Philippines (Culture Shock!) (Paperback)

~ Alfredo Roces (Author), Grace Roces (Author), Shirley Eu (Illustrator) "You invite Filipinos to your birthday party and they bring presents which you open excitedly in front of them, as is the custom in Europe..." (more)
Key Phrases: smooth interpersonal relations, nipa hut, fiesta time, World War, Metro Manila, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Whether you travel for business, pleasure, or a combination of the two, the ever-popular CULTURE SHOCK! series belongs in your backpack or briefcase. Get the nuts-and-bolts information you need to survive and thrive wherever you go. CULTURE SHOCK! country guides are easy-to-read, accurate, and entertaining crash courses in local customs and etiquette. CULTURE SHOCK! practical guides offer the inside information you need whether you're a student, a parent, a globetrotter, or a working traveler. CULTURE SHOCK! AT YOUR DOOR guides equip you for daily life in some of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. And CULTURE SHOCK! SUCCESS SECRETS guides offer relevant, practical information with the real-life insights and cultural know-how that can make the difference between business success and failure.

Each CULTURE SHOCK! title is written by someone who's lived and worked in the country, and each book is packed with practical, accurate, and enjoyable information to help you find your way and feel at home.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company; Expanded edition (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558686274
• ISBN-13: 978-1558686274
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #858,940 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Culture Shock"-A study of Philippine Life in Modern Times, December 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Culture Shock! Philippines (Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette) (Paperback)

Alfredo and Grace Roces have compiled a great deal of material on the Psycho-social development of and application of "The Pilopino Culture". Rationales are given for certain behaviors, and comparisons with American Culture are made. As an American I find the information contained in this study of Pilipino Behavior, Life style, Social Interaction to be indespensible in studying the Pilopino People. I highly reccomend reading "Culture Shock" to anyone interested in comparing Cultural norms between American and Pilopino Culture. I am an American married to a Filipina. After reading Culture Shock I have developed a much better understanding of my wifes feelings about issues such as-Religion, Family, "Utang na loob", Extended vs. Nuclear Family, Sending money home to parents in the Philippines etc. There are now so many new concepts added to my knowledge of the Philippines that I lack both the time and space to discuss them with you. Get the book and enjoy a refreshing look at a new Culture! Mike McGrath-R.N./MICN/Webmaster

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes! So true!, November 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Culture Shock! Philippines (Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette) (Paperback)

This book is a well written introduction to the culture of the Philippines. I was born and raised in the US but my ethnic background is Filipino and I am fluent in Tagalog. I didn't think I would need to prepare for the trip to the Philippines. I could not have been more incorrect. Unfortunately for me, I read this book after my trip. Roces and Roces clearly explain the idiosyncrasies of the Filipino culture without insulting Filipino people. I recommend this book to anyone who will embark on a trip to the Philippines. One piece of advice: read the book *before* the trip not after!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Three things I learned from this book, December 30, 2004

By	Jonathan Aquino (Victoria, BC Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am a Filipino-Canadian, and I'm grateful for this book because it gave me valuable insights into Filipino culture (and myself):

- hiya = shame. Much of what Filipinos do and don't do is motivated by the avoidance of hiya.

- amor proprio = face. Filipinos try very hard to avoid making other people lose face in the slightest.

- utang na loob = debt to another after receiving a gift. Receiving a gift is bittersweet for Filipinos because the giver has some control over you now.