Roughly 32 years to date, my former boss told me on my last day of work before I left for Germany to get married, “It will never matter what your passport says in the future, whether you are German or something else. People will look at you and automatically assume that you are Asian. And it will be true. So stay true to your heritage and remember that the blood that courses through your veins is Asian, will always be Filipino.”
I never forgot those words and even though I struggled with my cultural affinity and legal identity over the next three decades, I continue to honour my Filipino heritage and culinary roots as handed down by my venerable ancestors. Rice, fish, sinigang, adobo, pancit, bagoong and lumpia are such an intrinsic part of my multicultural tapestry that to deny them would be to betray my own roots. Sure, maybe I don’t cook the dishes the traditional way, making the most of the local ingredients wherever it is that I happen to be living, but it is the essence of the dish and what it represents that matters most to me.
Of all the countries that I have lived in, Portugal is the one where I have had the least contact with Filipinos. Ordinarily I would bump into them in just about any nook and cranny, the accent undeniable, and that Pinoy radar automatically activated. But thus far, I only ran into one couple last December for the first time and that was by sheer accident. Until last week.
In September 2024 I received an email from a former colleague and friend who said she would be doing the Camino de Santiago in April 2025, whether I would be free to meet up at some point. Well of course I said yes! But you know how life can get in the way, and between work and the holidays, I almost lost track of the upcoming dates. Long story short, we coordinated in the most Filipino manner, via text messenger, and agreed to meet at the airport for a quick get-together, since she was only passing through Lisbon, after Santiago, Fatima and Porto.
It was like a scene from a cheesy Filipino movie from the 80s, when we waved wildly at each other across the large hall where she was lined up with the rest of her group to check in for their flight back to Manila. Ev and I hadn’t seen each other for at least 25 years, and I wondered how we could possibly catch up in a mere two hours. She broke away from the queue and handed me a ubiquitous green plastic bag, that is so typical of every small grocery in the Philippines, and in it was the most precious loot of several packages of Mama Sita Singang soup mix, two jars of bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) concealed in a Pringles container, and three polvoron moulds. I was thrilled beyond words and thoroughly amused by the addition of some snacks that one of the fellow pilgrims bequeathed to me. I inherited a pack of Cebu dried mangoes, and assorted munchies including packs of Sky Flakes saltine crackers. Quick side story – Sky Flakes got me through college while living in the dorm so they are incredibly sentimental to me, especially when combined with sardines or canned tuna, typical student fodder!
Before that, my Über driver was a chatty Punjabi who was absolutely delighted to know that I lived in India and knew his “village”. He was so nice that he readily agreed to drive me back home for a much discounted rate.
Once Ev checked in, we went in search of a place to eat and a quiet place to sit. The Lisbon airport is not exactly the best place for that (at least in the pre-departure area, the choices are better once you cross into the departure area) so we ended up at Burger King. I almost burst out laughing because if we had been in the Philippines we most likely would have landed at a Jollibee! Oh but what a joy to speak Tagalog again and recall the good old days!
I went home feeling incredibly Asian and grateful for the treasures I had in my bag. That evening I recalled the words of 32 years ago and smiled. Yes, the song of my blood will always be Filipino, no matter where I am living and what my passport claims I am. Thank you, Ev, for the precious time together, and the gift of Filipinoness that you gave me that afternoon.
FrogDiva Thoughts 