“Naghuhugas ka ng plato?” (“You wash dishes?”)
“Hindi, Ate. Naglalaba ako ng damit.” (No, Ate. I’m washing clothes right now.)
Even before my older cousin walked into the kitchen of the place I’m staying in right now, I already knew that she was going to comment on my dishwashing, like it’s illegal for me to do, like touching plates and rubbing them clean is fatal. I wondered if she thought I was undeserving to do it or I was overqualified. You don’t need to go to the Dishwashing Uni to actually wash plates. All you need are your hands, a decent soap, a clean foam/steel wool and a steady supply of water. Still, she couldn’t help but itch to react and comment.
At least for me.
For some strange reason, there’s this running notion that I cannot do any household chore. Curious that most of the people, especially from the church and the rest of my mother’s clan, think that I am incapable of being any help around the house. It pissed me off at first, but I eventually got used to it. I think I can blame it to the stereotypes of the proverbial only child. We are deemed to be brats and pampered like royalties. But my parents raised me up differently. Hailed a genius (ha ha), I learned quite a lot of things at an early age. I was taught to cook rice (saing) as early as 6 years old by my mother, with the supervision of any of my former yayas (nannies). I remember washing cloths (laba) with my aunties and some of our house helpers during my free time. I would put my feet into the planggana because it was fun. I learned how to cook, but that didn’t stick to me, because I eventually found out that eating was a better activity than dirtying and tiring oneself with cooking. I'm trying to take time to cook for my family, but never got to it. I only go home occasionally on the weekends. I learned how to iron clothes (plantsa) when I was in 5th grade because I enjoyed ironing my uniform and making sure the pleats of my skirt were perfect. I was crazy about it. I also made sure my blouse was pleated well. It was nuts. I would sit cautiously so my skirt's pleats won’t be misaligned. And my mom taught me how to be good at these things.
I particularly like washing dishes. It’s therapeutic for me. Of all household tasks a Filipina like me should know, washing the dishes is my all-time favourite. I like it so much that I can actually become a dishwasher by profession.
I learned how to saw, knit, clean things, wash stuff, any thing I ought to know in running a house. But then again, I don’t see why people still think I can’t do these things. I have slight OCD myself and I can’t stand dirt so I make it a point to clean bathrooms, sinks, tables, etc. Still, people think I’m lazy. (Well, I am a bit disorganized but there’s order in my own version of disorder. I don't - never - fix my room. So there's the irony there.)
I don't know how to end this entry. So I'll just end it. Right now.
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