My friend Kelly and I were heading to hot springs on Camiguin island, when it begun to rain. By the time we made it to the entrance of the natural, but enclosed, poolside, it was pouring down. On the other side of the hot spring was a little kiosk shack, with an open but roofed sitting area. A few women already gathered so we decided to join, while waiting for the rain to stop. The women from the little village welcomed us with open arms, bright smiles and curious eyes. Asked to sit down in front of the shack on a wooden board, they took seats around us and immediately started a conversation. At the same time some roadwork, further down the road, was put on hold and a bunch of men, sheltered under a porch, were waiting for the rain to stop. Bored, but too shy to walk over, they yelled across during our stay, doubtless madly in love with my beautiful blond friend. We spent over an hour with these locals, chatting, laughing and observing.
When looking at the portrait of the old woman and the child, leaning out of the shack, and its contrasty environment, with the commercial, westernized posters, I realised how much this hour was about Kelly and my physical appearance. Not that the whole conversation was specifically about it, but the women kept on emphasising how beautiful we are: touching our "white skin", admiring Kelly's "blond hair", pointing at our “big noses” and calling my body “Coca Cola bottle”-shaped. Flattered about the compliments it was at the same time uncomfortable. I felt like being put on to another, a higher, level and it was almost upsetting to hear how much they wish to look like us, with its peak when they started to call their noses them of monkeys. Only afterwards I realized them admiring us, goes beyond “you always want what you don't have”, more it has to do with the Philippine history and the influence of white domination. For these wonderful women, which all happened to be widows, our appearance means opportunities, wealth, status and a future!
– Philippine colonial history: 1521-1898 Spanish Era / 1898-1946 American Era / 1941-1945 Japanese occupation














