Imposter Syndrome as a Filipino: Wag Maging Banyaga sa Sarili Mong Bayan

In this article, you will explore:

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN IMPOSTER IN YOUR OWN FILIPINO CULTURE

• THE WAYS OF A FOREIGNER (BANYAGA)

• HOW TO BE INTIMATE WITH THE FILIPINO CULTURE

• FINAL THOUGHTS ON EXPANDING YOUR WORLDVIEW

Who is the foreigner in the lens of the Filipino? When I was growing up, my school in Manila had what we called-a foreigner’s class. This is a class where students who are new to the country or have difficulty understanding the language were grouped together. It is believed that foreigners may need special accommodations because they won’t understand the intricacies of the language and/or the Filipino culture.

Are you a foreigner in your own culture?

You don’t need to live in America or elsewhere to be a foreigner these days. You might be surprised to know that you can be an outsider in your own country. The rise of the internet and globalization pave the way to economic opportunities for many Filipinos, and yet many of us, whether in the motherland or not, are becoming a foreigner to our own culture.

HOW NOT TO BE A FOREIGNER AS A FILIPINO

The way you are versed about your culture may be more indicative of your parents’ mindset and call- of-the-times-trend when you were growing up. This is not your fault.

To learn anything new, it entails that you listen and observe. At times, I find Filipino Americans who are starved of their Filipino/x identity consume the wrong things. You might consume facts and information with a dogmatic, almost biblical point of view. You might be subscribed to ideas in the West that seemed absurd not to pledge allegiance to, like how a Filipino can be solely understood by his history of colonization. Without a doubt, the Filipino is influenced by periods of colonization in his past, and yet he is not defined by or ruled by this.

Life is too complex to have a prescription of what ails the Filipino and his society. How not to be a foreigner is to slow down and observe.

Societies reward systems and behaviors that they deem important or valuable and continue to reinforce it. This may be both positive or negative. One of the most endearing parts of Filipino culture is its essence of Kapwa. In general, unless proven otherwise, a Filipino trusts his neighbor, a female is always an ate, and a male, always a kuya.

This is one reason why driving in the Philippines takes time for a foreigner to adjust to. When doing a u-turn, you can’t wait for a huge space in between incoming cars, or you will have to wait until the next day. Instead, you take on small spaces with confidence and trust that the kuya in the jeep sees you and will not hit you. I’ve been driving in Manila for years and when I visit. It’s quite challenging to teach someone the mechanics of Filipino driving because it’s a true cultural experience.

Corruption is a pesky system in the Philippines that has brought down our society for decades. To not be a foreigner as a Filipino is to get a glimpse of the culture of poverty in the motherland and ask questions.  Here are some questions to investigate or simply to be curious about:

• What is an ayuda? How does it influence the poor?

• What is the minimum salary in the Philippines and the cost of living?

• What do Filipinos think of their politicians and what are their voting attitudes?

• What are popular tv shows/films in the Philippines?

• How do families spend their weekend?

• Who gets reprimanded in school?

• What is rewarded in the Filipino home?

This short list of questions is just a warm-up to the many questions you will come up with, especially when you begin to answer a question or two. To not be a foreigner as a Filipino, ask  questions, and then some more.

I have shared more ways to expand our horizons in deeply learning about the Filipino culture, in a series at kalamansiJuice Tv, youtube channel. 

Watch them below.

HOW TO BE INTIMATE WITH THE FILIPINO CULTURE

The first video on the series: Wag Maging Dayuhan sa Sarili Mong Bayan is about traversing spaces that may not be comfortable to you. I’m talking about depress areas, places where the karaniwang (ordinary) Filipino takes.

Huwag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Mong Bayan: Series 2

The second in this series: Wag Maging Dayuhan sa Sarili Mong Bayan is on hanging out with your family. Relationships can be messy. Our view of the time can clash with another family member. Are we leaving yet? What time are we leaving? Ang tagal naman (its taking too long) are common conversations you might have that may be irritating but at the end, almost always enriching.

Hang Out with Your Filipino Family:Wag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan

The third on the series is on hanging out with the locals. When you do this, you might just find that our idealistic Western lens may not align with the locals (at least not all of them) and the romanticizing of the indigenous culture can be misplaced.

De-Romanticizing the indigenous Culture: Wag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan

The fourth on the series talks about what my thoughts are on what actually colonizes us in the present moment and the value of being a cultural interpreter.

Cultural Interpreter: Huwag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan

These are just a few of my recommendations. You might have better ideas so please share them in the comments below.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As a Filipino therapist , I understand that concepts and theories offer you a reflective analysis on the many phenomena in the world. Perhaps, you and I can start or end with them. But, the essence of relationships is through experience. 

If you feel you have not been offered or invited to a positive Filipino experience. Experience it again…differently. Maybe, with a different person, different place, but equally important to enter an experience with a different expectation(s).

To deeply learn the heart of the Filipino is to allow messiness and discomfort to be a part of your journey. On my last trip to the Philippines ( I was there for 7 weeks), it revived this immovable belief (that I sometimes forget living in America)  that things may not be how I want them to be, but in the end, everything works out.

I hope everything is working out for you.

You are not an imposter but rather a student of the culture.