American Culture vs. Philippine Culture Essay Example

exceptional from others is our strong respect for elders. Children are taught from birth how to say "po" and "opo" as a form of respect to people older than themselves. The “po” and “”opo are the traditionally used polite words, and the word “opo” can be used as yes, and po can be used for negation. Inside the family, the parents are expected to receive the highest respect from the children along with the elder siblings as they are given more responsibilities to look after younger siblings when parents are not around.

Upon arriving home, conservative families expect children to practice placing their parents’ or elder family members' hand to their foreheads with the words "mano po" as a sort of greeting. While in America, they only call their older siblings in their first names or nicknames and other older people as “Mr. or Ms. (last name)” In education, U. S. children at age five begin school in the grade kindergarten. Elementary school lasts for six years, and then students continue to middle school or junior high school, which is three years long.

Next, students go through four years of high school. Students complete their education with grade twelve, usually at age eighteen. In the Philippines, students only complete through tenth grade, which is six years in elementary and four years in high school. That is why Filipino students usually graduate as early as age sixteen. Of all these similarities and differences, both countries have their own appreciation of their own beliefs, cultures, and what they think has made them unique and exceptional to others.