“I am a Filipino, living away from home.

”
By: Andra Manuel

Aisis Manuel, a 21-year-old student majoring in Linguistics and Language Applications, is a

Filipino living in Hong Kong. Apart from studying, she also works at a kindergarten as a part-time Native
English teacher. She has lived in Hong Kong for most of her life.
“Hong Kong is a very fast-paced and modern society where everyone moves non-stop. Despite
not knowing the language and much of the culture, I was able to adapt easily,” she said when asked
about her lifestyle in Hong Kong.
Aisis struggled with learning Mandarin or Cantonese which led her to choose French as her
second language back in secondary school. She used gestures and body languages to overcome the
language barriers. She even acknowledged the differences of the Filipino and Hong Kong culture.
“I think Filipinos are more family-oriented. Whenever it comes to their work or career, they
work for their family. They feel responsible to support everyone financially – their parents and
children,” s​ he then emphasizes the way of life in the Philippines.
“​At malls, retailers are open to help out and are usually the first ones to create a
conversation. Even the simple things like, when they bump you in the station, Filipinos would take
time out of their hands to apologize whereas in Hong Kong, everyone is in a rush.”
In fact, she lived in the Philippines for 4 years while her parents were working in Hong Kong. She
had support from her 4 siblings and her aunts who also lived in the Philippines.
“I never felt like I was lacking. My parents would fly on the weekends and I had endless
love and support from close relatives,” ​she said with great optimism.
She also enjoyed flying often during the holidays with her family. Apart from the Philippines and
Hong Kong, she has visited many countries like Australia, Hawaii, Cambodia, Japan and Korea. She has
a rich exposure of many different cultures which helped her cultivate a deeper understanding of the world.
She was asked about her friends and realized a common factor. And her answer was: ​“I always
bonded more with the Filipinos at my school. I don’t know if it’s the similar culture or the familiar
backgrounds but it was so easy to feel at home with them."
"Although I am accustomed to the culture in Hong Kong, I choose to stay intact with my
Filipino roots. I am a Filipino, living away from home. In terms of work ethic, I consider myself a
Hong Konger but I am Filipino by blood,” ​she confidently said.
One question that shocked her was about racial discrimination because it was never a topic
brought up to her. She was fortunate enough to not experience being judged by her colour or her
background. From this, Aisis has become more accustomed to the Hong Kong environment but she could
say her character was built with the culture of the Philippines – Philippines is where her home and her
heart is.