Maria Rhian B. Bungcag 11- St.

Martin de Porres
21ST CENTURY LITERATURE

Turban Legend
GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. Why do Filipinos love balikbayan boxes?

Answer: Filipinos love balikbayan boxes because there are new items, imported food, and
chocolates. Some perfumes and things can help and there are others to wear. Filipinos also love
bayan boxes because of the love of the sender or a family member.

2. What do you think the boxes symbolize? Why do they seem to be more important than their
contents?
Answer: For me, it symbolizes love for family and friends. Balikbayan is more important than
their contents because it means they love and will never forget their family even though they’re
far from each other.

3. When the narrator notes the Filipino-ness of the balikbayan boxes, what does he feel toward his
fellow Filipinos?

Answer: The author is proud. The story tells us that we should not be ashamed of being Filipino.
Because our culture, our family, and ourselves are good. Even on a small occasion, we can't
forget our family even if we are far away from them. We will still send them through the
“Pasalubong” or “Balik Bayan box”.

4. What does the airport symbolize?

Answer: it looks like a place for balikbayan boxes. The author described the use of the airport, I
think it’s a place or storage room for balikbayan boxes.

5. What do you think is the real message behind the anecdote or the “Turban Legend”?

Answer: I think the real message of this story is that Filipinos will always love their family. Even
though they’re suffering or they’re not okay and they miss their family so much, they still
remember and give them balikbayan boxes. At least through balikbayan boxes, they can make
their family happy.

6. Do you think that Filipinos who live or work abroad suffer from homesickness? Explain your
answer.

Answer: Strongly Agree. Based on my experience. My mother is an OFW, she worked in Saudi,
Qatar, and Norway. My mother suffered from homesickness when she was in Saudi and Qatar. I
was only 9 years old when she decided to work abroad. And when she came back home, she was
very far from the way she looked before. Suffering from homesickness can also affect mental
health. So yes, Filipinos who worked abroad were suffering because it’s a huge difference when
you are in your own country and you’re with your family.
7. The author’s luggage is Louis Vuitton. How does that help characterize the narrator?

Answer: Louis Vuitton is a Brand name, and it is worth half a million/ a million pesos. I think the
narrator is a wealthy person.

8. Do you think that when Filipinos are abroad, they are proud of being Filipino? Why or why not?

Answer: Yes. Because Filipinos are talented and can multitask. When they must babysit a foreign
child, they treat them as a family and a daughter to themselves. And that is one of the reasons
why Filipinos were proud of being Filipino.

9. The title “Turban Legend” is a play on words on the phrase “urban legend. What does “urban
legend” mean? Why was it changed to “Turban Legend”?

Answer: The urban legend is a story about an unusual event that many people believe. In my
opinion, it is changed to Turban Legend because the story is true about the Balikbayan boxes.

10. What is the significance of the story?

Answer: The significance of the story is that for Filipinos, Family is the most important thing in
the world. That we should always remember them even though we’re far away from them. The
balikbayan box is not only a gift, but the balikbayan box represents love for our family.