A FILIPINO GIRL

A FILIPINO GIRL BY: LYRA GARCELLANO

I am Filipino, born, raised and living in the Philippines.
I am not backward, barbaric or warlike.
My house is not open to all.
I don’t readily open my door to strangers.
I am not always hospitable.
I am kind and respectful and I expect the same treatment from others.
I am not rich
I work hard to earn a living. It is my right to be paid my dues.
Doing domestic chores, manual labor, and working as a babysitter in a
foreign land aren’t the only things I am cut out to do.
Whenever/If ever I save money I like to travel, to see the world
and learn about new cultures.
I didn’t apply for and get my visa to the United States with the
intention of going there to land me an American citizen.
I have no intention of being an illegal alien in the U.S.
I like to travel, that’s it.
I don’t wash my clothes in the river.
Neither do I live in a tree.
I am not Catholic. I am not Protestant, Born Again, Opus Dei,
El Shaddai or Muslim.
I do not belong to an organized religion.
I firmly believe in religious freedom and tolerance. I am not evil.
I do not eat dogs.
In fact, I do not eat meat.
I am vegetarian because I don’t have a taste for killing.
I am not adept at handling a balisong, or inclined to dance the
tinikling and I don’t have penchant for singing.
I don’t know everything but I am not ignorant, naive or uninformed.
I read books. I study. I analyze issues.
I am not pliant, meek or docile.
Finally,
My country may be economically poor but I don’t like being
called provincial, or referred to as an exotic being from the
islands and a third world citizen.

And, I suppose, neither do you.
[HASH]philippines