Hi I'm completely new to the site

Hi as the title says I'm completely new to this site. I've been looking around this site and it is packed full of useful information.
Here's my situation I'm just starting out and have been talking to a fillipina lady and all is going well so far with potential for something more. Anyway what I'm trying to do is avoid any cultural mistakes (the religion thing came up I nicely side stepped it). Also anything to do with the culture.

I would also like to learn some taglog phrases, words etc. Ideally with the English translations (google translate isn't that great but has caused son laughter)

Thanks in advance

Maligayang Pagdating

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your stay.

Salamat

Welcome to the forum young man

Don't worry too much about the culture divide as it is easily spanned, regarding learning Tagalog, remember life is short

Thanks

Welcome to the forum!

If you have a basic spanish knowledge, you can go by that. Time (ala una), numbers (uno, dos, tres) dates (lunes, martes, hueves, enero) and some day to day words (gwapo, mesa) in spanish can still be understood by most filipinos.

Cultural thing: there is a line that best describes the philippine culture: 300 yrs trapped in a convent and 50 yrs in hollywood as described by nick joaquin.

What are the eggs doing in there?

Huevos, a subtle difference

Lunes, Martes, Miercoles, Jueves, Viernes, Sabado, Domingo

Enero is January.

Merienda = Snack (very important to feed your Filipina often - five times a day, almost always including rice)

You should be honest about your own religion. If you are similar to most British people and are in different about religion, tell her this. I doubt she will care in the least.

Although most Filipinos do have their faith (and their FB profiles may have you believe they are would be nuns), they are generally quite relaxed about the whole.

I've not met a single Filipino who is like the Bible thumping evangelist you see on American TV. They go to church once a week , do all the holy week stuff, cross their hearts at the sight of Mama Mary etc. All other times, it's Situation Normal.

If the girl is a religious nutcase, it's better to move on if that will make you incompatible.

For learning Tagalog, I bought the Pimsleur audio book series from Audible by Amazon. There are apparently plenty of Torrent downloads, too.

Rather than just learning a few phrases in parrot fashion, this gives you a very basic introduction to understand how sentences are constructed. Once you have a grasp of this, you can expand it by adding words from Google translate.

Making deliberate errors is sometimes good for humour. If I'm feeling cold, I might say I'm malibog oops I mean malamig, or I'll count isa dalawa tatlo apat anim lima and insist she is wrong when she corrects me. I use it as a way for her to make fun of me.

Thanks everyone for the comments some good points in there. Reference the religious thing I'm just the typical Brit only goes to church for hatched, matched and dispatched. I was up front about this and it doesn't seem to be a problem.
As for the rest Tagalog, culture etc that was just so I could show I care about her background (I know I'm a soppy git).
More hopefully to follow

Welcome!

Personally i think it's important to embrace their culture. I learnt various little bits while dating my wife, often i made mistakes that were humorous, but it all goes to show you care.

Good luck and feel free to ask anything here.

This - http://www.filipiknow.net/things-youll-only-find-in-the-philippines/ is a blog I read every now and then, full of little articles about hundreds of topics, and written by a Filipino. I think you would find it useful and hopefully interesting if you want to know more about the Phils and its people, culture and history.

in the fullness of time---if this relationship developes and you 2 decide to tie the knot------will she want a church wedding ? ( i assume she catholic ? ) so--would you consider being received into the catholic religion ?

That's a bit far down the track but the simple answer is I'm divorced so will that have an effect on marrying in a Catholic Church? If not I am a flexible person who can adapt I'm just not getting the whole dogma thing. The usual dinosaur v genesis argument (sorry i didn't want to go down the theological debate route as it can offend people)

Welcome to the forum. I'm Catholic and so is my Filipina wife. We weren't able to marry in the Catholic church because of my previous divorce. There is however, nothing to stop you marrying in a civil ceremony and having a religious service that appears to be a wedding in all respects except that you are already married and are so not actually signing the register. Consider it more of a church 'blessing'.

Just because your partner is Catholic then so long as you support her in her beliefs, then I doubt that she will expect or force you to believe them too.

In my view, the biggest single cultural issue that you may encounter will probably revolve around the issue of sending money to her family and the expectation that she and you may often be expected to make financial contributions. Its up to you how to deal with that, but I would advise that you are firm from the outset that you're not an ATM machine or indeed a useful resource to allow her to get a better paid job and hence subsidise the family.

There are some couples out there where both partners work and the woman effectively uses her salary as 'her money' and sends some to the Phils. That may work for some, but it doesn't work for me. As I have openly said to my wife, I don't feel that is a fair arrangement. My very firm belief is that money earned by both is joint and therefore we both need to agree what it is being used for. The only other approach that I would reluctantly accept, would be for us to both work and each individually pay 50% of the bills. Whatever is left over, is then our own money to do what we wish with. But I don't like the idea because it doesn't fit in with what my own notion of marriage is about. Your mileage may vary.

Personally, on the subject of sending money, I always have found it useful to take a strong and consistent 'no' line. I also suggest that you clarify from the outset where your partners priorities are likely to lie, financially, if the sh*t really hits the fan.

Welcome to the forum - as you've already sussed a veritable mine of priceless info - with lots of helpful folk to point you in the right direction.

If things get serious and you contemplate hooking up permanently I suggest you do take time to discuss issues of importance to each of you. As others have mentioned in other recent threads it's better to identify any potential deal breakers at the outset - could save grief later in the relationship.

All the best.

Gerry

I wish you luck....if you are serious it can be a long rocky road with many obstacles.
I don't want to sound negative but your commitment will be tested along the way.
Having said that, I see the cultural differences as interesting and any issues are soon resolved and forgotten with the aid of a glass or three of tanduay....