to mean 'yes.' In contrast, Americans use finger pointing, nodding, and thumbs up to communicate. The paragraph also touches on cultural attitudes toward sun exposure, with Filipinos avoiding the sun to stay light-skinned, while Americans often seek to tan.

05:02

🗣️ Differences in Language and Slang

This paragraph discusses various linguistic differences between Filipinos and Americans, especially in terms of slang and common phrases. For example, Filipinos use 'soft drinks' for what Americans call 'soda,' and 'aircon' for 'AC.' The paragraph provides multiple examples of these differences, including a personal anecdote where the author misunderstood 'alcohol' to mean a beverage instead of hand sanitizer. Other differences include terms like 'CR' versus 'restroom' and 'ball pen' versus 'pen.'

10:04

🤝 Politeness and Sensitivity in Philippine Culture

This paragraph contrasts the polite, sensitive, and non-confrontational nature of Filipino culture with the more direct and assertive American culture. It explains that in the Philippines, even subtle negative comments can be impactful, whereas in the U.S., bluntness and directness are more common, even in joking. The paragraph also describes how Filipinos show respect through gestures like lowering their heads or using polite language, which contrasts with the more straightforward communication style in the U.S.

Keywords

💡Cultural Differences

Cultural differences refer to the variations in customs, behaviors, and beliefs between different cultures. In the video, the speaker highlights differences between American and Filipino cultures, such as how people express themselves, the pace of life, and social norms. These differences shape everyday interactions and are central to the video's theme of comparing life in the U.S. and the Philippines.

💡Expressions

Expressions refer to the ways in which people convey feelings or ideas, often through non-verbal cues. The video discusses specific expressions in Filipino culture, such as pointing with the lips or raising eyebrows to signify agreement. These contrast with American expressions, like nodding or giving a thumbs-up, illustrating the cultural nuances in communication.

💡Politeness

Politeness is the consideration of others' feelings in social interactions, often manifested through courteous behavior. The video contrasts Filipino politeness, characterized by subtle and non-confrontational communication, with the more direct and assertive approach common in the U.S. This concept underscores the different social etiquettes in the two cultures.

💡Personal Space

Personal space is the physical distance people maintain between themselves and others to feel comfortable. The video contrasts the American emphasis on maintaining personal space, where physical boundaries are respected, with the Filipino tendency to be more physically close, reflecting different cultural norms around physical proximity.

💡Pace of Life

The pace of life refers to the speed at which people go about their daily activities. In the video, the speaker notes that Americans tend to lead fast-paced, busy lives, while Filipinos have a more relaxed and slower-paced lifestyle. This difference is evident in everything from walking speed to the timing of social events, highlighting contrasting cultural attitudes toward time.

💡Meal Structure

Meal structure refers to the typical timing and frequency of meals in a culture. The video points out that Filipinos often eat five to six smaller meals a day, including snacks called 'marienda,' while Americans typically eat three larger meals. This difference in eating habits reflects broader cultural attitudes toward food and daily routines.

💡Respect for Elders

Respect for elders is a cultural value that emphasizes honoring and deferring to older individuals. In the video, the speaker explains that in Filipino culture, respect is shown through specific terms of address like 'Ate' or 'Kuya' and gestures like 'mano,' where a younger person places an elder's hand on their forehead. This practice contrasts with American culture, where respect for elders is often less formalized.

💡Sharing

Sharing refers to the act of giving or lending personal items or food to others. The video highlights how Filipinos are generally generous and communal, often sharing food and personal belongings. This cultural trait contrasts with the more individualistic mindset in the U.S., where independence and self-reliance are emphasized.

💡Use of Slang

Slang refers to informal language or expressions that are specific to a particular culture or group. The video compares American and Filipino slang, noting differences like 'soft drinks' in the Philippines versus 'soda' in the U.S. These linguistic variations reflect broader cultural differences in communication styles.

💡Tipping

Tipping is the practice of giving extra money to service workers as a reward for their service. The video discusses how tipping is a significant part of American culture, where it is expected in many situations. In contrast, tipping is less common in the Philippines, reflecting differences in economic conditions and social expectations around service.

