Tuloy po kayo! Ahhh....the trademark Pinoy welcome known the world over to be words of hospitality and graciousness. It is music to my now homogenized, Canadianized ears.
Like a mug of spicy soothing salabat calming a scratchy throat in winter: Tuloy po kayo! Like the bitter-sweet aroma of bubbling chocolaté wafting over from the fire stove in the corner, ready to be poured into my white tasa, oily churros sprinkled with sugar glistening on the side: Tuloy po kayo! It is the special concoctions from Manang Letty's kitchen....warm, Filipino, completely staffed kitchen...loudly beeping microwave oven...wait...microwave oven??? OY! my messy kitchen! And with the last few beeps signaling that my nuked cup of hot water for my Nescafe instant coffee is ready, I am yanked back to the reality of my Canadian life with its dishwasher waiting to be unloaded, its sink brimming with dirty pots and pans, its marble countertops dotted with crumbs, remnants of last nights Pizza Pizza delivery dinner...

by: Kathreen Pineda-Azimi (a.k.a Chiqui Pineda)