You know what? I love Filipino's they are the funniest and sweetest people, but they're also very blunt! The funny thing about them though is that they can say whatever they want and get away with it! I don't know what it is about them that makes it okay, maybe it's cause they have a smile as they say something unappealing about you. That smile says, "Gee I notice this about you, but you're still great!" I think it's cause you know there's no malice behind their words, they're just stating what they observe.
So I admit, as a missionary it's hard to control how you look, you're so busy all the time and there's just no time to waste on make-up, hair, or clothes, and they had really good & fattening food. So I didn't look my best, haha, I mean with the humidity and heat, you were sweating like a pig, you take a shower and then 5 minutes later your sweating again! Your free time is spent studying the language, grocery shopping, doing laundry (we had to hand-wash), or eating. There were many times when I lived over there that they called me fat, or if I had acne they'd ask me, "What's that on your face, Sister?" Now in America nobody would dream of pointing out someone's flaws, and being called fat is about the worst thing a girl could hear, but in the Philippines, it's just a fact. No malice, no teasing, they'll call you fat and beautiful in the same sentence! Now, I know I wasn't exactly fat, but compared to them, yeah, I was a lot bigger, and I was also about 10 inches taller than most of them! Haha, well maybe more like 6", but still that's a lot taller! I was about a head taller than most women over there. In fact it was great being tall, I'm glad I had the chance to feel what that's like! Now I have to put on 5" heels to get the same effect! :) Okay, back to the topic at hand...
So sometimes at first it was hard to hear stuff like that, but you realize very quickly that they're very blunt and honest, and sweet and wonderful people, in fact I feel more comfortable talking to native Filipino's now than I ever do with Americans! Maybe it's because of that honesty they have that you don't have to worry about what they think of you, cause they'll say it, and since they're such loving, humble people you know that they aren't judging your character.
Well, I was chatting with this "Nanay"-Mother, an adorable, tiny, old lady from my mission the other day and she's asking me how I am, what I'm doing, when I'm getting married...and I tell her, oh things are good, I'm loving life. I don't know, but life is good. She writes me this:
"pero ang beauty mo ngayon muntic di kita nakilala!"
It means- Oh, but you're a beauty now, I almost didn't recognize you at first!
I'm laughing, and thinking oh well, thanks, but... haha, was I that bad on my mission that I'm unrecognizable!!!
Again, only a Filipino could get away with this! It's like they have an automatic, "bless your heart, but..." in there nature!
On another note, along with the bad, many people gave me wonderful compliments too, so it rounded out the negative. I mean you walk down the street and have people staring, calling you, "Hey beautiful." or my favorite, "Hey Joe!" They call all Americans "Joe." It's a really weird feeling to have everyone want to talk to you, and it took a little while to get used to.
My favorite thing ever happened in my first area. My companion and I took these adorable little kids to church every week. We'd teach them and on Sunday's we'd pick them up for church cause their dad had to work. This little boy was about 5 or 6, he was so tiny, and he had the biggest, chocolate brown eyes that could melt your heart! He was so shy and timid around us too, cause we were Americans, he didn't see much, I think we were the only Americans in that town! So he was kind of awe-struck by us, and hardly said a word. Well, one day we were sitting at church and I guess a few strands of my hair fell out and I looked down at him and noticed that he had taken those hairs and was putting them in his pocket to keep them! It was absolutely the most adorable thing! I guess my hair was lighter, and it was different than he was used to since all Filipino's have black hair. It was so precious though, I felt like Galadriel from Lord of the Rings when Gimli asks for some strands of her hair! Now you know how much of a nerd I am. ;)
Problem: I seem to have adopted this way of thinking. Sometimes I might be a little too blunt myself, and I've been getting weird looks lately. :) No...but...I think when it comes to Asians, I can be kind of blunt in making fun of their cute mannerisms, but I guess I just feel like I can cause I love them so much! But really I do wish we could be more honest with how we feel, I'm like an open book!
Maybe that's why I like books so much?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
No More End Dates! Life is a blank page ready to be written!
