Canadian muses on ‘Becoming Filipino’

MANILA, Philippines - Believing that the rest of world can learn a lot from the positive Filipino spirit, Canadian Kyle “Kulas” Jennerman is determined to show the wonders that the Philippines has to offer.

Admitting that the Philippines was once a “strange country” to him, Kulas’ curiosity on the ways of Filipinos started when he got the chance to work with Filipinos, about 15 of them, for an outdoor adventure company in Hong Kong.

“All these Filipino guys, they’re always laughing and joking. On weekends, they would do this patak-patak (chip-in) and tagay (drink) together,” he said.

It was only a matter of time before the Filipino culture started to grow on him. It was like seeing his first love, falling instantly with the sheer simplicity and positivity of the Filipino culture.

As he admired the littlest things about the Filipino culture, he eventually gave in to the idea of exploring the country. In 2013, he flew to Cebu and immediately embarked on a series of explorations in Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and, Manila. Thus began his “Becoming Filipino” adventure.

“I got absolutely blown away by how people just share positive vibes. I think that’s really something special,” Kulas said.

After spending a couple of months in the country, Kulas eventually had to return to Hong Kong but admitted that he couldn’t stop thinking about the Philippines.

“I’ve been to 29 countries but I haven’t experienced a place where people are not afraid to be happy – it’s not an awkward thing. People here just love to share happiness,” Kulas said.

Coming back ‘home’

“I’ve got to go back.”

Even though his stay in the Philippines was cut short, the unshakable feeling of going back to the Philippines lingered. He eventually came back to his “second home”.

On his second trip, he lived in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro for a month and a half, exploring the uncharted places of the cities.

“I go around by myself. For example, hop on a jeepney and ask somebody next to me like ‘How do I say money?’ and the person would say, ‘Oh, you say bayad,”’ he shared.

“I stumble upon a fiesta, and what do Filipinos do? They give, give, give and give. What do they want in return? Happiness,” he added.

Over three months of being back in the country, these simple little things grew on him.

“I started to become super inspired,” he said.

The simplest things

When Typhoon Yolanda struck the Philippines, Kyle was with his Filipino buddies. Watching the news, he recalls, was like getting punched in the stomach.

He decided to leave his job and ended up in Cagayan de Oro then went straight to Tacloban where he checked the situation of the locals.He remembers driving around the area and seeing a large boat stuck amid the area and saw a family of 10.

“I started hanging out with them, joking around and smiling. We were interacting in such a positive way, then I asked them right before I left what they were doing, and they answered ‘We’re digging for our dead grandmother.’ Imagine going through the worst thing you could ever imagine but still sharing some sort of positive vibe,” he said.

After a year of experiencing the culture of Filipinos, he realized that he wanted to learn more about the country.

“I genuinely believe that if I introduce other people to these simple but powerfully beautiful small positive things, it could have a positive effect on their lives,” he said.

It was on account of his ventures around the Philippines that his “Becoming Filipino” quest was born. He believes that by writing his journey around the country on his blog, he would be able to share beautiful things about the Filipino culture.

He admits that hearing people leave the Philippines because of living conditions saddens him.

’I love the Philippines‘

Despite the threat of terrorist attacks and abduction, Kyle considers Mindanao his home. In fact, he proudly goes around the southern end of the archipelago with his trusty scooter.

“I have been almost every part of Mindanao on a scooter,” he shared.

In fact, Kyle shrugs off the series of negative travel advisories on the Philippines, particularly in the South, where people are ”great and friendly.”

“Everywhere you go in the Philippines, there are beautiful people even though there are also some difficulties,” he added.

His takeaway from all this?

“Share a smile, share happiness no matter what’s going on. I think the rest of the world should be reminded about that,” he said.

“I love the Philippines. It’s my home,” he exlaimed.