Feeling Isolated At Family Get Togethers

[Old55]

Start hitting on the prettiest niece there. Your wife will exclude you from future pamily get togethers. :dance:

Or kill you

[Fred & Mimi]

Luckily, I found my experience of working in isolated places and living with local polynesian people quite helpful when it comes to being the only foreigner in a party. This happened to me in Antipolo where I was dropped off at my ex GF's cousins house who was having a birthday party. She had things to do so she left me to my own devices so I just mingled as best I could and tried to help also. Later the party turned into a bonding session and it was there that we all started really warming up and everyone was happy that I wasn't uncomfortable sitting with them. They were all hitting the Red Horse and I had some too until I felt in a laughing mood and then I passed my turn. I became one of the group and blended nicely. They taught me many Tagalog words most of which instantly disappeared from my memory. When my ex GF returned worried about how I was going, the group told her to leave me be :hystery: It was a great night.

I presume that it is one of the things one has to accept when choosing a Filipina partner. I know that any effort made to blend is really appreciated by all.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Kuya Fred

[cebu rocks]

They are shy tp speak english to you once they get to know you better they will open up and try if you also try to speak some Visayan . A few drinks always helps

I have made many friends here with locals that speak very little english . Its amazing how we as people can communicate with other with gestures .

I for one am a professional Charade player I can tell a great story without even talking . I find the more time I spend with my extended family the more we communicate and the more

we enjoy each others company . I hang out with the guys mostly and kids are very fun because they will sit and try to teach you words . It takes a while to break out of culture shock and really communicate with your family . took me 3 years to get comfortable at family gatherings now I look forward to them . And I believe they look forward to me coming

Ok i,m off the fiesta in the next town with a group of guys from next door .

[Okieboy]

i am learning a lot of visaya but still have trouble with some words, but when there is red horse all of my kin speak english,

[i am bob]

Not quite the Philippines but these posts bring back memories of when my ex and I lived in Germany... My ex didn't speak a word of German and the lady who delivered our mail only knew how to say hello - yet they would have conversations that lasted several hours sometimes! It was from this that I learned to not be afraid to speak up and try to at least communicate in some form or another! I am already anticipating the fun and confusion to come!

:dance:

[Adventurer]

don't worry so much, learn body language and use signs, smiles and head nodding and you will soon get on better with them. pick up a coconut and say hmmm buko, very nice drink (with a head nod and smile)! or something like that, they will understand!

[Thomas]

don't worry so much, learn body language and use signs, smiles and head nodding and you will soon get on better with them. pick up a coconut and say hmmm buko, very nice drink (with a head nod and smile)! or something like that, they will understand!

Yes. in many cases body language is the big part of the communication anyway.

But I suppose it will be some boring/tireding in 1 - 2 weeks family meetings,

There are small kids, so if I get bored, then I will go and play with them. Small kids talk some "universal" language, they manage to talk to kids of any nationality somehow, so I better try to do as them :)

(Concerning body language: Back when most Swedish people couldn't speak English, my grandfather was boss in a museum, which got rather many international guests. It wasn't his work to guide, but he covered up when they were a guide short. When he guided English speaking, then he - beside a lot of body language - spoke some swedish with sounding like English, and when German visitors he did same with them. At least the visitors found it very funny :mocking:

He even joked with body language, when he couldn't speak because of the tube, after he woke up in intensive care in hospital after been passed out for days, soon the nurses fought of serve him ! :dance: