Family Parties are major part of the culture I was raised with. Filipino families have very distinct characteristics and a defined way of doing things, which is why most filipino people get along very well, because they always have something to relate about. Many a time have I been to a party and instantly become friends with the only other filipino person there. The most important thing with my extended family is appearance. I don't just mean like physical appearance, but accomplishments as well. It is a very old fashioned environment, thriving on goals, personal appearance, past accomplishments, and memories of things that happened anywhere from 5-30 years ago. I found it very difficult to get ready for these parties as a preteen. I mean as a child it's easy; your mother picks out your outfit pulls your hair out of your face and then you're ready to go, and all they talk about is how adorable you are. As a preteen, I was the epitome of awkward transition phase. I was living a cliche. Mostly when this happened, I tried to express myself with my own style... which even now I cringe at. I was a whole big pile of hot mess. During these years, the most common response was "wow you have gotten so tall!" -______- great. All while my beautiful cousins were marvelled at and fawned over. However, my day in the sun came. I eventually grew out of it and then I started getting "WOW... you're beautiful, go to the philippines and model". It feels much better.. but now I have to put in so much effort into getting ready. You have to pick out an outfit that isn't frumpy, but that isn't revealing. You want to look trendy, yet classic at the same time. If you even want to stand out you have to have the right colors that make you stand out, but and outfit that at second look the adults will find tasteful. I haven't even started on hair and makeup. With your hair, you can't half ass it. Sometimes depending on the casualty of the party you can go all out curling and straightening and stuff, but on a normal occasion as long as it is out of your face.. that means headbands half ponytails. BUT never a full ponytail, because otherwise you "didn't put enough effort in". Luckily for me I'm at the point in my hair where my bangs stay out of my face allowing me to do virtually nothing with it except a good blow dry. Makeup is a little trickier. They appreciate beauty, so you have to use makeup.. none of this you're better without.. because your beauty is on the inside nonsense. You have to put in the time. However at first try with this makeup stuff, I failed. A little too much makeup... too dark, too bright, too caked on, etc. people will comment. You have to live by the rule that you try to make it look like you wake up looking like that. It's a sad and horrible truth, but it's true. When I get there I always have to tell everyone six hundred times what accomplishment worthy things I've done, what I'm involved with at school, and every college that I'm interested in. Not going is not an option. However, as bad as I make these sound, they aren't awful because underneath the scrutiny they really do love me. When it gets bad I can take solace with my cousins who are dealing with the same stuff. Also, they make reallllyyy good food. ;)
Family Parties are major part of the culture I was raised with. Filipino families have very distinct characteristics and a defined way of doing things, which is why most filipino people get along very well, because they always have something to relate about. Many a time have I been to a party and instantly become friends with the only other filipino person there. The most important thing with my extended family is appearance. I don't just mean like physical appearance, but accomplishments as well. It is a very old fashioned environment, thriving on goals, personal appearance, past accomplishments, and memories of things that happened anywhere from 5-30 years ago. I found it very difficult to get ready for these parties as a preteen. I mean as a child it's easy; your mother picks out your outfit pulls your hair out of your face and then you're ready to go, and all they talk about is how adorable you are. As a preteen, I was the epitome of awkward transition phase. I was living a cliche. Mostly when this happened, I tried to express myself with my own style... which even now I cringe at. I was a whole big pile of hot mess. During these years, the most common response was "wow you have gotten so tall!" -______- great. All while my beautiful cousins were marvelled at and fawned over. However, my day in the sun came. I eventually grew out of it and then I started getting "WOW... you're beautiful, go to the philippines and model". It feels much better.. but now I have to put in so much effort into getting ready. You have to pick out an outfit that isn't frumpy, but that isn't revealing. You want to look trendy, yet classic at the same time. If you even want to stand out you have to have the right colors that make you stand out, but and outfit that at second look the adults will find tasteful. I haven't even started on hair and makeup. With your hair, you can't half ass it. Sometimes depending on the casualty of the party you can go all out curling and straightening and stuff, but on a normal occasion as long as it is out of your face.. that means headbands half ponytails. BUT never a full ponytail, because otherwise you "didn't put enough effort in". Luckily for me I'm at the point in my hair where my bangs stay out of my face allowing me to do virtually nothing with it except a good blow dry. Makeup is a little trickier. They appreciate beauty, so you have to use makeup.. none of this you're better without.. because your beauty is on the inside nonsense. You have to put in the time. However at first try with this makeup stuff, I failed. A little too much makeup... too dark, too bright, too caked on, etc. people will comment. You have to live by the rule that you try to make it look like you wake up looking like that. It's a sad and horrible truth, but it's true. When I get there I always have to tell everyone six hundred times what accomplishment worthy things I've done, what I'm involved with at school, and every college that I'm interested in. Not going is not an option. However, as bad as I make these sound, they aren't awful because underneath the scrutiny they really do love me. When it gets bad I can take solace with my cousins who are dealing with the same stuff. Also, they make reallllyyy good food. ;)
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