Highlights

The video discusses 10 cultural differences between America and the Philippines, emphasizing that these are generalizations and not applicable to all individuals.

Filipinos and Americans have different ways of expressing themselves, such as pointing with their lips versus fingers, and unique hand gestures for indicating 'no more' or 'closed'.

In the Philippines, raising eyebrows can signify agreement, unlike in the U.S. where non-verbal affirmations include nodding, thumbs up, or an 'okay' hand gesture.

Filipinos tend to avoid the sun to maintain lighter skin, while Americans often seek tanning, reflecting different beauty standards in each country.

The use of words and slang differs between the two cultures, such as 'soft drinks' in the Philippines versus 'soda' or 'pop' in the U.S.

Filipinos are described as polite, subtle, sensitive, and non-confrontational in their interactions, contrasting with the more assertive and direct communication style common in the U.S.

The pace of life in the Philippines is slower and more laid back compared to the fast-paced and busy lifestyle typical in the U.S.

Sharing is a common practice in the Philippines, with people often lending personal items and always being generous with food, even to strangers.

Americans place a high value on personal space and physical boundaries, especially with strangers, which is less emphasized in the Philippines.

Filipinos show deep respect for their elders, using honorifics and gestures like 'mano' to demonstrate this respect.

Rules and laws in the Philippines are often not strictly followed, unlike in the U.S. where adherence to rules is more common and expected.

Filipino meal structure includes multiple small meals throughout the day, including a snack time called 'merienda', differing from the three main meals typical in the U.S.

Tipping is a significant part of American culture, with a general expectation to tip service providers, whereas tipping is less common in the Philippines.

The video creator emphasizes their love for both America and the Philippines and aims to share honest experiences rather than idealized portrayals.

The video is a personal account of the creator's experience living in the Philippines after being raised in the U.S., providing a unique perspective on cultural differences.

The creator invites viewers to like the video if they enjoyed it, indicating an interest in viewer engagement and feedback.

