Setting
The story took place in America and it seems the time frame is in the year where cellular phones and other high tech gadgets are not yet in fashion; more likely in the time of 80s to 90s.
Characters
Ben – an OFW for years. He is a gentleman, simple, generous and compassionate. Carol – a Filipina who went to America to find the man whom her going to marry. She’s a bit careless and curious (because it is her first time in a foreign land) but in a way she’s also sweet. Bill – Carol’s foreigner pen pal and eventually became her husband. He’s in his late fifties yet still seems to be strong. Ernie – friend of Ben in Manila
Plot
The story began with an invitation in the wedding of Bill and Carol. Ben realized who the sender was and started to reminisce his past with Carol. There was a turn of unfortunate events for Ben when she came and lived with him for a few months. Maybe, not so unfortunate but his daily routine and his bills seem to be out of control that time.
Carol for being a first timer in a foreign country was a kind of careless and innocent to what kind of lifestyle they have in America. But eventually she copes up with the kind of living there, thanks to Ben. By the time Carol learned that Bill is going to meet with her, she asked Ben to accompany her as a Filipino custom. The three of them went for a drink. Ben and Carol ordered the Piña Colada – a cocktail drink, while Bill got a double Jack Daniels. Carol was a little bit tipsy and drunk. That’s why when Ben took her home something happened between them. In the morning Ben didn’t tell her about what happened to them and lied to her. After that incident, things change and Carol was really grateful to Ben for taking her as a guest even though they didn’t really know each other. After two months, Carol married Bill and Ben was the one who gave her away, because she doesn’t have any relatives in America and he was the most distant known friend she knew there; though she actually introduced him as her cousin.
Conflict
The conflict was how Ben managed to help a kababayan, even if there are so many circumstances that can lead him to trouble. It also shows how Filipinos struggle in a foreign countries and how they preserved the values they learned in their motherland.
Theme
How people escape their deficiencies and problems?
Irony
Carol married a man whom she only knew in letters until they met in person, while there’s Ben a fellow Filipino who helped her in times of her struggle in America. Maybe she had feelings for Ben but it turned out that it is impossible for them to work out specially it is very hard to live there and the only way for her to stay in the foreign land is to marry a Bill. Lesson There are things that you didn’t expect to come. Even if it is good or bad, what’s the most important is it helped you to become a better person and sometimes you just need to deal with it.
THEY SAY FILIPINA IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MAID
by Luisa A. Igloria
The poem describes how Filipinas treated in other countries. These women left their homes and families in order to earn money that can’t be earned in their own land. Their sacrifices were being misinterpreted by the foreigners and sadly think that Filipinas are MAIDS. What they didn’t understand is; Filipinas are the most compassionate and kind when it comes to taking care of the children and household. They see them as slaves, but the thing is they only wanted to earn for their family yet they where being maltreated and abused. In Igloria’s poem, she wanted to show the reality of life of the OFWs in Hong Kong and how their work was being misinterpreted by the foreigners.
