Surprisingly, I had fun last Fourth of July. It wasn't so much about the fireworks, nor the venue (sorry but I've had my first in DC where the celeb was really awesome, epsc. for someone like me who only witness that kind of fireworks display at Enchanted Kingdom or after the UP Lantern Parade). It was mainly because of the people who were present. A general ensemble of mixed nationalities. They were fun to watch and to hear them talk in their native tongues. I was surrounded by young Pinoys, I almost felt like a teenager again. I think I was the oldest in our group haha, and they were just kind enough to tell me I don't look my age anyway. Also, it reminnded me of our classic new year celeb. Fireworks & firecrackers on the street. Obviously, it's not allowed so when the cops came, it's really fun to watch these kids' scattered arses everywhere.
Here's the all Filipino cast (oh, Jeff's from Dominican Republic ata) as we shouted "sagad"
Below: the remaining guests (this was around 2:30am)
Then we started reminiscing our days in Pinas. Like drinking soda in a plastic with a straw that flattens easily you have to suck hard; loving cheese pimiento which, although we have here costs like $7 a bottle (carlo was telling us he reprimands his bro when he sees him 'scooping' it instead of just getting just a bit and spreading it on pandesal); how they don't have santol at sinigwelas here; playing with spiders; using "tabo"; how we don't have shrinks back home nor this post-pregnancy depression thingy, among others. And how we all agreed that oftentimes, you get discriminated against by fellow pinoys. But then again, it's just a matter of dealing with it.
It's funny hearing these second gen. pinoys trying hard to speak tagalog. But at least they were trying and they can still understand. It's been awhile since I heard "patungo" in a sentence (meaning "going to") wen we usually say "punta na ko". But seriously, I am better with tagalog now that I'm here than before. For example, we say "tignan mo yung naka-kayumanggi dun sa sulok..." I mean, we don't usually use that, we say 'naka-brown' right away. Pero para hindi ka nila maintindihan. I know what you're thinking. But...they too can alienate us when they speak their language. I am just glad we were taught in English and at the same time, I regret that they abolished Spanish (they have a lot of span-speaking people here too, it wold have been swell if i've known their language). When you're in a foreign land, it abviously doesn't hurt to have a full command of the language they use. But I recall one time at the elevator, we we talking in tagalog and this all-american guy talked to us in perfect tagalog asking if "ma-traffic pa ba sa katipunan?" Well, he taught in ADMU pala.
Capping the night was our weird encounter with a stray dog. Walking towards the car, there was this huge dog following us. Man alive, two blocks and it kept on going...Scared the hell out of me, we were close to pushing each other towards the car to escape it. Thank God we all managed to come home in one piece!