Transcripts

what's up savvy expats so today we're

talking about 10 cultural differences

between america and the philippines and

this goes without saying but this is a

generalized list so not all filipinos

and not all americans do the things that

we're about to talk about and i'm

speaking from personal experience being

that i was raised in the us but am

currently living in the philippines all

right enough talk let's get into our

list so at number one on our list of

cultural differences we have quirks and

expressions yes the way that filipinos

express themselves versus americans can

differ in several ways as many of you

may already know filipinos tend to point

with their lips like

that while americans tend to point with

their fingers oh hey where's the cr

so that's a terrible example but you get

the idea or another one i learned here

in the philippines is that this hand

wave

means like voila there's no more or

something's closed so if you're asking a

filipino if there's any more food for

example and they do this that means that

there's no more and actually not too

long ago there was this little boy named

gab and his mom that lived with us they

were from the visayas region of the

philippines and they would actually this

is what they actually taught me is this

so usually when a filipino raises his

eyebrows

that means yes hey gab you want some

spam

well in america there's three ways that

you can say yes non-verbally number one

you're just

not number two just give a thumbs up and

three just do this which means

okay and this is not really an

expression but say you're here in the

philippines and you're out on the street

and it's hot outside if you're waiting

at a stop walk to cross the street it's

pretty common to see filipinos hiding

behind like a sign or a pole to get away

from the sun so when it comes to

avoiding the sun here in the philippines

it can be pretty extreme so in the us

umbrellas are only used for the rain

while here in the philippines it's used

for both the rain and

getting shade from the sun and this is

because being dark skinned here in the

philippines is seen as like

uh lower class or

even like frowned upon here and it's

funny because while filipinos are hiding

from the sun to be as white as possible

americans are out in the sun in the open

to be tan so being tan in the u.s is

considered attractive while in the

philippines it's the opposite now for

cultural difference number two we have a

use of words or slang for example here

in the philippines we say soft drinks

well in the u.s we say soda

or like what we like to call in the

midwest

pop or of course filipinos say aircon

while in the u.s we say ac or air

conditioning or in the philippines they

say tissue while in the u.s we say

napkins or there was also this one time

i go to church here in bgc it's called

every nation and one of my friends asked

me evan do you want some alcohol and

here am i thinking

alcohol this is a christian church we're

all teenagers here why is he offering me

some booze and then he pulls out of his

pocket some hand sanitizer and i'm like

oh that kind of alcohol so that was

actually the first time i heard

hand sanitizer used as alcohol another

one is filipino say ref while americans

say fridge or refrigerator or filipinos

say slippers while americans say

flip-flops filipinos say brownout

americans say blackout americans say

sneakers filipinos say rubber shoes

filipinos say cr or comfort room

americans say restroom filipinos say

open the light or close the light

americans say turn on the light or turn

off the light americans say pen

filipinos say ball pen americans say

mcdonald's filipinos say mcdo americans

say butter filipinos say margarine i

think americans say cracker filipino

safe biscuit or bisquite alright moving

on to cultural difference number three

philippine culture is polite and

sensitive so the best words that i can

muster up to describe how filipinos

interact with each other is polite

subtle

sensitive and non-confrontational

whereas in the us people are more like

assertive direct and confrontational so

in the philippines if someone spoke even

the smallest hint of something negative

about someone that would speak volumes

while in the us that would go unnoticed

and to take that even a step further

even insulting in the us can be a type

of joking and bonding i have an

important announcement

joking around about people's new bad

haircut or how bad they are at sports

that is pretty common in the us and

that's not to say that that is not the

case with filipinos i mean that's just

pretty much a type of joking all over

the world but i see that more common in

the us than it is here in the

philippines and like i said with the

americans they're more direct blunt and

tend to not sugarcoat if there's

something bothering them or the food is

taking long to get served it's not

uncommon to hear a waiter get an earful

so americans usually say what's on their

mind while on the other hand filipinos

are less confrontational and i think

part of it is because a lot of filipinos

are really polite like even when there's

someone walking near or past you on the

street i noticed that filipinos are kind

of like dip down put their hand down

like

like that i don't know how to show you

guys a small camera

and they do that and i think that's a

sign of respect or just like a type of

courtesy or even when it comes to daily

conversing there's a lot of can i have

please sorry and a lot of times that's

not the case in the u.s for example if i

were to say at a restaurant here in the

philippines let me get a cheeseburger

that would not really be a common way to

phrase things in the philippines that

would definitely be uncommon here in the

states that kind of phrasing is

normal let me get two chopped cheese

with everything on it put bacon on it

too salt pepper and vinegar so again

this is a generalization there are

direct filipinos out there and

non-direct americans and for the fourth

cultural difference that is the pace of

life americans are very fast paced and

tend to have a busy agenda as for the

philippines people are more chill laid

back and slower paced and so one thing i

noticed is that people's normal walking

pace here in the philippines is actually

a lot slower than the walking pace in

the us i remember walking in new york

everyone has somewhere to go they're

walking fast and they have to be at

their appointment early or on the dot

while here in the philippines it's

common to see people upwards of an hour

late to an event even when it comes to

checking out or getting the bill or just

