I moved all the way to France to star in my very own fit-for-Pinoy TV telenovela. Imagine me last Saturday a gorgeous Iza Calzado, long black tresses falling in sensual curls down my back as I stand at some restaurant's bar, sipping a drink, talking to a guy who was not at all hot. Ugly as hell, in fact, no Dingdong Dantes this one. Anyway, he had started small talk and to be social I was small-talking back.
A little while later, I took my leave, turning to say goodbye to the guy's companion, a blonde with bad posture, craggy face, and skin the color of pastry dough. Unbeknownst to me, this female character had the spirit of an evil Princess Punzalan. In a jealous rage peppered by a mega-dose of racism, she focused on me her mean eyes, reached a claw out to give my hair a tug--yes, members of the audience, a sabunot it was--then proceeded to abuse me with a sentence not fit for printing here. And then her final line: "You, Thai puta."
As I wrenched myself out of her grasp, I wanted to scream, "Excuse me, pero hindi ako Thai!!!"
Attempt at being funny and cute failing miserably, let me just say, Fuck these small-minded and uneducated idiots, I want to go home.
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PROBINSIYANA: in Filipino, a female living in the province. PROVENCIANA: a career-driven Filipina gives up life in third-world-but-happening Philippines to resettle as immigrant housewife in the middle of first-world nowhere known as Provence.
10 comments:
Ugly outside, and worse inside. I'm sorry you had to go through that kind of situation, and I'm even more sorry to know that it probably won't be the last. I do admire your courage in putting up with it somehow :-)
Fortunately, this type of people remains a minority. Or does it not?
Even in trying situations, hilarious ka pa rin. very gus van sant ang attack!
Aside from sense of humor and courage, next time something like this ever happens I'll be armed with neat jabs and powerful roundhouses. Self-defense lessons, here I come! Wa na legal action, graspingtoes, sa uulitin, away kung away! Cultural exchange ba ito: I shall introduce the concept of Pinoy-style amok. Grrr.
i was thinking about you before my yoga class the other day. i was lying on my mat, eyes closed, as students entered one by one, careful not to avoid stepping on my head. What that girl did was the equivalent to squashing my face with her dirty feet while my eyes were closed. Terrible!
Or mams, next time, you just jab her throat and leave her incapacitated, gasping for breath. Then you say, "In the Philippines, we have a saying. It's POOKINANGINAMO!"
You never did tell if you clawed her back and make her face even more craggy...I'm intrigue...nevertheless take better care next time...oh and learn all the swear words in French and next time someone steps on you, show 'em how we, Pinoys run amok...have a tantrum...works every time...oh but on the other hand if you start cursing in Tagalog, they have no idea what the hell you're talking about makes you look even more scary...
yeah, i know how that feels, apol. no one has yet actually violently insulted me to my face as this girl did you, but i do hear an occassional racist insult or unfair comment, sometimes directed my way, sometimes directed at other Pinoys. a lot of times they come hurtling from left field such that they leave you totally unprepared. nakakainis!
over here where political correctness and racial discrimination are very major issues, i've found it easier to stand my ground, look 'em in the eye, and say something like "that is unacceptable to me", or "i think that is inappropriate" when something offends me. mahirap gawin at first, hindi ako sanay, but it works for me now. :-)
(p.s./off topic: let me just say you're still one of the funniest people i know (as can be gathered from your blog entries) and that your hubby looks tres gwapo! heehee)
PETITE!!! Kamusta na kayo ni Mark? Will read up on your blog maya-maya. You're so right about attacks coming from left field. I was totally unprepared for this incident at nakawala ang gagang pangit na lecheng babaeng yun. Yes, SASSYGRRL, walang hustisya... And how do we protect ourselves, how do take better care? I was thinking never again have a drink in a public place, never again talk to strangers, pero then I'm making the idiots win this way diba? Fear and insecurity will transform me into this scaredy-cat, when we should all be shoulting "I AM PINAY, HEAR ME ROAR!" Punyeta nila. Gosh, I'm still angry aren't I? Hee.
Apol,
Saludo ako sa yo. Grabe, log on agad ako sa net to check your blog as soon as I read your article sa May 2006 Cosmo mag.
Dito ko rin nahanap si Makis... hi!
Hi Apol,
I found your blog thru etsy. I think it's great that you are following your heart and doing what you love. Others just say mean things because they have not yet found what they love. And they don't want to see other people happy. I've encouter people like that before.
I am also an Asian gal married to a white person, but live in California. When we are in love, we look beyond the person's race, but to their character and soul. And when we find that, we are the lucky ones.
The interracial couple thing in California (maybe the US) seem to be very common here. Maybe it wasn't so 10 years ago. But I say most people have become more open minded now. Especially since Obama is our new president. Yay!
So keep doing what you do. Live your life, love your life. Your writing is fantstic :)
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