Our Life in Words and Photos

How times have changed....

I was already working when I got allowed to stay out 'til late. I remembered my dad used to call my friends when I'm not home by 6 or 7. My mom would even pick me up from school when I was in college just to make sure I'd go straight home. Being able to go to school is already a priviledge not every kid is blessed with, so I took that opportunity to do well in school. Perhaps I led a sheltered life but I was never permitted to go to parties unless my mom was with me. I never complained.

Now curfews at 10pm isn't even enough. Some of my cousins debated that parties don't even start 'til midnight, so how is it possible to come home at 10? I was totally shocked! I am concerned about the kind of parties that do start at 12!

I remembered my mom would tell me "ano'ng klaseng babae ang nasa kalye pa ng ganitong oras?" I once defied her and stayed out 'til about 8pm. Oh don't get me wrong, I sometimes sleep over a classmate's house just because we were busy working on our school projects. I was allowed to do that because I didn't have a computer up until the semester I was due to graduate, and only because I needed to do my thesis. But parties? Forget it and don't even dare ask!

And their cellphones! Explain how can a 7 year old kid be able to afford a cellphone? But they do have one, and mind you, they're not cheap-o! A friend complained that her nieces in Manila emailed her asking for a new cellphone because theirs was last year's model. "Ridiculous!" she said "because these girls' family couldn't even afford to put food on their table!". I advised her to tell her nieces to eat their cellphones first and if they're able to do that, then she'll give her a new one! Am I being too harsh?

My husband's cellphone had elicited quite a number of loud laughs before he took the plunge to change it. He had his cell since 1998 (the year after I left for the US) and it was a brand I've never heard of, as big as a landline phone and even heavier! I had to beg him to replace it! He finally did right after our wedding. That's how practical he is about stuff he believes are serving their purpose.

Here's more - whenever I come home, I get asked to bring "branded" clothes - be it CK, DKNY, Prada, Polo, etc, and imported perfumes or colognes. Last year, I had quite a few friends who told me I don't look like I came from America because I wasn't trendy. At least I'm not inviting unwanted attention! I'm one person who has never been held up, and I'm proud of it.

I can only shiver at the thought of what else could change. What would I do if my kids would tell me they want to get a tattoo or have their body pierced? What would I say if they tell me not to wait up because they're not coming home?

I have asked the same questions to hubz and we both do not have answers.

Sigh! Am I getting too old to notice these things?