Confidence Building via English Learning

There are many ways to build confidence.  One these ways is to improve your communication skills, specifically English.  More and more, we're living in an era of globalization.  We no longer work or deal with others just locally.  With the advent of technology, like internet, email, videos, and communications improvement, it is vital that we improve our English.

When our English improves, we become more confident because we can deal with others easily and more effectively.  In the Filipino culture, speaking English well could also be a sign of upper social status.  It is the lingua franca of the rich.  When we can speak English well, it gives us a certain kind of status, thus making us more confident. 

For more information about learning English, visit the American Institute for English Proficiency in Makati, Baguio, or Quezon City.

Filipinos Lack Pride and Confidence?

Last night, I had a conversation with a realtor I may be working with in the Philippines. The topic of Filipino pride and confidence became a part of our conversation when she used the word "kindly," as in "kindly tell me when..."

I noticed that many Pinoys use this word. Kindly tell me. Kindly show me. Kindly give me. Kindly pass the. Kindly this. And kindly that. Heck, kindly everything and anything. See it can get annoying. Point is, I hear this all the time from Filipinos. So I decided to be blunt and asked her directly, "Why do Filipinos use this so much."

At first she said that it was her way of being respectful. She said that Filipinos use it often because they are a very respectful culture, and it's like saying "paki" as in "paki-usap". It's just like inserting the word "please" to a certain request or command. In American, we say, "would you please tell me, " or "could you please tell me..."

In the end, it came down to one point, Filipinos indeed lack a certain pride and confidence. They can't be bold enough to just say "hey, tell me when" or "give me the information." Instead, they bow their heads or NOT look a person in the eye when speaking. It's all about the "yes ma'am" "yes sir" "opo" "oho." Such a culture of many paradoxes. Paradox? They are so brave and bold in the People Power movements. Yet, when it comes to everyday life, so submissive. Even the Pinoys in the US; many of them are like this. Must be the upbringing.

The Filipino realtor said it's because the Philippines has been conquered by so many different other cultures: Spanish, Japanese, American. The Philippines always had to bow down to someone. Now the country is being infiltrated by so many other races: Chinese, Korean, Indian. I love the fact that it is becoming a diverse country. I'm all for diversity and respect for all human kinds. But with this diversity, it becomes harder and harder to define what or who is a Filipino. Chinese are Filipinos. They are called Chinoys, right? Someone correct me here if I'm wrong. I think there comes a time when things will be defined as "ethinically Filipino" and "naturalized Filipino."

Get this. You can see the lack of pride and confidence where ever you go. Go to Greenbelt 3. Havana. Non-Filipinos are worshiped by the Pinoys. Go to the province. You put a white guy there, and everyone washes his feet and kisses his ass. Okay, okay. Not everyone. But almost everyone.

Me, I will treat you not by the color of your skin, but by the content of your character. That's the Martin Luther King in me. It's all about treating someone not by their social status, the thickness of their pockets, the lightness of their skin, or the smell of their breath (though sometimes that can be a killer). Treat someone because of their humanity. The very fact that they are human being, they deserve just and fair treatment.