Light Feature - Expatriate Opinion (Profiling Filipinos)

October 7, 2009
783 words

Savory memories.

Expatriates fly away from their homes in search of greener pastures. The number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) working abroad as on September 2008 reached 3.0 million as reported by their government. While being highly in tune with the sense of transience they face as expats, most Filipino’s have adjusted well to their surroundings. While being ever acceptable of other customs and traditions Filipinos hold their own culture close to their hearts. They are hardworking and respectable, and their hospitality has no bounds. These expats terribly miss and yearn their homes. There is another thing that expats miss most, their local food, that is difficult to find overseas, or is difficult to make. Whatever the case may be, most expats agree that their regional food doesn’t hold the same flavour and allure when eaten elsewhere in the world.

Expats travel to and fro their home countries as often as they can. We take a peek into the luggage a few Filipinos carry to their country and back. Most Filipino’s agree that they take back things like souvenirs, clothes, toys, perfumes and other knick-knacks for their families back home. They bring back food items to munch on here in Dubai.

Citadel Sanchez, an Office Assistant at Al Futtaim Motors, has been in Dubai for 3 and a half years. When asked about the items she brings back from her trips to the Philippines she says,

I bring back Filipino delicacies, little things I cant find here, like the shortcakes and the little homemade fruit flavoured candy. I even get back dehydrated Kare Kare(Beef with vegetables) and Chicken Abodo (chicken cooked in s special manner) to eat here.

Beverly D. Reyes, has been a Dubai resident for the past 2 years. She says she desperately misses her home country, “I miss the whole country itself because it is the only place where I belong and is close to my heart.”

When asked to tell us abut the things she brings back from the Philippines, she says “I’ll probably bring Bagoong (fish and shrimp paste), Yema (milk sweets made by my Mom), dried salted fish, green mango, photos of my loved ones and family, and native souvenirs for my friends in Dubai. ”
With Dubai’s specialized outlets for selling pork, and supermarket aisles dedicated to Filipino products. Filipinos have no trouble finding the ingredients for most of their dishes. However, there are some items they do not find here.“Fish balls, squid balls, crab balls, and Balot (blue egg), all Filipino delicacies, but you cant even catch a whiff of them here in Dubai.” Says Beverly.

Glodelyn Sevilla has been in the Gulf for about two years. A Credit Control Assistant, she says “I bring back my favorite foods like palabok, lechon and kawal, None of these are available here. Once I bring them back, I scrimp on them so as to make them last longer. Besides these, I bring back Filipino medicines, They are the only ones that work effectively on my system. ”

James Mark Narisma, a Staff Nurse with the Ministry of Health for the past 4 years now says, “I was born and raised in the lovely city of Davao, I bring back Philippine dishes like coconut and butter cake, baked in charcoal, and paella made Philippine-style. The foodstuff we bring back from vacations to my country, doesn’t last as long as we’d like it to.” He grins. “ We can make the Philippine cake here as well, but it is just not the same,"

Expats miss their homes most during religious Festivals and other celebrations. With a majority Christian population, Filipino’s have the longest Christmas celebration extending from September to January. They have a love for exuberant celebrations with loud rejoicing and dancing. Metina Dolondz from Jumeirah says, “The first few years I was here, I tried to celebrate Christmas the way Filipinos celebrate at home. giving and sharing. I try to go back to the Philippines during Christmas and Easter. The times I cant, I bring back ingredients on my summer vacation to try and make the Christmases here just as enjoyable for my family. The best of Pinoy food comes out at celebrations. We have traditional favorites like the “biritan” and “kantahan” and delicacies like Sinigang na baboy (Pork with Tamarind soup), Taho (tofu in caramel syrup).”

Every expat faces challenges the first time they set foot in the country. What all these people have in common is a story of struggle away from home, one where they are all lost masses trudging through the muck in a bid to build a better tomorrow for themselves and their children.

Light Feature - Home of an Expatriate

September 16, 2009
640 words

Queer sights in the expat home.

Of all the civilized communities known to man, expatriates take the prize for being the most eccentric of the lot. Having flown from their nests in search of greener pastures, here is a community that will surprise you with its unique style of dealing with things. Expats for the most, constantly hover over the threshold, not knowing whether to cross over and submerge themselves into the local culture, or to stay within and hang tight to the remnants of their own fast eroding culture.

“I’m all about reusing”, says Mrs Nayantara John, a housewife “Growing up, we dint have the luxuries we see today, Wastage of any kind makes me unhappy, so I reuse! Good for the environment. Good for my wallet” she laughs. Her house is filled with containers of every size and shape, she uses peanut butter jars for spices, milk bottles to store cold water, old clothes to dust her house, and ice cream containers for everything from curry to her impressive collection of colorful thread. “While being ever-receptive of other cultures, should be proud of our heritage, our rich and colorful history. We should be able to carry it with pride, wherever we go, and whichever part of the world we settle in”. she says, smiling through the delusional cultural pride that radiates from her pickle filled jam jars and her other knick knacks.

Megha Kumar, hailing from Kerala, is highly aware of her transience as an expat. “My family is all about preserving everything we own, everything from furniture to electronics are covered for the most of the day.” This might have its roots in miserliness, Although no expat worth his while will admit to it. They refuse to put things to use unless they absolutely have to. Adjustment is the magic word. “We keep everything from empty boxes to old electronic appliance manuals to sachets of ketchup to wet towels from fast food outlets”

Expats tend to prefer interiors that remind them of home. Interiors are all about practicality, although we do try to fill it with as many bric-a-bracs as possible. Most expat houses will have a maniplant growing in the corner, lucky bamboo arrangements and balconies bursting with whatever plants can survive in the Dubai heat. Jaspreet Saluja, a teacher with the Indian High School Dubai says, “I love having plants around, both real and artificial, My house is filled with both plants as well as plastic flower arrangements.

Marie Alves, a banker hailing from Philippines, agrees to missing home. “We try to get to get our homes here to look like homes back in Manila” When asked about the one item one can expect to find in every Filipino house, he says “A rice cooker. I am truly Pinoy. My family has rice for every meal of the day. As is the case in many Filipino homes. We actually have two rice cookers”
Most people believe that expats tend to clutter their houses less than local families, as they move around every few years. While this is true for some, most expats believe in saving up the good stuff to take back to their hometowns. “My parents buy gold, and electronics and other things, to take back home when we finally leave Dubai. They are kept untouched for a number of years. Things are affordable and are of better quality here. But they take up too much unnecessary space around the house. All that clutter! We even save up on plastic bags because they are such a rarity in India”, sighs Reshma Jose, a student.

What all these people have in common is a story of struggle away from home, one where they try to make the best of their surroundings. Man adapts to his surroundings quickly. If Immigration may very well be the most developed form of adaptability ever.