Bye, Gil!

There was a farewell party for Gil last night at Bob's house, since he is leaving Columbia for good on Sunday. His Master's in Dispute Resolution is only two semesters long, so he's off tomorrow for what he calls a six-week "externship" in New York. After that he goes back to his little town of Ormoc, Leyte. Gil has a good heart and many friends, so this party was only one in a series of despedidas for him.

Gil and I are the only Filipino Fulbrighters who went to the same school in our batch. Knowing him has been a very interesting experience. He made me realize just how very different people can be, even if they have their country and the Fulbright community in common. Because after spending some time with him, it seemed these were the ONLY things we'll ever have in common.

Consider his comment about women and beauty which he reiterated during the party, where there were Americans, Iranians, and a South African. (I brought Felicity along as a witness to Gil's expected proclamations.)

Gil: I think that American women are more beautiful than Filipina women. All the students I see could be actresses back home! Filipinas mostly have inner beauty!

Me: (taking this as a personal insult, of course) I don't know about the women where you come from, Gil, but in Manila, there are many beautiful women!

He also had a comment about personal hygiene.

Gil: Did you know that we Filipinos do not like toilet paper?

Me: (thinking, now I understand why people think we still live in trees) I don't know about you Gil, but the Filipinos I know are on very good terms with toilet paper.

Felicity: I think Gidget wants you to stop using the word "we", Gil.

He expresses more views on hygiene.

Gil: The weather here is warm like in the Philippines, but here I noticed that clothes do not smell. Gidget, do you use deodorant?

Me: (to the group) That's it. From now on, I'm officially Taiwanese. I do not know this man, I've never been to his country.

Finally, as the party was about to end, he delivered the coup de grace.

Gil: Gidget, did you gain weight?

Gidget: (ARRRGHHH!) I hope you realize I'm never speaking to you again.

I hope he didn't get offended by these exchanges. It was just so strange to see how disparate our worlds are, despite coming from the same country and having a similar academic background. Don't get me wrong; Gil is a well-meaning good guy who will probably go straight to heaven on judgment day (definitely more than I can say for myself).

However, when he talks about his culture and his experience of being Filipino, sometimes I feel like we literally come from different worlds (I'm talking Milky Way here).