My definition of baduy mainly means showbiz. I’ve always thought that watching those noon time shows where talent-less half-breeds would be forced to dance or sing is nakakabobo. I’ve always made fun of people who watched Inday Badiday, Lolit Solis and Cristy Fermin, among other intrigero hosts. Lining up outside a movie house to watch a tagalog movie would be something I would never be caught dead doing.

That was when I lived in the Philippines.

Nothing brings out your inner baduyness than a stint abroad. Everything that has anything to do with being Pinoy — yes, no matter how high its level of baduyness is — suddenly makes you feel closer to home. No matter how hard you fight it, baduy will suck you in like an industrial vacuum cleaner when you are homesick.

The number of years I have spent living in Europe has improved my taste in culture: the arts, letters, manners and scholarly pursuits. Ironically, expatriation has also degenerated my taste in what is Pinoy.

How baduy am I? Let me count the ways…

• My CD/DVD shelves now boasts of several Pinoy movies. Some of which are good but most are cringe-worthy.
• As far away as I am from Pinas shores, I was actually one of the first few ones who got an insider look at the Gretchen Barretto and John Estrada kissing pictures.
• I used to read 2-3 newspapers from cover to cover, every single day. At present, I still read 2-3 newspapers but the Inquirer’s Entertainment section is now my first stop.
• Every time I am home, I ask my poor sister to go watch the latest sampalan/iyakan movies. And I usually am not even ashamed of it.
• I actually followed the Ruffa-Yilmaz saga. And I think that Annabelle Rama is entertaining to watch.

Despite unleashing my inner kabaduyan, I am proud to say that it still has not reached the highest level. I have yet to succumb to watching half-breed teenies gyrate or sing off key on national tv. And I hope to God that I never will.

Ikaw? What has expatriation done to you?