Flip-flops
Written on Apr 24, 2026
I've worn sandals of some kind for most of my life, starting in 1974, when my family first moved to Hawaii. My oldest sister wore flip-flops when I was even younger, and I barely remember what they looked like.
She called them "thongs", which are actually the pieces that go between the toes. When someone says "thong", most people imagine something different.
Wearing Flip-flops to School
My family lived on the island of Kauai in Hawaii for a little over three and half years. On the first day I went to school there, I was laughed at because I was wearing regular shoes. Most of the "locals" wore flip-flops of one style or another.
They called them "slippers". Along with other things, it didn't take long for me to fit in by wearing flip-flops. I didn't like the y-shaped strap that went between the toes because they always broke, even with the more expensive flip-flops.
Shower Shoes
On the first day of basic training, I was issued "shower shoes". The word "issued" isn't really appropriate since the government deducted personal hygiene items from my pay. Those were the cheapest pair of white flip-flops I've ever owned.
A pair cost less than a dollar in 1979. I can still find the same style for under $10.00 at almost any department store in the United States. I never see any plain white ones. Perhaps the military snatches all those up when they're made.
The men shared community showers in basic training. The shower shoes were supposed to prevent foot problems, like Athlete's Foot fungus, from passing from one man to another. I have no idea how effective it really was.
I Rarely Wear Flip-flops Today
I wear sandals or slippers with the material going over the foot. Cathy, a daughter-in-law, bought me a pair of flip-flops when she was in the Philippines that were almost too small. I think I wore them twice.
I buy inexpensive slippers like the pair I'm wearing right now whenever I can. And that's usually when I'm in the United States. I can't seem to find slippers or flip-flops large enough for me when I'm in the Philippines, aside from expensive sports sandals.
Thinking ahead just a few years ago, I sent several pairs to the Philippines ahead of me inside balikbayan boxes. When other people send us balikbayan boxes (not often), they may think of shoes, but they won't think of slippers of any type.
Flip-flops and Other Sandals in the Philippines
The word for sandals in Tagalog, the main Filipino language, is tsinelas. The "ts", when pronounced correctly, sounds like "ch". Chinelas is the way it's spelled in Spanish
Filipinos who speak English will call almost everything that slips on like a sandal, a sandal. Even flip-flops, which isn't actually correct (even when they think it is correct). I call them tsinelas like everyone else, even the type I'm wearing.
I've heard some people (and I won't mention names) call them shoes. They're definitely not shoes.
Image by Jhoe Marttin from Pixabay