Marites Manicsic

After almost a month of searching for a Kapwa-Filipino, somebody yelled the popular word in the Philippines - “ kabayan” . I never thought that I would meet the first Filipino I ever wanted to see in an unexpected place near our apartment.

I can still remember that I wandered day after day in Hwarang Park hoping to see even a single Filipino. Unfortunately, I didn't see one. I almost cried in despair and homesickness.

I came to Korea with no knowledge about the Korean culture. I couldn’t adapt easily with the environment because of difficulty in communication. As days passed by, I felt that loneliness is drowning me. I then decided to overcome the loneliness. I need diversion. I went out with friends. After a week of stay in Korea, I celebrated my birthday. It was my first birthday away from the family. I have asked God for guidance. I asked for a friend but he gave me the
Gift of big family– this community!

For those who miss their families and for those who are new here in South Korea, don't give up. Having

a friend by your side will help you a lot and with the help of God, you will gain the strength that you always wanted!

I lived independently for the past 5 years. I gained a lot of strength but certainly that doesn't mean I have no weaknesses. I sometimes felt the loneliness and “superficial” happiness but I tried to dominate it.

I opted to live away from my loving family, not due to any negative reason but just out of cu-riosity. At first, it was just a simple curiosity as to how, I would deal with problems eventually meet on bumpy days. During those days, I learned to value the importance of friendship. Friends automatically

add strength and fill the shortco-mings. Hence, being independent does not necessarily mean being
alone. There is a saying that “ No man is an island”. Although family cannot be replaced, being with a friend is a great help especially during the downs of life.

An independent person is someone who is free from influence, guidance or control of another person or persons. Someone who does not rely on others for support physically or financially can also be defined as indepen-dent.

To be an independent person needs a lot of courage and an ultimate sense of responsibility to surpass the obstacles in life. Despite all the trials, he remains standing and fighting. At the back of his mind he can hear a whisper saying, “you can do it!”

Therefore, in the definition of being independent, I must say that I don’t totally fit in. I can only categorize myself as semi-independent because I need the support of a friend to help me grow and “dance” with life. Indeed, I need somebody whom I can call TROPA.