Tag-lish

I decided to institute something new this summer, among the many goals I tend to set every year when we supposedly have a little more time on our hands. Sometimes it's cleaning the garage or the basement. Other times it's to run one to two miles a day. Or my all-time favorite, cook a new dish. Well, I think I came up with my best idea yet: one-hour Tagalog lessons at least once a week. It usually works when my mom and I are sharing a meal together. I ask her to talk only in Tagalog with me and I'm supposed to respond back.

Let's just say it hasn't been easy. I easily get frustrated and my brain just goes blank. I look at an object and I can't even begin to figure out what the word would be for it. But the minute I hear it, it's like a no-brainer. It's definitely strange. But the more I do it, I've gotten a tad better.

So here's just a sampling of what I've learned. And this is raw, so you'll have to forgive me for typographical errors:

-Kamusta ka na: How are you? (I used to always say Ku-musta, wrong).

-Walang anuman: Not a problem, that's nothing (in response to thank you)

-Biro mo: Not sure on the direct translation, but it kinda means, Could you believe that. Or, if you can believe that, a response.

I learned another word as well, but I won't share that one. I'll have a lot more to share as I get better hopefully.

What are some phrases you always use in Tagalog, for all my non-native speakers? And I'm talking real words not fun four letter words or dirty jokes. Seriously, what was helpful for you when you tried to learn the language? And yes, going to the Philippines for 6-12 months counts. I'd love to do that some day.

Where they make you feel like Jay-Z

The New York Times follows Gilbert Arenas during a three-day visit to Manila, where he's pretty much treated like a god. The writer talks about how the Philippines might not be China, Japan or India, but it's consistently among the top 4 countries raking in the sales of basketball shoes and gear in Asia.

And the best quote: “If you’re having a bad day or you’re having a bad career, go to Manila. They’ll bring your spirits up.”

On The Road

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Note: I realize that my blog doesn't necessarily have to be perfect, but right off the bat, I guess I just expected it to be. So, with that said, I'd like to reintroduce myself. Hello and welcome AGAIN to my blog. The pressure is on now, I've noticed, so here goes. Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement!

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I commute from Chicago to the far western suburbs every day for work. Most of the time, I work day side. My 45-50 minute drive gets me home by around 7:15 on a good day. At least once a week, I work nights, so this means I don't get home until 11 and I'm about ready to pass out. Needless to say, I've learned to make my commute exciting by watching everyone around me. When I really start to pay attention, I start to notice it.

Passing me on my left side today, I saw a red two-door Celica fly by. Underneath the tail light was the blue, yellow and red flag of the Philippines. How I caught that on this car going 75 mph, I have no clue. I was about to get mad at the guy because he was obviously speeding, and then, I took notice to his flag and automatically, my road rage disappeared.

"He's Filipino," I said to myself, as if it was the first time I've ever noticed another Filipino driving somewhere on a road throughout Chicago. But every time I spot even the slightest tinge of a Filipino symbol somewhere, I still get surprised. And I smile.

On yet another occasion, I was literally parked for 10 minutes on the I-88 tollway, which is always under construction. There's not much else to do but stare off into space in such gridlock. So I dazed ahead at a silver Lexus SUV in front of me. The windows were tinted, but not enough for me to notice a dangling rosary and a Filipino flag. A friend of mine used to have the same flag, I thought. And that was yet another example. (This photo I found online is actually the same flag I was talking about. I didn't see if they had a My Shaldan air freshener, seen in the cup holder, but I wouldn't doubt it.)

This week, I'm driving my sister's car. Guess what's hanging from my rear view window? A baby blue rosary. I guess my family is very Filipino, I thought to myself today. Sure that could be the case, but really, there's got to be a reason for it, right? I grew up seeing these symbols and ornaments of national pride and religious respect fixed inside every family members' car. But why do we do it?

I can understand the flags, as well as the red, yellow and blue stickers, but how did we all end up placing rosaries and sometimes Santo Nino figurines onto our dashboards? Why is this such a "Filipino thing" to do?

Truthfully, I love how I can spot a Filipino by the car he or she drives. To some people, this may sound odd or even stereotypical, but I find nothing wrong with the fact that we all just so happen to honor this same habit, in some shape or form. In a small way, it brings me a sense of pride.

We may all be strangers, but at least I know there are Filipinos just about everywhere I go. To anyone that's ever moved away from a densely-populated Filipino area, you'll feel it, too. The day you spot a Philippines flag in a city or state where you never imagined you'd see one, you might just smile and say, Hey, they're Filipino, just like me.

At least for me, these symbols of our pride and devotion are what make my world feel a lot homier.

So Rowie...How's that blog going?

Good question! I've been MIA for a long time! This wasn't how i imagined I would start my blog, but my time has been swept up in a million other things. I am barely at home and at my laptop. Maybe I should take it with me, or maybe I need another device to help me jot down my thoughts. I haven't forgotten or given up and I'm not planning to. As with anything that has to make its debut, there are delays. So consider this very delayed. But under construction.

Wish me luck. Blogs to come soon soon soon. I promise!

Who's your lookalike?

Ok, my sister might kill me but I just had to share. Recently, I've been hearing I look like one of the chicks from Kaba Modern. I really don't think I look like any of them, but these days I feel like my sisters have been spotting my twins/look-alikes wherever they go. But I found one recently that I can't help but bring up.

Like I said, my sister might kill me. This is her in a bio photo on Fox Milwaukee's WITI web site. Next to her is Ramiel Malubay, the talented Filipina from Florida who was voted off American Idol.

Is it just the hair, or do they REALLY look alike?



Who is your celebrity look-alike?

Welcome!

To those of you who know me well, it's been a longtime dream of mine to freelance for a Filipino American publication and eventually start one of my own down the road. I'm delighted to say that I'm finally putting some action behind my words.

I've started to blog.

OK. So, that doesn't sound like the biggest thing I could possibly do right now, but for me, it's a way to get my thoughts out in a way that makes sense to me and hopefully to my readers. What you can expect from me is weekly columns---I really do hope to meet that goal--about issues, events, people, places, things that go around in the Filipino community, and as much as possible, in the Chicago area.

I've never done this before, at least not seriously. I'd really like to make a go at it, so please be patient with me. Hopefully this will lead to a real business venture in the future. If there's an issue you'd like me to address on my blog, leave me comments, send emails, contact me on AIM at msperfeccionista. I'd like to hear what you have to say!

What I do know is that I am very excited to get started! But I definitely need your input. Here's what I'm thinking you can expect from the Filipina Chicagoan:

-Topics related to the Filipino-American perspective. Remember, there are two words there.
-Opinion pieces
-News bits from across the nation and globe
-Events going on in the Chicago Filipino community
-A monthly spotlight on a musician, artist, leader, up and coming individual, etc. Suggestions are welcome!
-And a great idea from a good friend, "What's your pancit?": a weekly feature about how Fil-Ams may fit into both American and Filipino culture.
-Much much much more

So stay tuned. I believe I have a lot to say and a lot to educate others about. Please visit often, send The Filipina Chicagoan link around, and comment comment comment. If you'd like to learn more about why I'm doing this, click here.

And do let me know if you have a blog, too!

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

The Filipina Chicagoan