A to Z of Filipina Magic – Part 1

When asked about retirement, my answer is now “Filipina Magic”. So, then I get asked by friends and colleagues all the time, “What’s so special about the Philippines?”

Any man in the west who was raised as a gentleman and taught how to treat women by their mothers will completely understand why. We are fed up with getting yelled at by women when we hold a door open or allow a woman through a door first.

There is a huge difference between feminine and feminist; most women in the west have lost sight of what it is to be feminine, and they will wear the trousers !!. Here is the same claim from someone who is wise beyond her years, The Filipina Pea. Here is one of her videos on why western men are looking east for their life partners.

I have talked about this in previous articles of mine, such as: Moving to the Philippines to retire and why part 2. I also mention that Filipinas are not only beautiful outside they are are beautiful inside.

Let’s get on with this list to discover my A to Z of Filipina Magic.

A is for AdoBo

For those of you who have been to the Philippines or has a Filipina partner, you will have sampled dishes such as Chicken Adobo or Pork Adobo. Effectively the Adobo (marinade) is a mix of heavy soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and black pepper. Although Abobo was originally a method used to preserve food, it is now more of a standard meal, and it is gorgeous.

B is for Boodle Fight

This is a unique and, at the same time, humbling experience. Basically, it is a long table covered with banana leaves and then the food on top of the leaves. Imagine a western buffet without cutlery and dishes, where you eat with your hands—a magical experience.

C is for Chismis

When you walk around a typical Filipino village, you will see groups of adults gathered but generally doing nothing all day but watching and gossiping. Chismis, is basically gossip, the same thing your granny used to do over the back garden fence with her neighbour.

D is for Dating

Part of the Filipina Magic is their requirement to do things right. They will expect you to date them, take them for dinner and maybe dancing. The magical thing here is that there is no need for you to guess if she likes you. She will make it abundantly clear if she wants to continue to see you. So be respectful and be yourself, and you will be rewarded with some Filipina magic.

E is for Eating

Get used to eating and eating lots. Rice is life, and no matter what Filipino house you visit, there will always be a rice cooker bubbling away. Rice is life, and don’t forget it. If you visit friends or family, they will feed you and at the point of leaving, you will be given a takeaway bag. When you have guests at your house, your Filipina will do the same for your guests. Also, your Filipina’s friends and family will judge her by the way you look. She will think her peers look at her as a bad wife if you are too thin.

F is for Family

When you start a relationship with a Filipino, you need to understand that you are also starting a relationship with the family. To be honest, for me the family values and the respect for the family is amazing. If your Filipina financially supports her parents and family, then expect this to continue even after marriage.

G is for Gwapo

This is one word you want to hear your Filipinas family and friends say in relation to you as it is a compliment and means handsome or attractive. If her mum is saying this to her daughter, then you have nailed it.

H is for Homemakers

Filipinas want security, physical and financial, above all else. In return for this, they will love you unconditionally and build you a home. If in the future you have children, you can guarantee the home will be a castle she will have built for you and your children. Given a chance she will build you a castle fit for a king.

I is for Income

As above, your Filipina will want you to have a secure and good income. This is all about the security she needs, and she needs to know that you can not only look after her but also help her support her family also. It is not a bad thing and at least you understand what you are getting into when you start a relationship with a Filipina.

J is for Jealousy

When you are in a relationship with a Filipina you are hers and only hers. Expect to have your Facebook interrogated and expect sudden and strange behaviours such as turning up to greet you at the airport unplanned. This is not because she does not trust you; it is because she does not trust other Filipinas. She wants to meet you off the flight or arrive with you in the Philippines and announce to the Filipina world that you are hers and stay away.

If she finds you talking to other women, then prepare to defend yourself! If you don’t think she could then watch her fillet a fish or butcher a chicken. They are frightening with knives.

K is for Kitchens

So, looking for a design for a house and having visited my family in the Philippines, I discovered this strange concept of the “Dirty Kitchen”. Basically, you have a kitchen in the house, but then one outside the back of the house called the dirty kitchen, where the majority of the cooking takes place. If you have ever smelled dried fish being cooked, you will completely understand why this is a good idea.

L is for Loyalty

The first Filipinos I ever met worked on the ships in the Middle East with me, and most of them would be away from home for 12 months, then 2 months off before returning for another 12 months at sea. None of them feared that their wives would stray and find another man with all this time away.

Another part of Filipina magic is the fact they are completely Loyal, and as long as you give them the security and love they want, they will be completely and utterly loyal to you.

So now we have my A to L of Filipina Magic. Next week I will give you the rest of the list.