A?couple weeks ago, I?went to SLCCL with my FFA?chapter, a week-long state leadership camp. We broke up into small groups, and did an activity called “me in a box,” where we were asked to share four items that are important to us.
We students talked about our interests, activities, and sports we play. In my “me in a box,” I?had a pair of running shoes, my bible, my journal, and pictures of family and friends.
As I?presented my items to my group, I?showed them a picture of my younger sister and I. No one believed that she was my sister, and people in my group said that she looked nothing like me. I?went on to explain my racial backround. It’s kind of ironic that the theme of SLCCL?was “Amazing Race.” Being that I’m half Filipino and half white, I?mentioned that I am a hybrid, literally. That got me a few laughs. It turns out that ?I got more of my mom’s looks, and my sister got more of my dad’s looks. Being of a mixed race, there are definitely a lot of differences on the two sides of my family. Take Christmas parties for example. On my dad’s side, we’ll go over to my aunt and uncle’s, have a dinner of ham, mashed potatoes, corn, salads, and pie and ice cream for dessert. We all fill our tummies, and then play cards and board games.
At the Filipino Christmas parties, there is food, food, and more food. There is usually just as much food as there are party-goers. Pansit, egg rolls, stir fry, fried rice, “chocolate” meat, chicken adobo, kare-kare, shish kebabs, pan de sal, babingka, and puto galore (just to name a few). And let’s just say that the “chocolate”?meat doesn’t actually have any chocolate in it. If you wrap a paper towel around any of the food, it becomes transluscent. This is because a lot Filipino food isn’t exactly heart healthy. It is delicous, though.
Guests usually arrive half an hour to an hour later than the actual time intended. Don’t even ask me why that is. It’s gotta be some chronic phenomenon in the Filipino culture. The women usually retreat into a circle, where they talk, and talk, and talk. Everyone else will be pretty much sitting down on chairs, or the floor, or standing with a plate of food in front of them…unless karaoke is involved.
Being of mixed race, I’ve learned to?embrace both sides of my culture. Sometimes it can be a little embarassing when my mom points with her lips instead of her fingers, and says “Close the lights” instead of “Turn off the lights,” but I’m proud of who I am and what makes me unique.