100
August 14, 2006
What I did during my summer vacation.
What vacation?
At http://www.wowpinoy.net/100best.php, there is a list of the 100 best things about being Filipino. Now, I do not understand some or even all of it, but there are some interesting ones. For example:
1. Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day?
Fobs are constantly snacking.
3. Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want.
This is an interesting phenomenon. It is the equivalent of someone saying ‘what’ for every third word in sentence when they do not know how to express something.
4. Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.
We really love our puns.
5. Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts?
My uncle had a small general store and he opened cigarette packs and sold the cigarettes as singles.
7. Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define courtesy, deference, filial respect--a balm to the spirit in these aggressive times.
8. Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt.
If I like you, you are going to get small useless souvenirs if I ever travel anywhere.
10. Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible.
I forgot about this, strangely tasty and salty and weirdly purple. And I will never eat it again.
12. The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life's bounty, no matter if it seems like we're fleeing Pol Pot every time we head home from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more often than not, the contents are carted home to be distributed.
My cousin’s grandmother would send all the clothes she bought at a bargain at garage sales and swap meets to send to relatives.
17. Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver's a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat.
Each jeepney is as unique as the driver and you gotta ride in one at least once in your life. Preferably in rush hour. And if you have nothing to live for.
18. Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Best when mined with jalape¤o peppers. Messy but delicious.
Tasty. Us fobs grew up knowing it as chocolate soup although it tasted nothing like chocolate.
20. Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto.
The soup and the yolk was good, but tough luck if you actually see parts that look like a bird
29. Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as PHPesos3.00, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.
The Filipino version of the Thai tuk-tuk
30. Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there's the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.
Bean, corn and yam flavoured ice cream.
48. Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot.
The bread of the sun.
61. Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig.
64. Catholicism. What fun would sin be without guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine soil.
67. Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-upholstered sofa, posters of poker-playing dogs masquerading as art, overaccessorized jeepneys and altars--the list is endless, and wealth only seems to magnify it.
Giant wooden forks and spoons adorning your walls is not bad taste.
69. Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale.
It will all get better. Someday.
71. The siesta. Snoozing in the middle of the day is smart, not lazy.
Why more people do not do this is a mystery.
72. Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship.
You could be thirty and your uncle will still call you the English equivalent of ‘Little One’
77. Sari-sari store. There's one in every corner, offering everything from bananas and floor wax to Band-Aid and bakya.
The store my uncle had was of this kind. They sold all kinds of crap.
80. Quirks of language that can drive crazy any tourist listening in: "Bababa ba?" "Bababa!"
Not just tourists, it will drive anyone crazy. Imagine hanging out in the middle of a hundred or so fobs chatter about the latest gossip. You will be insane in about two minutes.
86. Filipino Christmas. The world's longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix our love for feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with a touch of religion.
Just watch out for all the home made fireworks during New Year
87. Relatives and kababayan abroad. The best refuge against loneliness, discrimination and confusion in a foreign place. Distant relatives and fellow Pinoys readily roll out the welcome mat even on the basis of a phone introduction or referral.
There is some one related to me on all seven continents. Yes, even Antarctica. You know you have seen a penguin in a barong Tagalog instead of a tux.
91. Sunday family gatherings. Or, close family ties that never get severed. You don't have to win the lotto or be a president to have 10,000 relatives (but that helps). Everyone's family tree extends all over the archipelago, and it's at its best in times of crisis; notice how food, hostesses, money, and moral support materialize during a wake?
100. Midnight madness, weekend sales, bangketas and baratillos. It's retail therapy at its best, with Filipinos braving traffic, crowds, and human deluge to find a bargain.
I have had relatives come by from the Philippines just to go to garage sales and swap meets for a good deal.
________________________________________________________________________
http://www.myspace.com/catterpillarboy
http://catterpillarboy.blogspot.com/
What I did during my summer vacation.
What vacation?
At http://www.wowpinoy.net/100best.php, there is a list of the 100 best things about being Filipino. Now, I do not understand some or even all of it, but there are some interesting ones. For example:
1. Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day?
Fobs are constantly snacking.
3. Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want.
This is an interesting phenomenon. It is the equivalent of someone saying ‘what’ for every third word in sentence when they do not know how to express something.
4. Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.
We really love our puns.
5. Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts?
My uncle had a small general store and he opened cigarette packs and sold the cigarettes as singles.
7. Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define courtesy, deference, filial respect--a balm to the spirit in these aggressive times.
8. Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt.
If I like you, you are going to get small useless souvenirs if I ever travel anywhere.
10. Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible.
I forgot about this, strangely tasty and salty and weirdly purple. And I will never eat it again.
12. The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life's bounty, no matter if it seems like we're fleeing Pol Pot every time we head home from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more often than not, the contents are carted home to be distributed.
My cousin’s grandmother would send all the clothes she bought at a bargain at garage sales and swap meets to send to relatives.
17. Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver's a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat.
Each jeepney is as unique as the driver and you gotta ride in one at least once in your life. Preferably in rush hour. And if you have nothing to live for.
18. Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Best when mined with jalape¤o peppers. Messy but delicious.
Tasty. Us fobs grew up knowing it as chocolate soup although it tasted nothing like chocolate.
20. Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto.
The soup and the yolk was good, but tough luck if you actually see parts that look like a bird
29. Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as PHPesos3.00, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.
The Filipino version of the Thai tuk-tuk
30. Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there's the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.
Bean, corn and yam flavoured ice cream.
48. Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot.
The bread of the sun.
61. Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig.
64. Catholicism. What fun would sin be without guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine soil.
67. Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-upholstered sofa, posters of poker-playing dogs masquerading as art, overaccessorized jeepneys and altars--the list is endless, and wealth only seems to magnify it.
Giant wooden forks and spoons adorning your walls is not bad taste.
69. Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale.
It will all get better. Someday.
71. The siesta. Snoozing in the middle of the day is smart, not lazy.
Why more people do not do this is a mystery.
72. Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship.
You could be thirty and your uncle will still call you the English equivalent of ‘Little One’
77. Sari-sari store. There's one in every corner, offering everything from bananas and floor wax to Band-Aid and bakya.
The store my uncle had was of this kind. They sold all kinds of crap.
80. Quirks of language that can drive crazy any tourist listening in: "Bababa ba?" "Bababa!"
Not just tourists, it will drive anyone crazy. Imagine hanging out in the middle of a hundred or so fobs chatter about the latest gossip. You will be insane in about two minutes.
86. Filipino Christmas. The world's longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix our love for feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with a touch of religion.
Just watch out for all the home made fireworks during New Year
87. Relatives and kababayan abroad. The best refuge against loneliness, discrimination and confusion in a foreign place. Distant relatives and fellow Pinoys readily roll out the welcome mat even on the basis of a phone introduction or referral.
There is some one related to me on all seven continents. Yes, even Antarctica. You know you have seen a penguin in a barong Tagalog instead of a tux.
91. Sunday family gatherings. Or, close family ties that never get severed. You don't have to win the lotto or be a president to have 10,000 relatives (but that helps). Everyone's family tree extends all over the archipelago, and it's at its best in times of crisis; notice how food, hostesses, money, and moral support materialize during a wake?
100. Midnight madness, weekend sales, bangketas and baratillos. It's retail therapy at its best, with Filipinos braving traffic, crowds, and human deluge to find a bargain.
I have had relatives come by from the Philippines just to go to garage sales and swap meets for a good deal.
________________________________________________________________________
http://www.myspace.com/catterpillarboy
http://catterpillarboy.blogspot.com/
posted by Catterpillarboy at 9:58 AM
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