Being bi-racial sealed my fate of being always different and a new country would magnify that even more. I'll try to find a pic to insert later, but I was 11 years old, 5'2", and gangly with long arms and legs not to mention long dark brown hair to my butt.
I had to learn to eat more of a American cuisine which was difficult when my dad made me use a fork extensively to eat my meals. I cried a lot at the dinner table since it was awkward to pick up food with the tines. In the PI, we would 'use' the fork to push the food onto the spoon which was the main utensil used to eat. Now I am also an expert at chopsticks -- screw you, you darn fork!
For years, I tried to embrace more my white half even when it pained me to eschew my filipino side. (Musings more on that as this blog matures.) I have included the following pics of filipino art to let you know how much I've incorporated them into my decor. Flips unite!!!
I can't help that I point my full lips when someone asks me where something is located. I say 'psst' when I try to get someone's attention in the store, the flip version of echo location. I also buy a 'body bag' of rice when I go to the Asian store. I have two cabinets devoted to cooking spices and to soy sauce. My accent picks up when I talk to other Filipinos. My favorite dish is dilis and rice with a side of suka and crush bawang. (Not translating that except my friend KB calls dilis cat treats.)
The following are mobile pics of showing my Filipino pride: MABUHAY!
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