I love being Filipino and Chinese. I get to enjoy the best parts of both cultures.
But you know, some people can not help but view the Chinese with stereotypes. There are some awful stereotypes, and there are also good ones.
I wrote about one of the bad ones before here.
Here is one of my favorite good ones.
I enrolled in a shop class before in university.
I never announce my Chinese ancestry. People just assume I am Chinese. Maybe because of my face or name?
One of the Manongs (helpers) suddenly asked me about my family's hardware store...
The bold words are the English translation of our conversation. Original conversation is in Filipino.
"Nagbebenta ba kayo ng ganitong part sa hardware niyo? [Lets me see a mechanical part.]"
"Do you sell this part in your hardware store? [Lets me see a mechanical part.]"
"Ugh...wala po kaming hardware..."
"Ugh...we do not own a hardware store..."
"Oh...hindi ba Chinese ka?"
"Oh...you are Chinese, right?"
"Yeah~~"
"Yeah~~"
"Hehehehe...lahat ng Chinese ay may hardware diba?"
"Hehehehe...all Chinese have hardware stores, right?"
"Ugh...hindi po..."
"Ugh...not really..."
"Ooopps...sori ha? Akala ko ganoon talaga..."
"Ooopps...sorry...I just assumed it was like that..."
Sheepish grin.
Well, there are a lot of Chinese in the Philippines who owns hardware stores. But we are not one of them.
I guess I have just gotten used to having Chinese friends in high school that stereotypes about Chinese still amuse me.
Do you know of any other stereotypes about Chinese?
Difference Between "Tseng" And "Kiu"
Tseng is cheapskate in Hokkien. Like "Di tsin tseng siao ah!" (You are such a cheapskate!)
Kiu is thrifty in Hokkien.
Before I go on, I really have to apologize if I annotated the Hokkien words wrongly. I hope you still get what I am saying.
Yesterday, I became my own hairdresser and cut my bangs. Do I see any raised eyebrows?
When my sister found out, she said, "Di lah, di lah, tsin tseng siao ah!" (You, you, such a cheapskate!)
The words sounded funnier in Chinese.
Before I confuse anyone any longer, let me start at the very beginning.
When I was a little girl, I had bangs. I outgrew them in college, because I just became tired of putting them away from my eyes.
This time, I decided to change my hairstyle and had bangs again. So, ta-dah! I have bangs now. :D [Sorry guys, no pictures to show here. Use your imagination! :P]
After a week, the bangs became longer and longer and are starting to cover my eyes. Almost Sadako-like. Hahaha...joking of course! But dangerously close. :P
So yesterday, I snatched a pair of scissors and cut my bangs! :D
I am not a good hairdresser, but I definitely like the shorter bangs. Not my mum and sister.
She said I destroyed my hair.
My mum was a bit encouraging. She said I look like a Shanghai doll. But she still agreed with my sister.
This is a Shanghai doll.
If I look like this, I think it is really cute! So I take my mum's comment as a compliment. Hehehe...
So I had to clarify to my sister that me cutting my bangs has nothing to do with tseng-ness.
I was just being practical. I only wanted to have short bangs, and I have seen Mum do it before [She was the one who cuts my bangs when I was younger.].
So naturally, I should know how to do it by myself.
See, I have this reputation in my family as being tseng. Which is so NOT true!
I am just KIU. Not TSENG. Big difference.
But really, this whole cutting episode has nothing to do with TSENG-ness or KIU-ness.
My tseng-ness reputation just stuck.
Just a while ago, my sister reassured my mum, "Hair grows...hair grows..."
I repeat, nothing to do with TSENG-ness or KIU-ness. :P
***
Tomorrow is a momentous day in my life.
It will be my first time to vote in the government elections! :D
Yay!!!
So to Filipinos out there, exercise your right to vote!
As a radio station so annoyingly announced every time these past fews days--
"Use GOTO in a sentence."
"GOTO your nearest barangay to exercise your right to vote!"
So corny yet so right. :D
By the way, GOTO is a Filipino dish. And barangay is the smallest political unit in the Philippines. :)
Kiu is thrifty in Hokkien.
Before I go on, I really have to apologize if I annotated the Hokkien words wrongly. I hope you still get what I am saying.
Yesterday, I became my own hairdresser and cut my bangs. Do I see any raised eyebrows?
When my sister found out, she said, "Di lah, di lah, tsin tseng siao ah!" (You, you, such a cheapskate!)
The words sounded funnier in Chinese.
Before I confuse anyone any longer, let me start at the very beginning.
When I was a little girl, I had bangs. I outgrew them in college, because I just became tired of putting them away from my eyes.
