Filipinos have certain characteristics that set their identity, whether they’re back home, or overseas. Let’s explore these common things that make one a Filipino living in Hong Kong.
- You choose between LBC, AFreight, Genex, and Focus as your official door-to-door balikbayan box.
- You ask your newly found friend what’s her phone network; if you share the same one, you are both in for extended “heart-to-heart” phone conversations.
- You tell your friends to meet up at Central MTR, Worldwide House, or Blackman on Sundays.
- You are sometimes confused between the so-called Alley-alley 1 (Li Yuen Street East) and Alley-alley 2 (Li Yuen Street West) in Central.
- You often ask how much is today’s exchange rate between Hong Kong dollars and Philippine peso.
- You find creative ways to have fun in a crowded park (Statue Square, Chater Garden, Kowloon Park, Discovery Park).
- You find time to go to your favorite Filipino products shop to buy
- If you don’t have an Internet connection at home, you often head to your neighborhood Filipino cyber cafe.
- You ask your friends if they were able to grab the latest copy of The Sun and Hongkong News.
- You find yourself engrossed reading your favorite Tagalog pocketbook in the tram, bus, or at the market. You rent three pocketbooks for HK$5 a week.
- You are on a lookout for concerts in Central featuring artists from the Philippines.
- You choose between Ocean Park, The Peak, Hongkong Disneyland, or Noah’s Ark to spend a week with the family.
- You join Filipino basketball leagues in Wan Chai.
- You try hard to join auditions for beauty pageants like Smartone Barkadahan, Mutya ng Mindanao, Project Runway, Agusan HK Society, Miss Bicolana, Miss Luzon, etc.
- You find videoke bars at Filipino shops and are not afraid to be heard singing songs of Regine Velazquez, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Sarah Geronimo, Celine Dion or Imelda Papin.
- You head to Laguna, Neptune, Boracay, New Makati disco houses in Wan Chai.
- You are told by many non-Filipino friends that you sing well during karaoke sessions in Neway or Red Box.
- You know Cinta J and Mang Ambo restaurants and visit them once in a while.
- You belong to specific religious organizations such as Couples for Christ, Jesus is Lord or El Shaddai, and civic organizations like United Ilocanos, Mindanao Alliance, or UNIFIL.
- You buy your electronics goods from RFC or Owtel on layaway terms.
- You bring out your Filipino costume and perform ethnic dance during the Philippine Independence Day celebration.
- You learn cooking, karate, and computer lessons at short-term courses at Bayanihan Centre.
- You spend your weekend following up on your application to go to Canada.
- You buy tabloids like Abante and Bulgar daily at ParkNShop or your nearby newspaper dealers.
- You find it hard to look for reference when applying for financial loans at JCG-Public Finance or Prime Credit.
- You have friends selling glutathione, Vital C, High Desert, and other health supplements and occasionally get invited to join their multilevel “investment” schemes.
- You can easily find Filipina manicure, pedicure, massage, and fortune tellers at Chater Garden. But beware, if caught, you could get in trouble with the police.
- You enjoy chicken joy or palabok at Jollibee Hong Kong.
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