INTERRACIAL DATING
Dating Filipinas in the US vs. Dating Them in the Philippines
Filipina women truly are a highly sought-after and widely popular love interest among many Western nations nowadays, and it’s been that way for quite a long time now — and for good reason, too.
It’s arguable that they just don’t make women like these anywhere else, and you might not always find a good woman in every quest.
These women in particular have a whole bunch of desirable traits that are compatible with that of the everyday Western man, fulfilling checkmarks like physical attractiveness, emotional stability, easy-goingness, a somewhat passive yet not overly-submissive vibe — all of which contribute to their overall appeal in the eyes of Western men.
In reality, it’s one of the things that keeps tourists coming to the Philippines.
Sure, the breathtaking scenery and endless natural resources that the country is abundant with never cease to draw in the amazement of the rest of the world, but we all know why your old Uncle Phil booked a three-month vacation to Cebu City with a stopover in Manila.
He’s a single dude in his late fifties, ex-wife and kids have moved on with their lives, and he’s enjoying his retirement money — so what other pleasures of the earthly realm are left to enjoy with his remaining time?
That of the flesh, of course; that which is truly among the finest observable specimens of female, Southeast Asian excellence.
Now, there are some notable differences in the behaviors and personalities of Filipinos who live in America, particularly among those who were born and raised there, as compared to those who moved there to live in recent times.
So how does that translate to dating?
In the worldwide dating circuit, what distinguishes an Americanized Filipina from a local Filipina?
And more importantly, what’s the difference when it comes to dating in the Philippines compared to dating Filipinas in the United States?
In this blog, we’ll attempt to deconstruct and dissect the social infrastructure, cultural aspects, and behavioral nuances that differentiate localized and international Filipina women (and Filipinos in general).
We’ll also take a look at how cultural immersion affects these dating habits as well as their overall dispositions.
Let’s break it into two parts.
First, we’ll start with Americanized Filipinas and Filipinas living in America.
Their families are probably still traditional.
Let’s say she grew up in the US or was born there. Obviously, she’ll have good, generally fluent conversational English skills, and despite having a most likely traditional background (older Filipinos in America tend to remain quite conservative even if they moved there at a younger age), she’ll probably be much more modern and progressive-minded.
If you’re a Western man dating an Americanized Pinay in the US who was born there or lived there for the majority of her life, she probably won’t seem too different in terms of sociability as compared to Caucasian women or other Asian-Americans.
But when it’s time to meet the parents, prepare for the full-fledged Filipino family tradition. She’ll probably tell you beforehand that her parents migrated there years ago, or possibly even quite recently. Despite this, her parents will most likely embody the hospitality and unique practices of Filipino culture that you’ve probably already heard about by now — everything from leaving your shoes outside the front door, the cuisine, the respect for elders — all of that.
They’ll either be mad or happy that she brought a white guy home, depending on what they want for her future.
Many Filipino parents, like most Asian parents, still have a significant say in the course of life that their kids take. They’ll either be thrilled at the idea of her settling down and having half-white kids in the US, or they will want her to find a Filipino man to continue the tradition.
Ask her beforehand so you have a clue as to how her parents will react to seeing you for the first time.
Many traditions will still stand, and among many other things, that’s what it means to be a Filipino American.
She probably has prior experience dating a Western man.
If she’s in her teens to late-twenties or older (and grew up in the US), it’s safe to assume that she’s dated other men, potentially from other cultures as well aside from Caucasian guys.
This means that the language and cultural barrier between you two probably won’t be as wide, and you’ll still be able to relate to each other on a more genuine level. You might even feel that she’s a Western woman by heart, trapped in a Filipina girl’s body.
But when it comes to dating Filipinas in the Philippines…
You’ll have to worry a little bit more about the cultural barrier.
You probably already know this, but when you’re in the Philippines dating a local Pinay, it may be a challenge getting used to the cultural differences that you’ll encounter along the way.
Filipinas in their hometowns tend to be a little more timid, shy, and less assertive compared to their Americanized counterparts. They’ll want you to take the lead in many things, but will be there with you every step of the way.
Another thing is the language barrier.
Normally, most Filipinas speak moderately good conversational English because after all, the Philippines is the best English-speaking country in all of Southeast Asia.
However, there might be times when you don’t understand her at first — but that’s nothing a little expounding on her part won’t fix. When you get past that, you’ll realize how easy it is to communicate with your Pinay love interest.
And lastly…
She might not be that exposed to or knowledgable about Western culture.
In general, most Filipinas have a somewhat solid idea of how Western life and culture work based on what they’ve seen in the media and online — some more knowledgeable than others, and some less exposed than others.
Inevitably, there’ll be lots of things about Western society and the way Westerners live their lives that they won’t understand at first. They might misinterpret straightforwardness with rudeness, chivalry for flirting, and boldness for aggression — common mix-ups with different Filipino translations of emotion.
However, being able to look past that shouldn’t be too much of a chore. Once you do, it should be smooth sailing from there.
So, in conclusion, that’s the difference. There’s a lot more to it, but we’ll leave it at that.