This time, I decided to change my hairstyle and had bangs again. So, ta-dah! I have bangs now. :D [Sorry guys, no pictures to show here. Use your imagination! :P]
After a week, the bangs became longer and longer and are starting to cover my eyes. Almost Sadako-like. Hahaha...joking of course! But dangerously close. :P
So yesterday, I snatched a pair of scissors and cut my bangs! :D
I am not a good hairdresser, but I definitely like the shorter bangs. Not my mum and sister.
She said I destroyed my hair.
My mum was a bit encouraging. She said I look like a Shanghai doll. But she still agreed with my sister.
This is a Shanghai doll.
If I look like this, I think it is really cute! So I take my mum's comment as a compliment. Hehehe...So I had to clarify to my sister that me cutting my bangs has nothing to do with tseng-ness.
I was just being practical. I only wanted to have short bangs, and I have seen Mum do it before [She was the one who cuts my bangs when I was younger.].
So naturally, I should know how to do it by myself.
See, I have this reputation in my family as being tseng. Which is so NOT true!
I am just KIU. Not TSENG. Big difference.
But really, this whole cutting episode has nothing to do with TSENG-ness or KIU-ness.
My tseng-ness reputation just stuck.
Just a while ago, my sister reassured my mum, "Hair grows...hair grows..."
I repeat, nothing to do with TSENG-ness or KIU-ness. :P
***
Tomorrow is a momentous day in my life.
It will be my first time to vote in the government elections! :D
Yay!!!
So to Filipinos out there, exercise your right to vote!
As a radio station so annoyingly announced every time these past fews days--
"Use GOTO in a sentence."
"GOTO your nearest barangay to exercise your right to vote!"
So corny yet so right. :D
By the way, GOTO is a Filipino dish. And barangay is the smallest political unit in the Philippines. :)
A Visit To The Taiwan Theater Museum (Part 3)
There is an interactive center at the museum--educational stuff.
But I like the costumes best in the background.
But I like the costumes best in the background.
These beautiful figures welcomed us at the entrance.
Pretty stuff.
Pom Pom and me!
Leaving...
Goodbye~~~
Goodbye~~~
A Visit To The Taiwan Theater Museum (Part 2)
Puppet theater is also part of the museum, that is why you saw the many puppet displays in Part 1.
Here are more pictures of our visit to the Taiwan Theater Museum.
Here are more pictures of our visit to the Taiwan Theater Museum.
These scrolls are part of the museum's collection. I imagine them to be very crumbly already when touched.
Metal gongs give both auditory and visual impact on stage.
老师 is teaching us how to dance in a Taiwanese opera. Movements for guys and girls are different.
You may want to try some movements! To express worry, you wring your hands. Bravery is shown by putting your hands behind your back.
All these movements must be done gracefully and with a touch of exaggeration. We are in the theater after all!
Who do you think among these people is the most expressive?
You may want to try some movements! To express worry, you wring your hands. Bravery is shown by putting your hands behind your back.
All these movements must be done gracefully and with a touch of exaggeration. We are in the theater after all!
Who do you think among these people is the most expressive?
This is a typical puppet stage.
In a Taiwanese opera, it is very common for females to play male roles. In Peking opera, it is the reverse.
The actors with the distorted makeup are ghosts! But I do not find them scary, more like funny.
The actors with the distorted makeup are ghosts! But I do not find them scary, more like funny.
A Visit To The Taiwan Theater Museum (Part 1)
During my childhood, I have been exposed to Chinese opera; and oftentimes it leaves a funny taste in the mouth. Not bad--just funny.
Because, for one, the singing voices are different. The tones go up and down, sometimes with a questioning stance, etc.
Another reason is because the faces of the actors are heavily made up. And to a child's eyes, they can look beautiful and mystical at the same time.
The music is different also--so dissonant.
But when we visited the Taiwan Theater Museum in Yilan County, I really learned to appreciate this art.
Taiwanese opera is very much like Peking opera. The vibrant costumes, makeup, and music are there. But the dialect used is Taiwanese.
Taiwan has its own culture and art.
And this theater helps emphasize that Taiwan has its own opera worthy of our attention.
Here are pictures of our stay in the Taiwan Thetear Museum.
Because, for one, the singing voices are different. The tones go up and down, sometimes with a questioning stance, etc.
Another reason is because the faces of the actors are heavily made up. And to a child's eyes, they can look beautiful and mystical at the same time.
The music is different also--so dissonant.
But when we visited the Taiwan Theater Museum in Yilan County, I really learned to appreciate this art.
Taiwanese opera is very much like Peking opera. The vibrant costumes, makeup, and music are there. But the dialect used is Taiwanese.
Taiwan has its own culture and art.
And this theater helps emphasize that Taiwan has its own opera worthy of our attention.
Here are pictures of our stay in the Taiwan Thetear Museum.
Welcome to the Taiwan Theater Museum!
Our 老师 for the day
Colorful puppets
Sabrina and I in front of beautiful costumes
More colorful puppets
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