When You Have Three Home Countries, You Are Truly Blessed

Catedral de Mazatlan

In a little over two weeks, we will complete our three months in Mazatlan, Mexico. Last week, I shared with you the 2019 Mazatlan Carnaval which I thought best exemplified Mexican culture. This week, I would like to tell you about why I keep on returning to the notion of Mexico having become my third home. 

The Philippines is where I was born and lived for 54 years. It's my first home. The USA is where I have lived for the past 16 years after I retired. It's my second. And starting this year, Mexico is where we will stay for three months each year. It has become my third. It was Bill's decision to spend this much time here but now there are many reasons why it really feels like home to me, too.

Mexico and the Philippines share major parallels in history. Although we started with very different indigenous cultures, we both were ruled by Spain for centuries, Mexico for 300 and the Philippines for 377, both starting in 1521 at the height of the global Spanish empire. Thus, Spanish influence is heavy in both cultures. It is why we have the following  similarities in our cultures:

       First, 90 % of both countries are Roman Catholic, although Mexico is bigger by 20 million people with 130 million in population. Therefore, one of the obvious comforts for me is that we do not have a hard time finding churches to hear mass on Sundays around El Cid Resorts where we stay. There are two only a kilometer (ten minutes walk) away in each direction.
    

Mexican dishes that are also Filipino

     Second, Mexico may be the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. But many Tagalog words are the same as their counterparts in Spanish: silya for silla (chair), sapatos for zapatos (shoes), deretso for derecho (straight), kamiseta for camiseta (shirt), banyo for bano (bathroom), for example. This resulted in the relative ease with which I  can carry on a smattering of conversations here even without learning it formally. And, as you know, I am learning the language in free El Cid classes. I can't wait for the time when I can speak it fluently. I've had progress.

Third (and what I am thrilled about), we share so many dishes. I thought it was just tacos and fajitas and burritos and enchiladas. I delighted in finding a lot of my favorites in buffets and a la carte menus. One of those is chicharrones (crispy pork rind) especially since they are almost discarded after the pork meat is shredded for the tacos de puerco. The pork thighs and legs are first roasted, much like how the Filipino lechon is cooked. Don Ignacio chicken could easily be mistaken for chicken inasal. Sopa de mariscos is actually a version of sinigang na hipon or isda. I love to eat my pescado frito or pritong isda with a plate of fried garlic rice and sliced tomatoes. Even their grilled mahi-mahi, pescado zarandeando is similar to our inihaw na bangus. Finally, for dessert, I always have the option of flan (just like our leche flan), candied camote or plantain banana, or the tropical fruits I have so missed for desserts. Jicamas (singkamas in Manila) have been mainstays in my salads, too. The only part of Filipino cuisine we do not share with Mexico is that which comes from our Chinese heritage. So I miss pancit and the various forms of lumpia. 

Feliz Ano Nuevo

     Fourth, even music is shared due to our common Spanish origins. I loved singing Cucurucucu Paloma when I found Lola Beltran’s Museo in El Rosario, an hour south of Mazatlan. And I always sing or hum to La Bamba, Besame Mucho, Sabor a Mi, or Cuando Caliente El Sol whenever they are aired through the piped-in music of the 9 El Cid restaurants.

        

Dia de Los Muertos

         

Fifth, festivals and traditions are very much alike: Navidad (Pasko), Dia de Los Muertos (All Souls Day), and Dia de Los Santos (All Saints Day), for example. This year we had a Feliz Ano Nuevo party at La Concha just two days after our arrival, complete with fireworks and round fruits. Then on Feb. 14, we had a party called Dia del Amor y la Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship). Filipinos celebrate these festivals with the same pomp and traditions.

Feliz Dia del Amor y La Amistad

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Sixth, both Mexicans and Filipinos are warm, expressive, and hospitable. Whenever Mexicans are complimented, I tell people they should also go to the Philippines and they will experience the same level of helpfulness and hospitality. We have many new friends not just from the guests from Canada and America like us, but from the staff of El Cid. We have even been invited to their family parties. 

Lastly, our climates are so alike: sunny, warm, and humid. And our sunsets are gloriously the same.

After the periods of Spanish rule, both of our histories became intertwined with the USA. The Mexicans were defeated by the Americans in the Mexican-American War and Mexico ceded half of its territory to become the southwestern USA. The Americans also defeated the Spanish in the Spanish-American War shortly after that and the Philippines was ceded to the USA in 1898. This began the 50-year rule of America over my native land until our independence was granted in 1946. But we could say that, during this period, the Philippines developed like its new territory, the southwestern USA. 

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It is not by chance that we have also chosen to live in southwestern USA, Arizona in particular, as our primary home for the major part of the year. Filipinos, Arizonians, and Mexicans are truly brothers in history and culture. It's good that I do not have to travel the 24-hour flight to Manila to be “home.” Now in my 70s, it has become more difficult to do this. I will still visit the Philippines once every three to five years. Today, I can just take the 2 or 3-hour flight to somewhere in Mexico and I am also "home!"