Glossary and Cast of Characters

A few people have expressed interest in a few details about the locals, the test teams, certain words, etc. So, here's a brief explanation of each (in alphabetical order). This is both a glossary and a cast of characters. I'll add to it as needed.

Barkadas: Friends.

Big Iron: (click on picture to the right for a larger one) This is my 20 quart Hobart mixer. I brought it over from the US. There's no way I'd leave it behind. Number one, it's huge (for the home). It'll make six large batches of chocolate chip cookies at a time and not even slow down. Second, well, it's huge. I'm male, I like things with more power. Third, I have a meat grinder attachment for it that works great. Always nice to get a custom grind when you want one. Right now, a whisk for Big Iron is on my wish list. And, a new 12 quart stainless steel bowl (its original 12 quart bowl got banged up badly in the move).

Chikka Chikka: (Tagalog) Gossip.

Chikistas: A word I made up based on chikka chikka. A sub-group of the Primary Test Team. All girls (ranging from 14-23 years old). They like to gather and giggle about various things.

Doctora: A female doctor.

Gwapo: (Tagalog) Handsome. For girls and women, it's gwapa.

Marasa: (Waray Waray) In the Waray Waray language, this means delicious.

Mestizo: (Tagalog) A person or male of mixed race. A female of mixed race is a mestiza.

Pasalubong: (Tagalog) A present. Usually given by someone returning from a trip.

Pasaway: (Tagalog) Stubborn.

Pharmacista: My word for the female pharmacists who work at the Mercury Drug Store on Real in Tacloban. Plural: pharmacistas.

Pilit: Sticky rice.

Primary Test Team: This is my family. My wife, my son (who at the time of this writing is five), my mom, brother-in-law, sister-inlaw, a couple cousins, and a niece. In proper Philippine style, we all live in the same house. Aside from myself and my mom, who are both American, all are Filipino (well, my son is a mix, a mestizo).

Tagalog: This is the Philippine national language.

Tapol: Red pilit (sticky rice). Considered the best variety. My father-in-law grows this.

Test Team C: This is a Filipino family. Husband, wife, daughters. Rarely do the daughters get anything because the wife gets a bit or two and the husband gobbles the rest. Oh, how I hate it when people like what I cook.

Test Team J: This is a small family. French husband, Philippine wife, teenage daughter. Being French, I really respect his opinion on my food. And she, the wife, is an amazing cook.

Test Team M: This is a couple. American husband, Philippine wife. The husband has a very good palette and can taste subtle flavors.

Tuba: (Waray Waray) Coconut wine. A specialty of Leyte.

Waray Waray: This is the main dialect spoken in Tacloban and the surrounding region. It's the main language I'm trying to learn. Trying being the operative term. If I lived purely by Yoda's credo of "Do or do not, there is no try" ... I would say that I'm doing not.