Here are some random stuff you might find weird, questionable or inconvenient but totally common in my country. So please prepare yourself (emotionally and physically) if you think that is necessary.
- basic services are a privilege and not a right
- electricity and water could be disrupted sometimes
- hot water bath is not common in Filipino homes (hotels have them)
- there will be insects/bugs almost anywhere you go (yes, that includes cockroaches)
- if you’re male and you notice a sudden rise in popularity among the girls, they’re most probably after your money and not your body
- service crews everywhere you go will expect to get a tip from you for doing their job
- you are expected to be wealthy wherever you go
- people use hi-beams with their car during night-time even when they’re on regular streets (yes, we blow horns too)
- when you buy stuff, you might not get all the (coin) change you deserve
- people love karaoke (also called videoke) and depending on where you are staying, you may hear it throughout the night
- some men drink with their buddies outside their house or even if it is on the side of a roadway
- air pollution is terrible in densely populated cities (take necessary measures if travelling with kids, infants or if you are sensitive to air pollution)
- people will ask/dare you to eat balut
- internet/wifi is slow in most places
- most Filipinos cannot eat their meals without rice
- you will find it very uncommon to eat with a knife and fork
- most men do not use an umbrella even when it is raining
- guys could go out a short distance from their house without wearing a shirt on
- many homes have at least one family member outside the country that supports them financially
- cellphones are among the basic commodities of the people
- no matter what students or teachers tell you, basketball IS the national sport
- all the parts of a chicken can be cooked and eaten (nothing goes to waste)
- not all homes have flushes for their toilets (don’t worry most hotels do)
- floods caused by rain in some cities could reach up to 1 meter (3 feet) high
- traffic congestions inside Manila could stall cars for 1 to 3 hours
- the very long queue of people taking the MRT is an everyday occurence
- posters, banners, billboards of Politicians could be seen in almost any city you go
- drinking water may be bought in gallons from water purifying stations/shops
- you may get extra special treatment anywhere you go just for being a foreigner
- most people will smile while talking to you and that is despite whatever current condition they are in
