Cultural Insights: A Chinese-Filipino Family's
Gathering
CULTURAL PRACTICES PRESENT:
• Pagtatanggal ng sapatos before
entering the house
• Pagbibigay ng ang paw
• Legality of abortion
• Deprived of Privileges for single and
unmarried woman
• No Tipping
PROPS NEEDED:
• Chopstick
• Ice Cream Container
• Ang Paw
CHARACTERS:
Mom (Jhezrell)
Dad (Li Wei) - Justine
Daughter 1( Mei Ling) - Lovely
Daughter 2 (Xin Li) – Rose Ann
Jhezrell's Sister (Ruela)
Jhezrell's Cousin 1 (Aubrey)
Jhezrell's Cousin 2 (Caitlin)
Ice cream Delivery Woman (Angelica)
SETTING:
The scene is set in a cozy living room with a
dining table, where the family and relatives are
gathered for Mei Ling's birthday celebration.
Decorations and a birthday cake are set up on
the table.
SCENE 1: ARRIVAL OF RELATIVES
[Jhezrell, Li Wei, Mei Ling, and Kai are at the
dining table. The doorbell rings, and Jhezrell
gets up to answer it.]
Rose Ann: I think they are here.
Jhezrell: Wait, I got it! (excited) They're here!
Come in, come in!
[Ruela, Aubrey, and Caitlin enter, exchanging
warm greetings and hugs with the family.]
Ruela: Měilíng, shēngrì kuàilè (Happy birthday,
Mei Ling!)
Aubrey: Hi, Xin Li!
Caitlin: (handing Mei Ling a red envelope,ang
paw) Měilíng, shēngrì kuàilè! Here's a little
something for the birthday girl.
Lovely: (gratefully) Xie Xie, Aunt Caitlin!
SCENE 2: CHITCHAT ABOUT CHINA AND
LANGUAGE SURPRISE
[Everyone sits down at the dining table. They
start talking about Ruela and Aubrey's
experiences in China.]
Jhezrell: Oh, I’ll get the drink first.
Justine: Have a sit everyone. So how’s living in
China so far, Caitlin and Aubrey.
Caitlin: Oh, I’m surprised that you can actually
speak English. (excited)Well, You won't believe
how different it is in China! The bustling cities,
the culture, it's a whole new world!
Aubrey: (nodding) Yes, but it can be
challenging too, especially with the language
barrier.
Justine: You’ll definitely get use to it. Let’s eat
first.
SCENE 3: DISCUSSION ABOUT ABORTION AND
ISSUE ON SINGLE MOTHERS IN CHINA
[While Jhezrell is gone, they continue their
conversation.]
Rose Ann: (curious) Dad, Auntie Ruela told me
that here in China, abortion is legal. Is that
true?
Justine: (seriously) Yes, it is. But it's not
encouraged. You see, if you're unmarried and
become pregnant, it's considered a violation
of the family code.
Jhezrell: (returning) That's right. When I was
pregnant with Mei Ling, it was a challenging
time too. I faced a lot of difficulties, and it
wasn't easy.
Lovely: (concerned) What happened, Mom?
Jhezrell: (reflecting) I was in a difficult situation
during my pregnancy with Mei Ling (Lovely). I
was young and unmarried, and the cultural
norms in China at that time were quite strict. I
had no maternity leave, no maternity
insurance, and the bureaucracy involved in
securing important documents like the hukou
was overwhelming. It was indeed a
challenging time for me. When I gave birth
despite getting the hukou in Henan, accessing
other privileges was limited. It was frustrating,
especially when we needed to move to
another province. Mei Ling couldn't be
registered on time, and her access to privileges
was restricted to Henan. It was tough not
having the same opportunities as others.
Justine: In China, family is highly valued. If you
want to have a child, it's expected that you
get married first. If not, you either marry the
biological father or find someone willing to
take responsibility, or decide to abort the
baby.
Jhezrell: (smiles) Luckily, I met Li Wei, and he
welcomed Mei Ling as his own when we got
married. That made things easier for us.
SCENE 4: NO TIPPING
[The ice cream delivery arrives, and Caitlin
goes to receive it.]
Caitlin: (trying to tip the delivery woman) Here's
a little extra for you.
Angelica: (politely refusing) Oh, you foreigner?
Caitlin: Amm, yes? From Philippines.
Angelica: Ayy! Kababayan!
Caitlin: Oww, Pilipino ka rin? Hello! Bakit nga
pala hindi ka tumatanggap ng tip?
Angelica: naku kababayan, bawal kasi yan
dito sa China, parang rude gesture yan sa
kanila at nakaka-offend.
Caitlin: Ayy, naku pasensya ka na, bagong
dating palang kasi ako dito.
Angelica: Okay lang kababayan! Ito pala ang
ice cream mo, maraming Salamat!
Caitlin: Thank you!
[Caitlin brings the cake on the table and sit
again]
Caitlin: Here’s the ice cream, everyone!
SCENE 5: FAREWELL AND XIU'S (LI WEI’S SISTER)
STORY
Lovely: (excited) Dad, Aunt Xiu will come to
visit soon!
Justine: (concerned) Mei Ling, it might not be a
good time. She's been through so much.
Jhezrell: (concerned) What happened, Li Wei?
Justine: (sighs) Xiu had a difficult time during
her pregnancy. She was in a troubled
relationship that eventually led to a painful
breakup. The stress and depression she
experienced during that time were
overwhelming, and she had to make the
difficult decision to have an abortion for her
well-being.
[Ruela and Jhezrell exchange understanding
nods.]
Ruela: We hope she gets better soon, Li Wei.
Caitlin: I think we have to go. (grateful) Thank
you so much for inviting us, Jhezrell, Li Wei, Mei
Ling, and Xin Li. It was a wonderful celebration.
Ruela: (smiling) Yes, thank you for having us.
Happy birthday again, Mei Ling!
Aubrey: (warmly) We'll be back soon!
Jhezrell: Thank you for coming! Call me when
you get home. Bye!