Dirty Fingers

When eating any meal out here in the Philippines, I am amazed by the lack of napkins. One of the treats I like to take is going to Jollibee or McDonalds. In the US, usually you can get your own napkins....and I must admit, I take more than my fair share. I guess I don't like feeling that I won't have enough napkins. Well, here, they usually give you one per person.

I guess that would actually be fine if they gave a napkin with the same thickness as I am used to in the United States. Instead, every napkin that I have seen here is tissue thin. It just doesn't cut it when eating fried chicken.

This absence of napkins is pretty bizarre to me given the fact that Filipinos eat with their hands a lot. Many times, instead of using a fork or a spoon, they will just grab rice with their fingers.

The lack of paper doesn't just stop at napkins...When I go to the comfort room (restroom) at a public place, there is usually not paper towels to dry your hands. Sometimes, they have those air hand drier things...but many times, it is nothing.

I have heard also that there is not always toilet paper in the public toilets too. Luckily, I have not had the fortunate to discover this for myself.

Even at Mass, there is no bulletin, no missalette, and no song book...no paper again!

When I think about it, I don't really see the kind of trees here that we have in the United States. You know, the ones that the environmentalists keep telling us we shouldn't cut down. Well, I guess if they saw the lack of napkins here, maybe they wouldn't scream so hard about not cutting down trees.

I guess it is a good thing that Filipinos don't really shake hands.