foh·reh·noi

You are categorically a foreigner, i.e. any other nationality but Filipino.
No Filipino blood, lineage or prior history whatsoever.
You fall madly in love with the Philippines, after an encounter through education, holiday, business – actually, it doesn’t matter how, what is important, is that you are smitten beyond tourism.

Here’s an example – meet David Finig.
We met online after being introduced by Tassos Stevens as collaborators for the Coney project London-Manila Messaging Service.

He’s an Australian theatre activist, and right now he really diehard wants to be a contestant for this game segment in the popular noontime television show EAT Bulaga! (Lunchtime Surprise).

This is his audition video:

I’ll be joining him this evening for the annual lantern parade at the University of the Philippines.

Regardless of my feelings about being called a ‘balikbayan’, apparently this is what I am now, like some prodigal daughter who has returned to The Motherland. Truth be told, on the twelfth day of being back, I’m still feeling more of a foreignoy.