All of us on this GSE team have the kind of skin that leads friends to say, “oh, you burn so easily.” I’ve had freckles all my life, and it’s true: I don’t tan, I burn. If I ever had them, I gave up dreams of ever becoming a bathing beauty years ago. All of us on this trip are like that, but Juliette has particularly fair skin, almost porcelain, and fair coloring. And she is clearly something of a minor sensation.
In America, women head to the beach or the tanning salon to ”improve” on Mother Nature, even though we know that long term, tanning can be dangerous to our health. Here in the Philippines, young women take chemicals and go to the bleaching salon, again to improve upon nature. And that can’t be any healthier.
While we are on the topic, I have met more dentists in this country than I think I have ever met in my life. It turns out that they are mostly doing cosmetic dentistry including orthodontia for adults – a big thing. And then there is rhinoplasty, and all sorts of options for changing the look of one’s face to be more “American.” In fact, it turns out that Amerasian is “in” – I have been told that the majority of movie stars and television personalities are, indeed, Amerasian by blood. Oh, those randy GIs.
So while Americans invest in artificial ways to appear younger and thinner, Filopinos are investing to look more American. Just not the supersized version.
Self-perception is everything, of course. I have yet to meet a Filapina under the age of 40 who isn’t absolutely gorgeous.
The Sound of Music
As I write this, a tape is playing on the terrace and the TV is on in the kitchen. This is about as quiet as it gets. Throughout our time here in the Philippines we have encountered continuous piped-in music, in cars, restaurants, meeting rooms, even TV in cars. Sometimes the sound systems are “warring,” with us caught between several musical rhythms. And in case of doubt: All music is rock. When Cat said she really sang classical music, someone said, “oh, you mean like Frank Sinatra?”
And then there’s the decibel level. All sound systems are set on “high.” All music is set on forte. Everything, from the ever-present karaoke to the TV, is set for better listening from the next room. Plus. every time someone starts a speech, it seems that the person sitting next to me starts a private conversation with me. If the phone rings, no one seems to expect that the conversation in the room will soften. And, people speak softly.
All this came to a head last night at the World Peace and Understanding dinner, where the music was loud and almost at screeching range, and the speeches monotonal. And the side conversations ever-present.
–Marty
