Ano Daw?! Part 2

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these." - George Washington Carver

Well, I didn’t know that you can actually buy air should you opt to. Neither am I aware that you can actually but air for a price of a dozen bathroom tissue. But this is what I thought the first time I read this tag line from this tissue brand. Oh well, never fails to make me smile in that shitty part of my room, lol..

Couldn’t Be Anymore Chinese than Here

"Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet." -Anonymous

It took me to be located in a Muslim country to experience Chinese New Year full blast – open house lunches, afternoon snacks or pika-pika and dinner invitations from Chinese boss and acquaintances, and of course the most exiting part, am pao. The latter makes me feel like a young girl back in our streets knocking on neighbors doors on Christmas day asking for pamasko. Good old times. CNY is the only occasion that I’m actually on the receiving end of money. And it’s been a long time since that happens, $1:PHP25 pesos pa! LOL. I often see news about CNY celebration on TV and newspaper and back in Eastwood, it’s a week long celebration complete with all sorts of psychic reading – from tarot to palm reading and etc. But that’s the closest I was able to get. Not even when I was in college and one third of the class were Chinese. Not even that my Auntie’s husband is Chinese (he’s so Pinoy that he cannot speak Chinese anymore). Not even when I stayed in Penang where only a quarter my officemates were not Chinese and the fact that the island’s main inhabitants are Chinese. Not even when my ex is Chinese (well, that’s another story, hehe). In short, walang nag invite sken, lol (sounds bitter pero nde naman, reality lang).

So I’m glad I experienced CNY here and to personally witness how a big deal it was. My gym even closed on 7^th February, the 1^st day of the year of the Rat. It compensates for the almost non-existence of 31st December eve celebration here.

Muslim Weddings

"When love beckons you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep, And when his wings enfold you, yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you, believe him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste in the garden. " - Kahlil Gibran

Another noteworthy experience is going to local weddings. Firstly, I have to thank Jocy and Mimi for lending me their baju kurung. It’s the local dress worn during formal occasions and as office formal attire for girls particularly with government employees. Our equivalent to Baro’t saya. But who wears them now, really? For local guys here, office attire is your regular Makati yuppie. They wear their traditional dress or Baju Melayu for formal occasions and prayer time.

You have to give kudos to the people here for having such true loyalty to their local attire. The more expensive Bajus are adorned with hand woven embroideries. During Hari Raya which is celebrated after fasting season and runs for one month, families usually wore dresses of the same garment. Super terno talaga, hehe.

In the picture is our client dressed in a majestic baju. It’s a week long celebration and we were invited by the groom, hence we were at his residence. The bride-to-be is in her own residence having a feast with her own guests. The groom will go to her place and his less than 6 steps walk from their doorway to the car must be covered under an umbrella.

Though the celebration stretches from 4 to 5 days, the days do not last long. Unlike in the Philippines where it could last for at least 3 hours (yan ay kung walang karaoke session to follow, lol). Each guest was handed a souvenir gift once they arrive. The female relatives will walk from table to table to shake hands or Salam with each female guest. The male relatives will go to the male guests and shake hands as well. Yes, females and males are seated separately. There will never be an opportunity to mingle and eye for single girls and guys here, too bad huh? After that, a prayer will start the celebration and the feast begins. As soon as the guests have eaten, all leftovers are up to grabs. Take-out or Tapao plastics are available and everyone dugs in. Everything usually takes less than 45 minutes and guests starts to go back home.

As for the newly weds, the celebration is ended with a honeymoon. Now that part is universal and no color or religion makes any difference. ^_^

Brain Meat

"One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is to listen to each other's stories." - Rebecca Falls

Another brilliant marketing strategy brought to you by a famous hotel (not just here I’m sure). I love meat but how can I lust for having a piece if it shows a picture of a whole cow? Cowabangga! He looks so cute and innocent that this ad actually forces me to go on fish and veggie diet. Nice job Sheraton.