REACTION PAPER

Material: "WHERE'S THE PATIS"

Source: https//:norlynlobido.wordpress.com

Author: Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil

The article is very nice. I really enjoyed reading it mainly because it talks
about our culture as a Filipino and how every Filipinos want to go to different
countries and try new things but every time they do, they would miss their
home, the Philippines. The story is really about a great dream of a Filipino
which his desire, yearning and craving for a Filipino dish when he became a
tourist on another country.

As I read the story, the first paragraph talks about the great Filipino
dream and that is to travel abroad and become a tourist which just like a
normal Filipino dream who desire to visit different cities in Asia, America
countries and Europe and the desire to see even just a glimpse of it.

As I further read this story, it captured my attention the most when the
author compared and contrasted the culture of both the country that the
Filipino visited and the Philippines. For example, when he found out that
siopao to go with the rice but wasn’t as rich as Salazar, pancit guisado reeking
with garlic but wasn’t as good as good as the one on the sidewalks of Quiapo
and many more. It really describes the thrill and excitement of a Filipino as he
leaves the country and visits another one trying to find and discover new things
there. But still, no one can deny the fact that in one way or the other Filipino
will miss the Filipino spirits and its ambiance. Furthermore, it also talks about
the change in culture and the act of adopting it, and how Filipino changes the
attitude when he is in another country.
 It shows the things which Filipino misses the most and that are the
Filipino foods. Furthermore, it was really funny as I read the part which
describes the happenings in the expensive restaurant in Europe which the
Filipino is yearning for a mound of rice, a bowl of sinigang na bangus. But
since he doesn't have a choice he applies himself with the foreign delicacies
and subsequently the Filipino ordered the specialty of a restaurant, but instead
he found out that those soup were actually used by Filipinos when they were
convalescing from "tifus" or "trancazo".

He was in depth yearning and craving for Filipino dishes and he also
compares it with the European foods and its differences and the similarities of
it. It was also mentioned about the absence of the rice in the said restaurant
instead of rice it was plenty of foods which are actually rich in carbohydrates.
And the rice in America and Europe is actually or they considered it as a
vegetable but it was also mention in the story that, there is also a special rice
which is available and is usually described it as a large, oval and foreign
looking with butter in it.

We may not have meals as luxurious as other countries. But in this

story, he was really yearning, longing and craving for the Filipino dish, so he
decided to search strange city where there he found out about the Chinese
restaurant and it considered as the closest taste to Filipino foods. But still
nothing can compare it to the Filipino foods that fill our hearts with
satisfaction. And it was also mention in the said story that as a great desire of
a Filipino for a Filipino dishes he is still searching in any part of the country
due to his desperate need just to satisfy his stomach.

Therefore, in this story, Filipino may denationalized himself but not his
craving stomach, it shows that wherever he may go or shall we say go to the
different countries he will still looking and craving for the Filipino foods. In a
foreign land, you must learn to adjust and adapt to a new culture and to a new
way of life. The way you dress, the way you speak, and the way you act will
gradually change according to social conventions. But for the Filipinos, there
are nothing like classic foods that satisfy our cravings. He may ignore the
culture of Filipino but in his heart he can't ever avoid the yearning of his
stomach desperately searching for the Filipino cuisine.

Indeed, a person can hardly adapt to certain tradition and culture for
he/she is unaccustomed to it. There are lots of adjustments to de done just to
acquire new customs but we must not forget where we came from which is the
reason of what we are today.

Probably the author wanted to share how Filipinos are when they are
abroad because we can learn a lot from them and as well as be moved by their
stories. It also reminds us that although it is good to discover new things and
to experience new customs but we must always remember our roots, for it
molded us into the person who we are today.

This article will serves as an eye opener to all of us. It reminds us that
even we are trying to adapt things, our real personality will still remain as we
go on through our own journey.

In the other hand, not all beautiful things and places that we see are
admirable because still the best place is in the most comfortable and livable
place where we find joy and belongingness. It would also make us realize that
truly “There is no place like home”.