Norm Writes
  • Home
  • Who in the World
  • Blog
  • Postcards
  • Why I write

When the Filipino custom of passalubong turns to pasaluWRONG

11/1/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
Right now, I’m in the United States, visiting family before I return to the Philippines soon. I’m sitting here staring at my suitcase. Or, suitcases. Actually, suitcases and two carry-on bags and a backpack.
 
But before you accuse of being an over-packing diva, I’ll come to my own defense: most of the stuff isn’t mine, but pasalubong.
 
I first heard this word after I went for a weekend trip in the Philippines, and my friends coyly ask for something called “PASALUBONG” when I got back home. What was that? Something important I’d forgotten? An immigration form? A shot for Dengue Fever? A relative of theirs I was supposed to meet and accompany back? OMG did I leave Lola Pasalubong sitting by herself at the bus station?! Eeeek!
 
I could never get a good answer from them, only a shy reminder that pasalubong would be appreciated the next time I traveled.
 
So I looked it up, and the official dictionary definition reads:
 
Pasa-lu-bong:
(noun)
Of or pertaining to the practice of Filipinos guilting their friends and family into free stuff because they’re jealous they didn’t get to travel, too.
 
See also: Christmas presents any day.
 
Ahhh so that’s what it is! I actually like the cultural practice, and since have adopted it wholeheartedly. But mostly because “pasalubong” instantly became the longest and most impressive word in my limited Filipino vocabulary. 
 
It also signaled that I was in on some unspoken cultural tradition; it meant I belonged. I was officially bribing my friends so they’d keep hanging out with me. A perfect arrangement!
 
So before I left the Philippines, I let it be known that I was open for business. A good deed quickly turned into a flood of despair as my luggage space – and bank account – dropped to crisis levels.
 
The most common request was for American chocolate. I didn't have the heart to tell them that A) European chocolate is WAY better, and B) You can get American chocolate anywhere. This one saves me from hauling half-melted chocolate bars across the world, as I'll just go to the 7-11 on the Boulevard and buy 20 Hersheys bars.
 
My American buddy who lives there in Dumaguete, Jake, asked for a football so we could “throw it on the Boulevard.” While this would be a fun way to make new friends as we hit random Filipinos in the face with errant throws, I think the risk of a bus flattening us is too high for me to green-light the operation.
 
One of my best friends, Ate Faye, has recently taken up jiu-jitsu, so I’m looking for a gi (uniform) to bring back for her.
 
There are also children’s boxing gloves for a program I want to start training poor barangay kids.
 
A George Foreman Grill for my friends at Karma Café in Ever Mall. Lugging this metal barbecue across the world will be worth it if they can start making grilled cheese sandwiches.
 
A Jamaican flag as a gift for Orville at his new Jamrock Café (Shhhh…it’s  a surprise so don’t tell him!)
 
A unicorn. (I found a small stuffed animal).
 
A puppy (I’m pretty sure you have plenty of those in Dumaguete, but maybe they meant a clean puppy?)
 
Gummy bears.
 
John Snow. (Can’t help ya there.)
 
Sometimes, people got demanding, like when a friend messaged me, “Bring me a bottle of Baileys!” and I had to remind them to say “please.” To teach them a lesson in civility, I’ll just gift wrap a Red Horse for them.
 
More than one Filipina requested that I bring her unmentionables, which I’m happy to mention here. Apparently, there’s a shortage of bras and sports bras in Dumaguete since I was asked to bring both. One of my friends was nice enough to send me links to the Victoria’s Secret website, where bras cost more than I pay in rent every month.
 
It got even wilder when a few friends confessed that they urgently need me to bring back B.O.B.s. While I won’t reveal exactly what that stands for, I will tell you that it involves batteries, is mostly used by women who currently don’t have boyfriends, and I’d be more than a little embarrassed if the airport customs officers found them in my luggage.
 
Pasalubong has quickly turned into PasaluWRONG, but hot damn it’s fun!
 
But the nicest of all is when I asked someone if they’d like pasalubong and they replied, “No thank you, just bring yourself back safely.”
 
What a nice sentiment – but I know they secretly want something.
 
We all do.
 
 -Norm  :-)

Originally published in the Dumaguete  MetroPost

2 Comments
Jean Rhodes
11/8/2017 05:21:54 am

I ship a box through Umac twice a year. It's so much better than carting all the gifts. Goes by ship, so it takes 2 to 3 months. Send one to your address and it will get delivered eventually. Best to send to a Filipino name, maybe your landlord.

Reply
Ferna link
11/8/2017 10:31:30 am

Pasalubong is fun, but I can also say as time goes by, it became an abuse to the one who travels especially if it affects the bank account of the bearer, because let's be honest, others abuse in the way that they asked a lot on what to buy, what to bring, and some requests for those that are out of nowhere.. hahahaha.. it happened to me before, I am not complaining because for me, regardless of how some sort of abusive it is, it's also way of sharing or giving the people how different the food or things use outside the country. Sharing the experiences. I am having fun as well. Indeed, it's more fun the Philippines.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed


      Receive a digital postcard from Norm every month:

    Yes, I want a postcard!

    Don't miss Norm's new book,
    The Queens of Dragon Town!

    See More

    Norm Schriever

    Norm Schriever is a best-selling author, expat, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. He travels the globe, telling the stories of the people he finds, and hopes to make the world a little bit better place with his words.   

    Norm is a professional blogger, digital marketer for smart brands around the world,  and writes for the Huffington Post, Hotels.com, and others.

    Check out South of Normal his Amazon.com best-selling book about life as an expat in Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

    Cambodia's School of Hope explores education and empowerment in impoverished Cambodia, with 100% of sales going to that school.

    The Book Marketing Bible provides 99 essential strategies for authors and marketers.

    Pushups in the Prayer Room, is a wild, irreverent memoir about a year backpacking around the world.  

    Follow Norm on Twitter @NormSchriever or email any time to say hi!

    Categories

    All
    Advice For Writers
    Amazon
    American Exceptionalism
    Anthropology
    Asia
    Backpack
    Basketball
    Best Seller Lists
    Blogging
    Book-marketing
    Book Review
    Book Reviews
    Cambodia
    Charity
    Child-poverty
    Cloud 9
    Communications
    Costa Rica
    Crazy-asia
    Culture
    Dumaguete
    Education
    Environment
    Ethics In Writing
    Expatriate
    Favorite Song
    Festivals
    Fraternity
    Funny
    Future
    Geography
    Give A Photo
    Giveaway
    Giving Back
    Health
    Heroes
    History
    Hugo Chavez
    Human Rights
    Humor
    India
    Islands
    Itunes
    Laugh
    Maps
    Marijuana
    Martial Arts
    Memoir
    Music
    Nature
    Nicaragua
    Non Violence
    Non-violence
    Ocean
    One Love
    One-love
    Our World
    Philanthropy
    Philippines
    Population
    Positive
    Positivity
    Postcard
    Poverty
    Pura Vida
    Pushups In The Prayer Room
    Race
    Reviews
    Safety
    San Juan Del Sur
    Science
    Screenplay
    Self Publish
    Siargao
    Social Media
    Southeast-asia
    South Of Normal
    Speech
    Sri Lanka
    Story
    Surf
    Surfing
    Tamarindo
    Thailand
    The Philippines
    The-queens-of-dragon-town
    Tourism
    Travel
    United Nations
    Venezuela
    Work From The Beach
    World Health
    Writers Forum
    Writing
    Writing Forum
    Writing Your First Book

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

Norm Schriever

Email:     hi@NormSchriever.com