Have you ever felt the urge to just bonk someone in the head and blurt out magpakatotoo ka! (be true to yourself!) to them?

Our flight from HK-Manila was filled with fellow balikbayans coming from all over the world. I do not know if some of them are just plain show-offs (which is pointless since most of those in the plane were all also coming from abroad) OR, they just choose not to take pride in their Pinoy-ness. Even objective J was irked with their presence: bragging, loud voices, Pinoy group speaking to each other in English with their put-on American accent, and real thick Pinoy accent coming to surface from time to time. These same people lined up at the immigration with their blue passports ostentatiously displayed.

J and I truly appreciate people like Michelle and Cia. Girls who moved to the US very early in their lives but are not ashamed of their Pinoy identity.

I guess, people have the choice how they label themselves. Brown American. Asian-American. Filipino-American. Filipino. Americans of Filipino ancestry. I just find it funny that some people are quick to label themselves Americans even if they are still PH passport holders and are, as they say, fresh off the boat. On the other hand, there are those who are US passport holders and were raised in the US and call themselves Filipinos.

With Cia (in white halter beside me) and her friends. Alabang Town Center.
After 2 cancellations, we were finally able to meet shortly before her flight back to NY.

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Walking hand-in-hand with J in Glorietta. Suddenly… “AnP!”
Looked blankly at this short-haired young girl who called my attention.
It was Toni, one of those who I missed meeting the other day.
She looks a lot fresher, younger and prettier in person. I felt like the jurassic of the blogging world next to her. hehe.