transactions in general

people can be very slow and it's even

common to find employees in the grocery

store just chatting in the middle of an

aisle while in the us people are very

weary about other people's time so it's

considered to be rude if you're late so

that's definitely one area where you see

the island life in filipinos they're

very chill and laid back moving on to

cultural difference number five and that

is sharing is very common in philippine

culture here in the philippines people

are very generous and are willing to

lend personal items whether it be

clothes an umbrella a bike filipinos are

generally willing to share and also it

can be to the point where they feel

obligated to lend their resources and

don't get me started when it comes to

food filipinos are probably the most

hospitable people when it comes to

sharing food whether it be families or

even strangers filipinos insist that you

eat with them and this is regardless of

how much food they have or even their

financial situation they're always

generous with their food even to the

point where it's taken as an insult if

you don't accept the offer to eat i even

remember there was this guy named jeff

here in bgc that would walk around and

sell lumpia and whenever i see him he'd

ask me if i ate and if i hadn't he'd

offered me lumpia free of charge and

that's how generous filipinos are now as

for americans it's not that they don't

like sharing it's just that an

independent culture is more so promoted

it's a get your own food or

do-it-yourself kind of mentality now for

cultural difference number six americans

are very adamant about personal space in

the u.s physical boundaries are very

strong especially when it comes to

strangers so commonly americans have

like a bubble and the only time that

bubble is broken is to shake hands when

conversing with strangers there's space

when walking their space just wherever

you go in general people need their

personal space so that's why there's

very seldom bumping or brushing up

against someone else whereas here in the

philippines there's all this room on the

sidewalk and yet still another person

will walk literally right beside you or

when getting off the escalator someone

will stand right in front of it while

blocking everyone else there was this

one time where i was just standing on

the sidewalk where there's practically

nobody else nearby me it's a big

sidewalk and this lady walks right

beside me pretty much almost bumps into

me and then tells me to social distance

so spatial boundaries in the philippines

is really just different filipinos like

to be close together while americans

need their personal space now for

cultural difference number seven we have

filipinos have respect for their elders

in the philippines older brothers

sisters aunts uncles grandparents are

addressed with respect even if it's with

strangers filipinos will address others

as ate or kuya as a sign of respect same

goes with family

tito lolo lola it's all respect and not

to mention filipinos do mano which is

like putting your grandparents forehand

on your head to show respect when you're

greeting them and so basically anyone

that's older than you is treated with

that kind of respect now in america we

say mr and mrs but nowadays that's not

always the case now as for cultural

difference number eight that is rules

are often not followed here in the

philippines i remember this one time

here in the philippines we saw a sign

that went along the lines of no peeing

here and then you see all these little p

marks on the side of the wall

it's pretty funny but even when it comes

to enforcing laws most people don't

follow them anyway for example littering

is common and road rules are often not

followed or if the police pull someone

over for disobeying traffic laws at the

same time you have hundreds of other

cars doing the same so they only get one

out of hundreds of people doing the same

exact thing while in america laws are

strictly enforced for example if there's

a line you're expected to get in line

and wait your turn while here in the

philippines either there is no line or

someone cuts in line and no one cares

but again this isn't everyone in the

philippines now for cultural difference

number nine we have filipino meal

structure the time and the amount of

meals that filipinos tend to eat is

different than the us it's fairly common

to see filipinos eat five to even six

meals a day because of what's called

marienda which is basically like a snack

so i believe the structure of meals go

breakfast marienda lunch marienda

dinner late night marienda and marienda

can be anything from coffee and crackers

to pandasal

butto and conchita but the way i see it

filipinos may eat several times per day

but it's still probably equivalent to

the amount the average american eats per

day americans usually eat three square

meals per day but usually those three

square meals are larger serving sizes so

by the end of the day the six meals that

a filipino eats is probably equivalent

to the three meals that an american eats

but of course again it varies from

person to person and for the last and

final cultural difference we have

tipping tipping is a big part of

american culture in almost every

situation where someone is of service a

waiter hairdresser cab driver bartender

you name it they get tipped with

americans there's no mandatory amount

for tipping but it's considered rude to

not tip at all most americans tip like

15 to 20 percent of their bill what i

found here in the philippines is that

tipping is still existent but it's

definitely less common i remember

telling my driver that in the us it's

normal to tip 10 or 500 pesos to a

waiter and he was absolutely shocked he

couldn't believe that that was the tip

and that wasn't the price for the entire

meal but it makes sense because i mean

the financial situation of both

countries is different so

what do you expect so there you have it

seven expats 10 cultural differences

between america and the philippines and

everything i said was not intended to

bash i love both america and the

philippines i don't know why but there's

always one person in the comments that

thinks i'm bashing the philippines but

that was my honest experience living

here in the philippines and i'd rather

give you guys my honesty rather than

portray everything as sunshine and

rainbows so if you enjoyed this video

let me know by leaving a like and so

thank you for watching savvy expats and

i'll see you in the next video god bless

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