A visit to Immigration

" Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate.  We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another." Desmond Tutu

Today we got up early around 5:00 a.m. to go to downtown Manila to get our biometrics at the Immigration building. A hour 45 minute drive and somehow I realized we are indeed in Manila. Everything from the jeeps to the tricycles and everything in between reminded me how this world would be a boring place if all of us were exactly the same. If we liked the exact same things, wore the same clothes, liked the same music, and loved the same food. Don't you think?

Daniel and I are both Caucasian but for some reason because I have dark hair people think I am a local Filipina and Daniel is a gringo. He has always wished he was darker and hated it in the DR whenever  people spoke to him in English. Here he does stick out even more like a red thumb. We do know one thing, even though everybody here looks about the same, each one of us is unique. We took our pictures and our fingerprints for our visa today so we can be legal. Yay!!

In there I couldn't help to notice a group of people from India. They come here looking for work and they probably get a little discriminated. They don't look Asian. Interesting how we often spend time judging people who are different when we should be celebrating the difference we each bring to the table. This is a phenomenon that takes place no matter where you go.

In the Dominican Republic toward Haitians, In the US toward Mexicans and the list goes on and on. I was thinking today of how we shouldn't judge others for being different that we are because it's those differences that makes the world amazing and wonderful. It's those differences that make all our little individual puzzle pieces fit into one beautiful picture. And if we could all start to appreciate those differences and celebrate our world would be a much nicer place.

There is so much hate in this world because of the way you look or your beliefs but one thing is true, no matter where you go or who you are, if you have inherited great wealth, or have done well and acquired status and money or if you are some  political figure or you gota prestigious job tittle, or rank, you are welcome. I hope that people here don't judge me because I am neither of those.

Con amor,
Vero