Hindi sa sinasakyan ko ang nagbabagang usapan na ito. It is just that the behaviour of this stupid spoiled brat reminds me of some incidents I witnessed before. The Tracy Isabel Borres in us or better to say the bad in us. Hindi lang kasi si Isabel ang umaarte ng ganyan, I find that even matured educated people are acting in a totally irrational manner.

When I was in Davao, I met a group of Balikbayan from Germany during the Caracoles Festival in Samal Island last May. With them are their husbands. Matagal bago nagsimula ang naturang programa nang festival kaya napagpasyahan kong kumain muna kami nang aking mga anak. Yong table ng mga balikbayan ang may bakante pa kaya I asked them if we can join. Umoo naman sila kaya ayon nagtake a sit na ang Tita Poorshya niyo and my two makulets. A waitress came after a few minutes and so we ordered our food. Habang naghintay sa pagkain nakipagkuwentuhan muna siyempre ako sa mga nakaupo doon. Small talk lang baga like: saan ka sa Germany, ilang taon ka na doon, anak mo ba ang mga yan, saan ang asawa mo at iba pa. I learned from them na doon na pala sila sa Samal nakatira. Pensionado na siyempre ang kanilang mga jowa kaya they can afford to stay there for good and build a mala palasyong bahay. One of the German guy told me that he felt like a king daw doon. Kibir ko ba, hindi naman ako interesado kong anong pakiramdam niya. Gutom ang naramdaman ko kaya I was getting impatient na dahil ang tagal dumating nang pagkain. Nakulele pati ako sa kayabangan nang aming ka-table. Heneweys, I was so grateful talaga as our food was served. I was also hoping they will leave me alone habang ako ay lumalafang. Teach kasi nang mader ko when I was a kid na huwag magkuwentuhan habang kumakain.

Sorry pero da makuwentong grupo did not refrain from talking. Me full mouth and no choice than to tango nalang nang tango. Maya-maya, a Badjao kid approached our table at naupo sa isang bakanteng silya. The self-proclaimed donyas were aghast at ipinagtabuyan ang bata. They uttered the same words Tracy Isabel Borres spoke on her Fisbuk blog. Kadiri kid, mabaho, madungis and etcetera. At kesyo ang mga Badjao daw ay parang peste, sila daw ay nakakasira nang view sa Davao at kong ano-ano pang salita na nakakapanting sa tenga. Holy cow!!!

I did not say anything, basta’t kinawayan ko ang waitress and asked her to bring extra plate and kubyertos for the kid. The child was obviously hungry. It was also obvious na hindi nagustuhan nang mga ka-table namin ang ginawa ko dahil bigla nalang silang umalis without saying a word. Si Kathleen nga na dito lumaki at sanay sa lifestyle dito ay naawa din sa bata. Ibinigay pa niya ang Coke na nasa backpack niya pati pa ang souvenir t-shirt na kabibili lang namin. Ano at sino ba silang umasta nang ganun? Marami sa atin ang ala Tracy Isabel. Mga ignoranteng matapobre dahil lang nakaangat or umangat. What a shame!

How true, how true…

People are blinded by money. People are blinded by power. People are blinded by pleasure.
People who are blinded by their own pursuits and pleasures are blinded about the reality.
People who put their desires ahead of everything are “spiritually blind”.

Kita niyo? The group I mentioned is only one of the good example. And this kind of incident happens everyday I think at hindi lang during “immersion”. Maraming Tracy na kababayan natin ang nagkalat sa mundo at nasa mismong bayan natin. Sana naman we should not forget who we are or where our families started. Don’t forget those who made you and where you come from. Kasabot?

Our topic of today class…is about Bisaya. Para sa mga tega northern part of our country, FROM DI ka (from the province) if you are a native Bisaya speaker. Hehehehe, eksperyens ko yan when I was in college (Manila). Tingin nila, I was lower than them dahil nga Bisaya eh. Pero dahil ako ay palaban, hindi umubra ang pang mamata nila sa aken. At lalong wa epek sa akin nang may nagsabi nito: “Tega Davao ka pala? Dinig ko marami daw mamamatay tao doon”. I raised my left brow and replied: “Yes, isa sa kanila ay kaharap mo!”. You may believe me or not, tumahimik ang mundo ko matapos kong sabihin yon.

Hindi lahat nang mga Bisayang katulad ko ang may lakas loob na sumagot. Some if not many, felt intimidated kaya madalas nilang tinatago ang tunay nilang background. Kagaya nang mga na-meet kong mga kababayan natin. Yong isa ay nakilala ko sa isang party noong araw sa Freiburg. She was the first who asked me kong tega saan daw ako sa Pinas. I said I am from Davao and she said she’s from Cebu pero hindi na daw siya marunong mag Bisaya dahil super tagal daw silang tumira sa Maynila. It could be true…kaso lang ang intonation nang kanyang pagsalita nang Tagalog is soo Bisaya. Alam niyo na…Bisaya matigas ang dila. Well anyways, few minutes later…may iba pang mga bisitang dumating. That lady tagalang hilaw approached the newly arrived guests. Ayon nagbeso-beso sila at bumanat na nang kuwento itong si Ms. Hilaw. She was talking in Bisaya!!! Kakasabi niya lang sa akin na hindi na siya marunong and all of a sudden…nag Bisaya siya? Ngeekk what a fake.

Just recently may na-meet ako ditong Pinay. Nagtagalog siya siyempre, madali lang ang usapan namin dahil may lakad pa akong iba. The next time we met, ayon binanatan niya na ako nang kuwento na tega Cebu nga siya and that hindi na siya marunong magbisaya dahil doon na sila tumira sa Maynila etc. etc. etc. Ilang beses ko nang narinig ang ganyang tell-tale, it’s getting tiresome na ha. I was annoyed na talaga pero pinagbigyan ko pa rin. In between her blahs…medyo nagkandahirap na siyang magtagalog. Kaya I told her na: “Oy alam mo, mabuti pang magbisaya nalang tayo para hindi ka na mahihirapan pa.”

The bottom line of the story is that one should be honest and true to oneself, to avoid embarrassment or awkward situation.

Why pretend to be someone you’re not? Are you afraid that people might belittle you? Or are you ashamed of your roots? Eh ano ngayon kong Bisaya? Ano ba ang dapat diyan ikahiya? Wala!

Concerning the people naman na mahilig mangutya sa mga Bisaya. I think they are brainless that’s why they do that…pangungutya sa kapwa.

I am a Filipina, a Bisaya one and I am proud of it. O ano, may reklamo?

By the way, your Tita Poorshya is not really back to blogging yet. Ang mga previous entries ko ay mga “KUNO” lang. I will be posting real entry about my real come back soon kapag natapos ko na ang mga pinaggagawa ko dito.

But before leaving, I would like to thank everyone for visiting and leaving a comment. I owe you guys a lot. Thank you with all my heart.

My daughter’s cute cat “Dora”.