Read the text below and answer the questions after reading.

Write your answer on a 1/2 cross-wise sheet of

yellow paper.

A Story: Gio, Latif, and the Laksa

When Gio was a second-year international affairs student in a university in Cebu City, he obtained
funding to join the school team participating in an international Model UN competition in Sydney, Australia. At
the height of the competition, Gio made plenty of new friends and became particularly close to Latif from the
Malaysian team. The two first started talking when Latif asked Gio where he was from. Upon discovering that
the Gio was from the Philippines, Latif lit up and declared that he was a big fan of Filipino actors Jericho Rosales
and Kristine Hermosa. Gio was pleasantly surprised to learn that Latif had seen every episode of the ABS-CBN
telenovela Pangako sa 'Yo ("The Promise"). The show had aired on Malaysian TV a few years back, and its two
stars had developed a modest following.

Ashamed that he did not know as much about Malaysia as Latif knew about the Philippines, Gio asked
Latif what his country was like. Latif, he discovered, was from a Muslim university in Kuala Lumpur, Gio asked
him what he liked best about living in "KL," and Latif immediately mentioned the food. Latif explained that in
Kuala Lumpur, one can find Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisines. He told Gio that this assortment of foodways
was the result of how the British reorganized Malaysian society during the colonial times. The British did little to
change the way of life of the Malays who were the original residents, but brought in Chinese laborers to work in
the rubber plantations and tin mines, and Indians to help manage the bureaucracy and serve as the initial
professional core of a potential middle class. One of the ways that these ethnic groups were identified was
through their foodways.

According to Latif, Malaysia eventually became famous for these cuisines which can be found in the
various "hawker centers" across the nation's cities and towns. These food stands are located in outdoor food
parks where locals and tourists taste the best of Malaysia, from nasi lemak to laksa.

Gio interrupted Latif and asked, "What is laksa?" He felt more ashamed at his lack of knowledge.
"Ahh...let me show you what it is and how it is prepared!" replied Latif.

The next day, Latif took Gio to a Malaysian restaurant a few blocks away from the university. Gio was
surprised to discover that Malaysian food was readily available in Sydney. Having noticed this, Latif explained to
his Filipino friend that, over the years, as more and more Malaysian students moved to Sydney to study,
Malaysian restaurants followed suit. Soon after, they were catering not only to these students, but to Australia-
born "Sydneysiders" as well, whose culinary tastes were becoming more and more diverse.

Gio finally had his first taste of laksa-a rice noodle soup in a spicy coconut curry sauce. He found the
flavors intense since, like most Filipinos, he was not used to spicy food. However, in deference to his friend, he
persisted and eventually found himself enjoying the hot dish.

After the meal, Gio and Latif went to a nearby café and ordered "flat whites-an espresso drink similar to
latte, which is usually served in cafés in Australia and New Zealand. Both knew what flat whites were since there
were Australian-inspired cafés in both Kuala Lumpur and Cebu.

The new friends promised to stay in touch after the competition, and added each other on Facebook and
Instagram. Over the next two years, they exchanged e-mails and posts, congratulated each other for their
achievements, and commented on and liked each other's photos: Latif sent his mother's recipe to Gio and the
latter began cooking Malaysian food in his home.

A few years after graduation, Gio moved to Singapore, joining many other overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) in the city-state. The culture was new to him, but one thing was familiar: the food served in Singapore
was no different from the Malaysian food he had discovered through Latif. He would later learn from
Singaporean colleagues that the island country was once part of the British colony of Malay and the postwar
independent Federation of Malaysia, Singapore, however, separated from the Federation in August 1965 and
became a nation-state. Today, they may be two distinct countries in this part of the world, but Singapore and
Malaysia still share the same cuisine.

After he settled down in his apartment, Gio sought out and found a favorite laksa stall in Newton
Hawker Center. He would spend his weekends there with friends eating laksa and other dishes.

One Saturday, while Gio was checking his Facebook feed along the very busy Orchard Road-Singapore's
main commercial road-he noticed that Latif had just posted something 5 minutes earlier. It was a picture from
Orchard Road. Surprised but also excited, Gio sent Latif a private message. Latif replied immediately saying that
he too had moved to Singapore and was, at that moment, standing in front a department store just a few blocks
away from where Gio was. The two friends met up, and after a long hug and quick questions as to what each
was up to, they ducked into a café and renewed their international friendship...by ordering a pair of flat whites.

Questions:
1. What are the hints of globalization that you found in the story?
2. In what way is Gio's story experiencing global flows?