So today I was thinking about life and all... it happens sometimes. :) Well, usually every day...I do worry a lot about the future and I had a lot of time to think today cause work was kinda slow. Anyway, I was realizing that this is the first time, in a long, and I mean pretty long time, where I don't know what to expect next in life! I've been in school and a mission then school and work again and then an internship. All those things had end dates! I knew that eventually they were going to end, and I knew what those end dates were! So this is the first time in the last seven years, no wait, 20 years (school always had end dates.), of my life that I don't have an end date. I don't know what's going to happen next, all I know is that I'm working at MyNewPlace.com out here in San Francisco. I enjoy it and I'm excited for the new adventures that await in this unknown, unmapped future, but...it's different. It's kind of exciting too, because now that I don't have homework every night, and I'm not worrying about finding a job, I have time to dedicate to the things I want to pursue. I could take dance classes. I have time to go to the gym. I could start doing my art again, or continue with bookbinding. I can make goals to go places around the city and I can save up for vacations! It's actually really exciting! But I need to change my way of thinking. I've been in this survivor mode for so long that now I'm not yet taking advantage of this new freedom I have! Whoever said graduating is scary, is right, but...there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's a bright one! I'm so excited to do all these things that I never had time to do before! Okay, so if I'm gonna change my mindset, then I need to first figure out what I want to do with my time, and make goals.
So here's some things that I want to start doing:
- Here in San Fran they have the SF center for the book where they offer bookbinding workshops! Here: http://sfcb.org/ I'm gonna sign up for some of them so I can continue to hone in on my bookbinding skills. :)
- Ballroom dancing: I absolutely love it and I've been missing it since I left Provo! The sad thing is I feel like I've forgotten so many steps already! So I've been looking up some schools out here so I can keep taking classes. Pick School of Ballroom Dancing seems fun. http://www.pickdance.com/ It doesn't seems to be too ritzy! I can't wait to get signed up for some cha-cha, or the tango, or the waltz!
- I want to start drawing and painting again. It's been a while since I've really done anything. For 2 reasons: I was really busy with school, taking Pysch classes, and because honestly I know that I've lost some of the skill I used to have. But the only way to get better again is by drawing, all the time! So I'm gonna make it a goal to do 1 art project a week, whether it be a painting, drawing.
- I want go to Museums around the city! I'm living in one of the most artistic places in the US and I haven't been to a single museum yet! Here's a list of museums I want to go to some are art but others are science museams: California Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, University of California Botanical Gardens, Ansel Adams Center, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, de Young Museum, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- I'd also like to plan a few trips this year! There are a few places I'd love to go: 1. North Carolina- I want to go and visit my awesome sister and brother in law out in Dudley, NC. I'm thinking in the Summer time I'll go and see all the sights their place has to offer, and all of their beautiful flowered trees! But, maybe I should try for spring in that case, but that's too soon, next spring for sure! ;) 2. Europe! I've never been and I've wanted to go for so long, but I think I'll save that one for next year! 3. New York City, I love it out there, and I've only been once, for 5 days, I'd love to go out there and just explore the Met for hours, it is amazing! Not to mention all the other amazing art galleries! Central Park really is gorgeous! Times Square is so much fun, there's so much to see and do! When I went, I didn't even see the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building so those would be on my list. Chris, if you get an internship out there this Summer, expect a visit! :)
- Cooking, I want to try out all sorts of new recipes. I was always too busy to really cook before, and then when you're a poor college student a long list of ingredients can look quite intimidating. But I want to start experimenting with new things like making my own Indian food, and fun recipes like this one: http://www.evilshenanigans.com/2011/02/chocolate-chip-and-candied-bacon-pancakes-with-nutella-maple-syrup/, or this one, http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/312. Mmm, I actually made my own Thai Curry this Sunday, with coconut milk, and chicken. I've made it a lot, but this was the first time that I mixed my own curry spices instead of just buying the paste. It turned out pretty good, and was very exciting. :) So once a week, I'm going to try a new recipe.
So yeah, those are a few of the things I'm planning on, I've gotta make use of this time in my life, where the only real responsibility I have is to work! It's pretty nice, I'm loving life and hope to progress and improve everyday!
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