You Were A Blessing, Not A Curse

Without you,

I wouldn't have

been as culturally aware,

tolerant,

open-minded,

adventurous,

and smart as a giant encyclopedia.

For these fascinating qualities

I inherited from you,

salamat po,

at pinahahalagahan ko ito.

Without you,

I wouldn't know

the words

kamusta ka,

ikaw,

isda,

buhay,

mabuti,

and ako.

For these words

I learned

and soaked in,

salamat po,

at pinahahalagahan ko ito.

Without you,

I wouldn't have

had the chance

to watch Wowowee,

sing karaoke with you and your friends,

visit FV Foods and H & H,

and learn about Popeye and Olive Oyl.

For these excellent surprises

and extravagant experiences I had,

salamat po,

at pinahahalagahan ko ito.

Without you,

I wouldn't have

has even one taste

of pancit canton,

one spoonful of Champ-O-Rado,

a bite of chicken adobo,

a hearty plate of rice with a fried whole tilapia,

and a cup of halo-halo.

For these authentic Pinoy delicacies

I joyfully feasted on

with you and your friends,

salamat po,

at pinahahalagahan ko ito.

I treasure

my open-mindedness,

and fascination with your culture,

language,

and cuisine;

the most valuable, everlasting gift

you gave me.

As a result

of everything I discovered

about Filipino culture,

the cuisine,

and the Tagalog language,

you were a blessing,

not a curse.

Because of you,

my dream destination

is the Philippines,

which I hope to sojourn to

before my offer disappears.

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If you want to know about my all-time favourite Filipino snacks, please read my story Boodle Fight!

Authors notes: Tagalog vocabulary and Filipino things I learned about

salamat po: thank you (formal).

at pinahahalagahan ko ito: and I appreciate it.

ikaw: you.

kamusta ka: how are you?

buhay: life.

isda: fish.

mabuti: good.

ako: I or me.

Wowowee: A Pinoy noontime variety television show that was broadcasted by ABS-CBN from 2005-2010. The link to a clip of Wowowee I found on YouTube can be seen above.

FV Foods: A Canadian-Filipino market in my childhood neighbourhood of Bathurst Manor, Toronto, Canada.

H & H: A family-owned small Filipino market in the same area as FV Foods.

Pancit Canton: A Filipino stir-fried noodle dish.

Champ-O-Rado: Chocolate rice porridge. The traditional way of eating Champ-O-Rado is with anchovies, but I never mixed the two together.

Halo-Halo: A popular Filipino dessert with sweet beans, fruit, ice cream, and different toppings.

Chicken Adobo: An authentic Pinoy dish with tender chicken coated in a sweet, savoury, and tangy marinade.

Pinoy: Filipino (Pinay for a woman). Pinoy is used when referring to males or certain nouns (e.g. places, food, etc.)