When dating Filipinas, never say any of these things.
When you are in the presence of beautiful Filipino women, no one would blame you if you get tongue-tied. While it can be nerve-wracking to talk to Filipinas, you’re bound to talk to them at some point. How else would you get to know them if not for talking?
One way not to lose your marbles around Filipino women is to plan what you want to talk about. That way, you can find out what you want to know about her. However, to add some levity to the conversation, you can try some jokes on her.
But because of the cultural differences, you’d have to be more careful with what you say to avoid offending your date. While discovering more about Filipino culture, you might step on some toes every once in a while without meaning to. However, you can minimize that by researching ahead of time what’s considered taboo and what’s safe to talk about.
Of course, not all Filipinas are alike, so you’d have to find out what sets her off. But in general, here are just some of the things that are considered rude to say to Filipinas:
Saying no when she offers you food
Filipinos, in general, are very generous. A lot of tourists can attest to how hospitable they are. One way they show their generosity is by sharing food with you, especially when you’re visiting their house.
When you are a guest, better go with an empty stomach because you would be offered all sorts of dishes. So when you turn them down, it can be considered rude because it’s like you are rejecting their cooking, like disregarding all their efforts to welcome you.
If you aren’t hungry, at least taste a few things just to placate the host, especially if she’s your date.
Implying that she wants to marry you for money
One of the most offensive stereotypes about Filipinas is they only date foreigners for money. The truth is a lot of them earn their own money and are capable of supporting themselves.
The Philippines may be a third-world country, but that doesn’t mean that everyone living there is poor. And any Filipina you meet might not be a gold digger. She may be looking for the same things as you are.
While there is a small portion of Filipinas that are out to get one’s money, they aren’t that hard to identify as long as you know what signs to look for. If your date doesn’t show any of these signs, then chances are she’s just as interested in you as you are with her.
Asking why her English is really good
Another myth about Filipinos is they are illiterate (additionally, this is one of the things you should not say this to someone of Asian descent). This might surprise you but out of all the countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines ranks the highest with 97.95% in terms of literacy (beating out Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei).
Apart from that, English is officially the second language of the Philippines. Not only do they understand, but it is used pretty often. For example, a lot of textbooks are written in English. Because the children are taught to speak in English at an early age, naturally by the time they become adults they’re pretty fluent.
So, really, you don’t need to worry about hiring an online translator when online dating with Filipino women. But apart from that, the reason why commenting how good her English is offensive is because she would get the idea you thought her as illiterate and uneducated.
If there’s one thing Filipinos hate more than anything, it is being misjudged. So while you are getting to know her, don’t let your opinion be colored by any stereotype.
Finding their food disgusting
Filipinos are pretty patriotic. They are particularly proud of their culture and heritage. With that said, they are particularly passionate when it comes to Philippine cuisine. While they have a lot of dishes that look exotic, you would be surprised at how good they taste as long as you give it a try.
Now, one thing you should know about Philippine cuisine is they tend to use unconventional ingredients. So refusing to eat them simply because some of the ingredients are disgusting can be considered an insult. Your refusal can be misinterpreted as arrogance or dismissal of Filipino culture in general.
They would probably be more understanding if you said you had allergies or digestive problems. Either way, if you are vocal with how much you don’t like Filipino food, don’t be surprised if you get a severe backlash not just from her but also from everyone in her community.
Assuming she is a maid or a nurse
Most Filipino immigrants either work as nurses or domestic helpers. Sadly, because of this, a lot of Filipinas abroad are mistaken as such. However, not all of them hold these professions.
Worse still is that there are people who think that being nurses and domestic helpers is all they are good for. If you are wondering what not to say to her, mistaking her for a nurse or a helper is definitely one of them.
Not all Filipinas aspire to do these jobs for the rest of their lives. Some of them are into marketing, writing, and even hold typically male jobs, such as engineering and programming. Mistaking her as a nurse or a domestic helper would make her think you are ignorant. An even worse scenario is she’d think you’re dating her for the wrong reasons, she might think that you’re only seeing her so you’ll have someone to take care of you for free.
Whether you meet on free online dating sites or in person, these are the most taboo topics to avoid with your Filipino date. Because most of what is listed is based on negative stereotypes, you just have to take these myths with a grain of salt. If you show you have an open mind and willingness to accept whoever she is, your Filipino date might just fall in love with you.
© Philippine Women
