Driving home after Wobbly Wednesday, the children’s music was playing, acting as a pacifier. We had been in the car for just over an hour and it was late. The children were tired, it was past their bedtime. Thankfully at B-Bug’s they were fed and bathed and already in their PJ’s.
We were almost home; maybe another fifteen minutes and it happened. We got a flat tyre. Thankfully our driver I-Bug was on top of this. Thankfully it happened near a service station. There we were standing on the curb outside the minimart at Petron at 8pm while a flurry of people had come running and were now busy figuring out how to get the tyre off our car.
A characteristic of the Filipino people is their generosity of time, and their willingness to step in and help. I felt so humbled that people just there to fill up with gas were coming over, offering their time to help. We had the offer of headlights to give us the light needed to see under the car. Someone else hailed a taxi roadside so that the children and I could get safely home rather than wait out in the open.
The children thought this was such a great adventure. BB wanted to get under the car with I-Bug, FB just wanted to talk the ear off everyone about anything that came to mind. I just wanted to be home, showered and in my PJ’s.
Soon enough we were.
14 Responses
How wonderful. I've always said that the best part of the Philippines are its warm and generous people! Glad you got home safe.
Thanks Corinne, people here are really generous and kind.
I once flagged down a guy riding a bike when I had a flat tire. I go home with the "donut" thats in the trunk.
Glad the people are so cool over there.
You have had such a fascinating life! Thanks for stopping by Sheryl.
oh that's wonderful, makes you feel so good about the world when people are so kind, and you deserve the kindness xx
Thanks Mac, it is heartwarming. Over here we hear so many awful stories of violence, kidnapping and murder so it is lovely to witness first hand, the kindness that exists in the world.
This is so heartwarming and I'm happy you got home safe. Yes, certainly there's a crazy world out there (and horrible traffic in Manila, right?). But these acts of kindness always give us hope. xoxo 🙂
Thanks Joy, I cannot express in suitable words, the traffic in Manila.
That's lovely and so kind. I hope it's all sorted now
Hi Mrs Tubbs, it is all sorted now.
There are still good people in the world 🙂
Yes there are, whichever corner of the world you go to.
Dear Salty Bug, it's me @psychedelicgail from the ExpatWoman twitter chat!
I related to what you said: "A characteristic of the Filipino people is their generosity of time, and their willingness to step in and help. I felt so humbled that people just there to fill up with gas were coming over, offering their time to help." I had an accident once when my defective right front tire exploded. Thank God I was going really slow and this was in a congested Manila street. I was alone at the time and suddenly a tricycle driver stopped and a bunch of other men came to help me out. They immediately asked for tools to get the defective wheel out of the way and showed me where the nearest tire shop was!
Manila is my home but I've developed a defense mechanism that anyone who's trying to help might be expecting for monetary reward in return. I was so ashamed of myself because these men who hurried to help me didn't accept any form of reward from me. After the wheel was okay they just scurried off! At that moment I was very proud to be Filipino.
Hello Gail! I loved our Twitter chat! Thanks for stopping by. Look, I am not Filipino and I share your feelings. For me it is more about safety. There is so much about kidnapping, muggings etc that I have become suspicious of everyone. I have always been probably too trusting, so coming here I had a hard time shifting to the opposite mindset. For the safety of my children though, I need to be careful. So my fear on this night was about what if I had been driving. I would have been terrified. So when I got home safely and reflected on what had happened I felt so ashamed. Like anywhere you go, not everyone is out to hurt you. Most people are actually very kind. Filipino's are particularly kind and generous, and happy!