Answer #1:

1. Food carries the kind of regard that Filipinos have for a certain kind of person. Through
the food that we give, we can let somebody know just how important they are to us. We
can let them know how comfortable we are with them and we can show them just how
much we are willing to do for them. If we regard someone as very dear to us, we would
often give them home-made meals, we would invite them to dine with us and to
converse with us in the family table all the while using the same kind of utensils and
tableware because that’s how we view them as, as part of the family. And if we regard
someone as very high up or a classy visitor, an important guest, we would bring out all of
our fancy silverware and we would order high-end foods, imported goods. Because
that’s how we think that a very special guest should be treated.

2. Aside from the food itself that is being given to the person or people, our regard for them
can be seen in the place that we dine, the tableware that we use, how we set-up the
whole dining experience speaks a lot about how important and dear to us a specific
guest is. All of these convey a certain meaning that need not to be verbalized but is
readily understood in the Filipino culture.

3. Feelings such as appreciation, flattery and most importantly the importance of that
person can be seen an felt depending on what we give to them. That’s how powerful
food giving, food gifting is on our culture. Just like in giving expensive food gifts, we
regard that person as somewhat prestigious and sophisticated. How we view them, can
definitely be seen in the kinds of food that we are giving.

4. Traditions and feelings such as wanting to get to know a person, can be seen with how
we ask them out for a meal. We do this because we believe that it is in this setting that
both of the persons in the relationship can be comfortable and just have a good time.
When a boy courting a girl gives flowers and chocolates, it usually means that he’s just
doing it for the sake of it in the way that he’s doing it because that’s what usually people
give. That boy didn’t make that much of an effort in thinking about what to give to the girl
that he is courting, which shows a lack of commitment. And lastly, when people bring
home pasalubong from a recent trip that they went on, this is our way of wanting to bring
them along with the kind of journey that we experienced while we were on that trip. And
what better way to bring to them the joy that we felt during the trip, than through the
delicious and unique food that the country has to offer.

Task #1:

General topic Specific topic that Your attitude or view

considers a context towards this subject
Ex. Relationships Sharing a room with a … may be rewarding
sibling even when both have
contrasting
personalities
Family Delegating tasks helps the children to
build a sense of
 responsibility, as well
as take the load off of
the parents
Travelling Travelling later on in is much more fulfilling
life because you have
control over everything
Holidays Yearly meeting up with helps to foster a
relatives for the constant and growing
holidays bond with family
members that we
usually don’t see all
year round

Answers #2:
1. The writer is very much grateful and proud of the different experiences that the author
has had in Korea. The author was thankful for having been able to build the different
memories that she was able to cultivate. As well as of the different people that she has
been able to meet because of his/her going to Korea. Because the author’s experience
with the people and the culture, she has now been instilled with an even deeper passion
for the people of Korea to experience the Indian culture, just as she has done with the
Korean culture.

2. Examples such as people being very helpful towards the author were given. Just like
during the time when the author went out on her own with only a simple guidebook and
simple phrases memorized to help her get around Seoul, people will go out of their way
to take her to the different train stations so that she can go to the different places that
she has in mind. Another example is being able to go hiking in the different mountains in
South Korea such as in Mt. Seorak. She would hike with the other members of the
embassy and other climbers will help her to overcome the various challenges that he
faces while hiking. And lastly, she also recalled how her Korean teachers would go on to
teach them about the latest trends in Korea, latest dramas, songs, news and the like.
Which would help to further her knowledge and appreciation of their culture.

3. The main thing that has been very striking for her was the fact that the reason why she
probably never felt out of place in Korea was because of their regard for traditional
values such as discipline, respect for the elders, and impeccable hospitability to guests.
Which is something that is very similarly practiced in her very own culture, which is that
of the Indian culture.

4. Her feelings for the experiences that she was able to gather has prompted her to
become in charge of the cultural affairs of the Embassy of India in Seoul. She wants to
work hard so that the relations between India and Korea can be made better and better
as time goes on. Because she wants for her fellowmen to be exposed to the Korean
culture in the same way that she has. And for them to just be entranced by how beautiful
and comforting the Korean culture is.
 5. Travelling allows us to deepen and expand our views of foreign culture by allowing us to
live in it and allowing us to meet the numerous people that have been immersed in it for
all their lives. Which makes the very culture that they are learning about come to life right
before their eyes. Travelling makes you understand the culture to its core and you get to
see the different hows and whys of their culture.

Task #2:
The Helping Hand through the Darkest of Times
My friendship with this person has helped me reach the point where I am at today. If it
weren’t for this person helping me to get through the toughest times I have ever experienced, I
honestly don’t know where I could’ve ended up. I probably never even got the chance to tell this
person just how thankful I really am for her, for being with me and sticking with me through all
the ugly crying that I’ve done, through the lifeless and sad moments, through the depression I
felt then.
There was a time when I was in a very complicated and conflicting relationship.
Especially being at a young age where we don’t know any better and we hold on to anyone and
anything that we love, even if that someone or something has just been hurting us over and
over again, my friend really helped me to get through it all. This experience of mine happened
when I was at my lowest. I ultimately just broke down and all my emotions just flowed out of me
and I was just hysterically crying. I wanted for someone to give me clarity, I wanted to have the
courage to let go, I wanted for the person that I love to love me back, even if I can blatantly see
that he was already in love with someone else. But there was just no way for me to get anything
that I wanted during that time and all of it was just bringing me pain. And my friend, she was the
one that was there for me. When she got to school and she saw me, she just stayed with me
and rubbed my back as I cried my heart out. And even after I’ve calmed down and I was
confident enough to show other people my face despite how puffy and red it was. She coaxed
me into talking about whatever it was that I was feeling. She gave me comforting words and
even silly jokes and by the end we were just laughing at how embarrassing it was because older
students were staring at me as they went out the bathroom because they can hear me, that’s
how loud I was.
The memory that I recalled was very monumental for our friendship because no one else
has ever seen me in that state before. No one ever really got to see then just how much I cried,
just how much pain I was in. And her presence then gave me all the comfort that I needed. I am
inexplicably thankful and I appreciate her very much. She’s the kind of person that anyone will
be glad to have in their life. And I am lucky because I am one of the very few people that she is
still in touch with despite how long ago it was since we last talked. Whenever we do talk, it was
like no time ever really passed because of how comfortable we still are.