Getting To Know You
By: Zosing Mecasio
Zosing Mecasio came to England from the Philippines three years ago to work as lay missionary. At present she is engage in pastoral works parish in London.
Most conversations here begin with the weather, so I will begin with it too. The first thing that met me when I arrived in England was the cold outside the airport. I shivered being used to the heat back home in the Philippines. I felt as if I was in the freezer. The cold went right into my spine. Even how much I wrapped myself I remained cold and frozen. I felt awkward with the several layers of the thick clothing, and sometime a felt a short of breathe.
Christmas came and everyone was talking about the puddings, and Christmas cakes, shopping, gifts, woollies, and wellies and snow. Many asked me if I had seen snow, or did we have some snow in the Philippines. Jokingly I’d say the snow is afraid of the sun in my country. It’s hard for people of England to have any idea how hot it can be in my country
One evening the snow came! From inside of my cosy room I watched the snow flakes falling. They fell quickly but quietly , dropping on the ground like little pieces of cotton. No noise at all. The following morning I looked out and to my surprise everything was covered with snow!I stood for a while in wonder. The beauty and quietness of the white stillness evoked in me the feeling of inner peace and tranquility.
That afternoon I put on my hat, scarf, coat and wellies and went out into the snow. It was lovely and soft. I enjoyed listening to the crunching sound of my footsteps. It sounded like ice from a milk shake or halohalo (it is a cold drink in my country, made of crushed ice with sugar and milk .).
But I found you have to be careful walking on snow when it gets frozen. You can easily slip and fall. The ground underneath is frozen hard and very slippery. Roads become particularly dangerous for traffic. ( By the way I like the traffic here, they always give way to the pedestrians) When snow melts, every becomes wet and mucky. It reminds me of our own roads in the Philippines during the rainy season.
I thought that I had seen it all, but then I heard some people talking about frost. We have no perception of frost in the Philippines. Again, I was curious. Then one morning I woke up to find all the cars and hedges covered with frost. Everything was frozen and stiff, including the ground.
Summer came. Oh, the people here look forward for summer to get a bit of sun and a bit of tan! I had never before seen how much people value the sun. Here they follow the sun, while in my country we follow the shades. We love white skin but while here people spends hours in the sun hoping to tan. But I too. Look forward for summer so that I can take off my winter woolies.
I began to appreciate the difference in the four seasons. I think there is beauty in winter, but not in the cold weather of winter. People here complain about the cold weather just as we complain the heat in the Philippines.
Having spent four years in England, I find people here very polite. They can be offended but still polite, saying ‘please’, ‘excuse me’ and ‘thank you’. Less emphasis is placed on a person’s title or status here. People at work or elders are called by their first name. This is not disrespectful whereas in my culture it would be. The pace of life here is very fast and people always seem to be rushing.
My experience here have taught me that unless you understand people's way and thinking , you will have the difficulty in relating and communicating. This is true for all migrants. Allow me to share a little thought with you: ‘Piety based only on cultural law and tradition dies. But piety based on faith stays and grows ,and able to go beyond its own culture’.
Zosing Mecasio came to England from the Philippines three years ago to work as lay missionary. At present she is engage in pastoral works parish in London.
Most conversations here begin with the weather, so I will begin with it too. The first thing that met me when I arrived in England was the cold outside the airport. I shivered being used to the heat back home in the Philippines. I felt as if I was in the freezer. The cold went right into my spine. Even how much I wrapped myself I remained cold and frozen. I felt awkward with the several layers of the thick clothing, and sometime a felt a short of breathe.
Christmas came and everyone was talking about the puddings, and Christmas cakes, shopping, gifts, woollies, and wellies and snow. Many asked me if I had seen snow, or did we have some snow in the Philippines. Jokingly I’d say the snow is afraid of the sun in my country. It’s hard for people of England to have any idea how hot it can be in my country
One evening the snow came! From inside of my cosy room I watched the snow flakes falling. They fell quickly but quietly , dropping on the ground like little pieces of cotton. No noise at all. The following morning I looked out and to my surprise everything was covered with snow!I stood for a while in wonder. The beauty and quietness of the white stillness evoked in me the feeling of inner peace and tranquility.
That afternoon I put on my hat, scarf, coat and wellies and went out into the snow. It was lovely and soft. I enjoyed listening to the crunching sound of my footsteps. It sounded like ice from a milk shake or halohalo (it is a cold drink in my country, made of crushed ice with sugar and milk .).
But I found you have to be careful walking on snow when it gets frozen. You can easily slip and fall. The ground underneath is frozen hard and very slippery. Roads become particularly dangerous for traffic. ( By the way I like the traffic here, they always give way to the pedestrians) When snow melts, every becomes wet and mucky. It reminds me of our own roads in the Philippines during the rainy season.
I thought that I had seen it all, but then I heard some people talking about frost. We have no perception of frost in the Philippines. Again, I was curious. Then one morning I woke up to find all the cars and hedges covered with frost. Everything was frozen and stiff, including the ground.
Summer came. Oh, the people here look forward for summer to get a bit of sun and a bit of tan! I had never before seen how much people value the sun. Here they follow the sun, while in my country we follow the shades. We love white skin but while here people spends hours in the sun hoping to tan. But I too. Look forward for summer so that I can take off my winter woolies.
I began to appreciate the difference in the four seasons. I think there is beauty in winter, but not in the cold weather of winter. People here complain about the cold weather just as we complain the heat in the Philippines.
Having spent four years in England, I find people here very polite. They can be offended but still polite, saying ‘please’, ‘excuse me’ and ‘thank you’. Less emphasis is placed on a person’s title or status here. People at work or elders are called by their first name. This is not disrespectful whereas in my culture it would be. The pace of life here is very fast and people always seem to be rushing.
My experience here have taught me that unless you understand people's way and thinking , you will have the difficulty in relating and communicating. This is true for all migrants. Allow me to share a little thought with you: ‘Piety based only on cultural law and tradition dies. But piety based on faith stays and grows ,and able to go beyond its own culture’.