I explained to him that it could be a variety of reasons: it's natural, they're comfortable with it, they don't mind, etc., etc. T, my other female colleague, also tried to explain it, our reasoning to be ruined by our fourth colleague F who, after we updated about the conversation, said it's tradition. Somebody, sometime, told him it's tradition.
The picture of a "traditional Filipina"
These guys kill me. Anyway, the conversation turned, and H said that Arab men will not agree to their women keeping so much hair. So the final question is -- "Why don't they [Filipinas] remove it?"
Sigh. The explanations on comfort, confidence and self-worth fell on deaf ears.
Then later, H brought up how Filipinos usually pronounce 'p' instead of 'f'. A conversation, we've had before. I explained to them that in the Filipino alphabet, there is no 'f' so it's a natural mistake.
T said it's like with the Bengolis, who usually pronouce 'z' with a 'j' because of the absence of 'z' in their alphabet. We can go on with examples, for instance, only the other day I found out why Arabs usually say 'Filipini' instead of "Filipino". Actually, H enlightened me, saying that with Arabs, they usually pronounce the last syllable of different nationalities with 'i'.
H's conclusion: because I'm not like most Filipinos, I'm Egyptian.
Those guys kill me. But I'll take it as compliment.
Added on April 18:
Ye told me that one of her officemates before asked if it's part the Filipino's religion to brush their teeth after lunch. ;)
