South of which border?

Despite what some people on the streets of NYC and the employees of Chipotle think, I am filipina, not hispanic. [True story...Chipotle employees always start talking to me in Spanish.  OK, maybe not in the 'burg because they're all white here.  But seriously, everywhere else.]

Traditionally, filipinos are known as asian.  I do find the term "pacific islander" a little more exotic, but I've been told that this term is meant for people from Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, etc. and not filipinos.  Hmph.

Apparently this distinction is not just confusing for me.  For example, take this actual exchange between me and one of my closest friends (who I will not expose, though she may out herself):

The Setting: The Mill, aka "Best Bar in DC," circa 2008, T-Pain playing in the background

Friend: Did you know that Jeremy [Mill bartender and CLEARLY asian] is asian?
Me: [blink]
Friend: [smile, sip of drink]
Me: Are you serious?
Friend: Yeah! Did you know that?
Me: Um...yeah. I did. [staring. sip of drink.]
Friend: Oh. [blink]
Me: Wait, you know that I'm asian right?
Friend: Oh come on! You're not asian. [Sip of drink. Exasperated look.] You're a pacific islander.

Fair enough.

The two non-asian bartenders at the Mill, circa 2008.

Regardless, I do believe that filipinos do get a little confused about our heritage.  Things are distinctly filipino, but their roots are in both asian (noodle and rice based dishes) and spanish (meat, meat and more meat dishes) culture.  For example, we have eggrolls, which we call "lumpia."  However, instead of being filled with cabbage and veggies like chinese eggrolls, they are primarily filled with meat (beef or pork), potatoes and carrots.

mmm...lumpia

Here are four of my favorite, most distinctive filipino traits.  I've seen a lot of these lists, but not for a while.  So if you know or love a filipino, feel free to comment and add!

1. At least one of following three wooden carvings will be hanging on the home of a filipino: a large fork and spoon, a set of tinikling dancers, a portrait carving of the last supper.  My parents had all 3. Promo and I have the fork and spoon.

2. We love to sing and dance. I could tell you the obvious which is that most of us have our own karaoke (or "Magic Sing"), but I prefer to illustrate this fact by giving you a list of famous filipino entertainers, who sing, dance, or both:

• Bruno Mars (who wants to be a billionaire so f'in bad, but will catch a grenade for ya)
• apl.de.ap. (from the Black Eyed Peas. dirty bit.)
• Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Doll, and all-around hottie. Dontcha wish your girlfriend was hot like her?)
• Charice (cute pop singer in her own right, most recently seen on Glee defecting to Vocal Adrenaline)
• Darren Criss (hot Blaine from Glee. A Teenage Dream.)
• Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical ex of the dreamy Zach Efron)
• Cheryl Burke (Dancing with the Stars, object of Ochocinco's affection for 5 minutes)
• Napoleon D'umo (from Tabitha & Napoleon, aka Nappytabs, aka kick-ass choreographers)
• ...and pretty much every act on America's Best Dance Crew

3. We have a very distinct way of getting someone's attention.  To type it does not do it justice.  It is a very terse, loud, "Pssshht!" As a follow up, we will sometimes say "Oy" but usually "Pssshht!" does the trick.

4. That said, we are very friendly, loving people.  Close family friends are called "auntie and uncle" (or "tita and tito" if we're going full pinoy) and we legit use the term "godbrother/sister" to describe the child of our godparents (or our parents' godchildren).  In truth, my godsisters and godbrothers are truly like family to me.  To even call them cousins isn't descriptive enough.

The fam at a beach in the Philippines, December 1976. Yes, I am topless.  Don't judge.

So I don't know tagalog (but my goal is to learn it this year!).  And my southern accent still creeps out every now and then.  And I may or may not have been pulled into the Puerto Rican Day parade in NYC...

But I am definitely a proud filipina! Mabuhay!