Since moving to Bacolod City five years ago, as with any situation where one is changing environments, there is an adjustment process. One must, in one way or another, assimilate and grow accustomed to their settings; it would be presumptuous to imagine surroundings should adjust to one person. However, in learning local customs, there is still a culture clash encountered, on a fairly frequent basis, which, in one aspect is expected considering it’s been nearly 30 years since living in Negros Occidental; although, it is also a place – based on local media portrayals and a multitude of interactions – that fancies itself a type of “westernized” culture. It is that latter characterization that offers somewhat of a contrast in reality.

In one visit to the downtown mall, there are innumerable instances of culture clash – so much to the point where it seems it will never truly feel like home. To clarify, that is not a blow to local culture, but moreover an illustration in adjustment – something everybody, at some point in life, must deal with.

Discussing the situation on the roads and contrasting it with the way things operate overseas has been discussed to no end. There is a clear difference, although it is a surprise that things like driving on the correct side of the road, staying in one lane of traffic at a time, and understanding “right of way” is something that fails to cross cultural barriers.

A bad interaction that occurs all-too-often is with tricycles. These slow-moving vehicles often operate in the center of the road, slowing down all traffic behind them, and they could care less – with or without a passenger. They often peer at their rear-view mirror and see the congestion they are causing and continue on their way. Lightly honk at them, asking them to pull over to let others pass, and the reaction is either they slow down even further or they turn around in anger. Given the way many regular motorists ride between lanes, abruptly cut off other vehicles, or force themselves in front of others, one could say it could be the culture; which, if that is the case, there is no law or ordinance that can be put into place to regulate a way of life. However, if it is an issue pertaining to attitude, that can be handled; it’s just a matter of people fessing up to having an attitude problem.

Pulling into the mall, it was déjà vu, but it wasn’t with a motor vehicle, but a shopper pushing a cart. Instead of pulling to the side and pushing their cart, as one would do if they understood the term courtesy, they kept a slow pace and pushed their cart directly in the middle of the drive aisle – in this instance, they did indeed see the car behind them as they turned around to give it a glance; however, they didn’t pull over, they stayed the course and continued walking slow. Was that culture or attitude?

Personally, if it were an isolated incident, would call it an attitude, but it wasn’t the first time witnessing somebody exhibit such behavior.

Upon entering the mall, was met with the regular security guard station, but while walking through the door, the girl who had just entered was walking from the exit lane and returning to the security checkpoint. Did the girl assume she had some kind of exemption? Have seen it in other malls where people enter through exits, nobody who particularly looked “stereotypically criminal,” seemingly trying to evade security. It’s not much of a pat down to begin with, so there’s nothing invasive about the process. Outside of it being their first time visiting a mall in the Philippines, it is hard to determine why, when given the entrance obliges customers to walk past a security guard, why one (assuming without criminal intent) would believe they alone were not subject to equal treatment.

Before moving to Bacolod City, spent many days battling crowds on subway platforms and along sidewalks in New York City during rush hour; yet, in one walk through a local mall, have never had as many near misses (and collisions) with others. On prior occasions, directional traffic is typically followed on sidewalks as it is done on the road; although, given how drivers so frequently drive against the flow of traffic in the “City of Smiles,” guess that one can be notched up to another “cultural trademark.”

Additionally, when being approached by another individual, often times in a narrow corridor, both parties typically move out of the way to avoid a collision. None of that translates to this part of the world.

Just walking through the crowds upon entering, was locked into one directional flow with no way out, when another person, choosing not to follow the walking patterns, barreled through and ended up getting smacked square in the shoulder; and, even though he was the one breaking the pattern, he still got upset and believed he was in the right – indicative of a similar driving “culture.”

Once through that crowd, had finally found an open space; then noticed a girl with her head looking straight down at her phone barreling ahead. As mentioned earlier, these situations where one is approaching another person often occurs in small spaces, given neither party has anywhere else to move. In this case, it was an open space and yet she made it seem like a one-way hallway. This is also a common occurrence; have often moved out of the way for people, yet, more-often-than-not, they ignore the open space given and choose the narrow space left after moving over – “culture?”

The last collision came after walking though, yet another, open area. All of a sudden was struck in the arm, looking over and it was a baby’s foot. Apparently, the woman, will assume it was the grandmother, was walking at a rapid pace holding the child with no regard for others in the way. She didn’t blink. Turned around and called out to her, she didn’t respond and just kept walking.

If part of the “culture” is playing blind when it comes to consideration for others, thinking one is above everybody else when it comes to rules, or taking pride in inconveniencing others, then, the more years living in Bacolod City, these instances will continue being insurmountable moments of culture clash. However, if these are just individuals with poor attitudes, then maybe it’s time to stop tolerating such arrogance and – considering most of these people just left Sunday mass – maybe they should learn about something called humility./WDJ