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This is not the story of how I fell in love with Cebu nor a list of all stereotypes about Cebuanos or Cebu-based people. It’s about the language observations of a Filipino, who was raised in a home where Tagalog is the first language, Bisaya the occasional language (in my mother’s side of the family), and…
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“Come, I’ll drop you off,” Khaled insisted. “No, Julie’s taking a cab with me. I’ll drop her off on my way to Abu Dhabi,” Zi replied for me. “Are you sure, Julie?” Kavee whispered “I’ll be fine,” forcing a blank face. All my colleagues left except for me and Zi. “Zi, don’t deprive me of…
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Well-built, genial, and hardworking, Mandie immediately got Lisa’s attention. He came in one morning at the bakery to ease her uncle’s heavy load. Lisa grew fonder of Mandie when he taught her how to pedal. Even her father didn’t find time to do that. Yet this man whom she hardly knew volunteered to teach her. How nice of…
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With the pristine sights of green fields, refreshing whizz of winds, chantings of rushing waters, and everything around shaded by sunset, Lisa never felt a slight weariness walking home. “Heavenly”, she sighed in awe. Noiselessly, a grotesque figure with a broad head and a very round face came up and blocked her way. Though horrified, instinct drove Lisa’s feet…
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As big, wide eyes focused on Lisa, she marveled at those tiny creatures glued to branches of trees in the wooded spot where their jeepney passed by. She hoped to stop the driver, yet it was not the time to go nuts. She was competing for a Spelling Bee – in Filipino. She laughed at…
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At the crack of each dawn, Lisa hurriedly gets out of bed and goes to her aunt’s bakery shop tagging along two of her younger siblings to help out. Filing the biscuits on silver trays before they’re put inside the oven is as easy as a pie. That’s why even Lisa’s younger sisters could do…
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“What happened to your face?” her Aunt Carol asked. “It’s nothing. I just bumped into something,” Lisa nonchalantly answered. Her bluish-black left cheek was due to Ritch’s punch when she pissed him off while they were swimming. She really had a hard time pleasing her arrogant, bratty, and powerful cousin. Owning a bike is power.…
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“Is she your only daughter? Ms. Vargas asked. Why would she think I’m an only child? Lisa thought. Now, she had regrets seeing how distressed her mom was having to tell her previous classmates that she already has six kids. “No.” “I think she’s smart enough to meet this school’s high standards,” Lisa felt a lump in her throat upon hearing ‘smart’. “She’s…
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“Wow, Ever (Gotesco Mall)!” a four-year old girl gushed as her eyes sparkled widely (wildly). They were about to board Princess Paradise, a ship mistaken for a shopping mall by Lisa’s fifth sister. Her other sisters rolled in laughter and began a new round of banters. It’s Lisa’s third visit to her mom’s hometown- an…
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Early in life, Lisa has realized that if a person can’t be gorgeous, she should at least strive to be smart. She rationalizes, “what’s the point of being skinny and white-skinned if you’re tongue-tied when your teacher calls out your name on recitations?” That’s absolute humiliation. She keeps as many friends as she could. She…