Too bad I was not armed with a comprehensive list of French adjectives last Friday afternoon when my French teacher spontaneously asked me to recite in class some general traits of Filipinos or Pinoys. Well, all I could come up was this:

Les Philippins sont (The Filipinos are)…

* extraordinaires (extraordinary)
* sympathiques (nice)
* intelligents (intelligent)
* chalereux et sociables (warm and sociable)
* tolerants et patients (tolerant and patient)
* travailleurs (hard-working)
* diplomatiques (diplomatic)
* genereux (generous)
* debrouillards (resourceful); et (and)
* ont le sens de l’humour (have a sense of humor).

Sayang, I could have said more; elaborated further. But speaking in English was not allowed in class.

I could have mentioned that Filipinos, in their bamboo-like resilience, can still smile (and laugh) even in the face of tragedy; that no amount of calamity — be it an earthquake, volcanic eruption, super typhoon, or landslide — can dampen the Filipino spirit. Pinoys will always rise above the ashes, no matter what.

And yes, Pinoys are very creative and resourceful. I can still remember the various contraptions invented by those people along the riles (Tagalog for “train tracks”) — e.g. cart-like vehicles called “padyaks” where they transport pails of water, and even commuters, back and forth. Trust the Pinoys to make something out of nothing. It’s not a surprise anymore if a number of Pinoy craftsmen can make nice products out of trash. It’s a given.

As for generosity, one only needs to go to a Philippine-style fiesta (festival) to experience first-hand how it feels to be served sumptuous food by smiling strangers who open their homes as if it were the most natural thing to do. Talk about A-1 hospitality.

In the talents department, we can say that the Filipinos are never in lack. Sometimes I wish that world-class Filipino talents like Lea Salonga and Regine Velasquez were here in Switzerland to show the Swiss that their top singers (with the exception of DJ Bobo) are not even half as good as their counterparts in the Philippines — and I’m not exaggerating. (Last summer, I watched the musicale “Fiddler in the Roof” performed in German in Thun. Some of the cast, who sang from an open-air stage, sounded like they needed some real voice training from Filipino composer/musician Ryan Cayabyab.)

And let’s not forget the Filipino bayanihan spirit which says “I’m here ready to help you when you need me.” No wonder Filipinos in the Diaspora seek the companionship of their compatriots while living in foreign shores. Nothing beats the essence of bayanihan.

But then again, just like in any race, the Filipinos are not perfect. Many Pinoys are guilty of the following: lack of national pride, crab mentality (’gossipy’ nature included), observance of “Filipino time” (i.e. being late for an appointment for at least an hour), colonial mentality (tendency to be too brand-conscious), and general lack of discipline (just observe how Pinoys drive and cross the street in the metropolis).

However, at the end of the day, the pros of being a Filipino far outweigh the cons. While some Swiss people regard Filipinos as dog eaters, mail-order brides, or domestic helpers (not that this is bad per se; I respect these OFWs for their tenacity), I think I would be doing myself and my country a great disservice if I don’t introduce myself as a Filipino. I’m proud to be a Filipino, regardless of how well-known the Philippine government’s corrupt ways are.

My French teacher and my Filipino classmate (now a Swiss citizen) once remarked that I was too patriotic to a fault. But there is no shame in that. It’s actually the right thing to do, a mon avis (in my opinion). Who wants to be an undercover Pinoy in a foreign land? And amid my obvious struggles with the German and French languages, I’m just glad that my Tagalog is still intact.

Filipino Traits
By JayRed in Switzerland

Image: “National Passion”. © ABF

Visit her blog, “X-Pat Files”