Published in Korea.net: COVID19 Outbreak Boosts Friendship between Korean, Philippine Families
These days, the cold breeze has become gentler and shows the beginnings of the colors of spring. In no time, some leafless trees and bushes will once again turn into colorful sights. But before all the other spring colors come out, the white magnolias are known to bloom first. In fact, magnolia buds are becoming common sights already. Others have slowly opened to bloom magnificently. These magnolia blooms remind me of Daejeon. The white magnolia, which stands for friendship, is Daejeon’s flower.
Daejeon’s white magnolias, and the friendship it represents, took me back memory lane all the way to Iloilo City, Philippines seven years ago. That year Clara, an amiable Korean lady, enrolled her five-year old daughter in a Montessori school where the children of five Ilonggo women were also enrolled. Friendship bloomed among the moms and the children. Fast forward today, they remain in touch and meet when time allows.
It wasn’t hard for Clara, who hails from Daejeon, to choose Iloilo to live in. She has family there and has visited several times, so she was confident that Iloilo is a safe and peaceful place. She also thinks the Ilonggos are kind and friendly. Her friendship with the Ilongga women, particularly with Ai, made it easy for her to decide to go home to Daejeon when filial duties called her to. In 2018, her parents needed her back here in Daejeon while Emily wanted to continue schooling in Iloilo. Clara arranged for Emily to live with Ai and her family. She sees Ai as having the same values and lifestyle as her, so she is confident that her daughter is in good hands. It is also a big plus that Emily and Aiken, Ai’s son, are friends since kindergarten. Ai welcomed her to the family with open arms – and heart. These days, when somebody asks about Emily’s presence with her family, she is quick to say, “she is my adopted daughter”. Its quick to draw laughter from Emily… and even Clara when told about it.
The kids, Emily and Aiken, were supposed to have their graduation ceremony last March 21. Early on, when the COVID19 outbreak looked grim here in Korea, Clara made the conscious, albeit painful, decision not to attend her daughter’s graduation ceremony. In a quick turn of events, the Philippines started to have its own COVID19 cases as well and it has resulted to enhanced community quarantine. This community quarantine resulted to cancellation of events, including the graduation ceremony.
As it turned out, COVID19 has penetrated the world over and has not exempted any place from fear. Now that South Korea is seeing a flattened curve of its COVID19 cases, the Philippines is starting to see it rising. Asked if she is worried for Emily, Clara replied “It’s the same all over the world now, but the medical system is different. That’s my foremost concern.”
Clara answered the inevitable question, If Korea offers to repatriate its citizens, are you going to pull Emily out of Iloilo? “If the situation will turn bad in Iloilo, I will bring her back to Korea. Self-quarantine is the best way for now. Besides, she is staying at home with family.”
Clara considers Ai as family in the same way that Ai considers Clara and Emily as part of hers. COVID19 poses a big scare but it has definitely strengthened friendship between these two families spanning two countries and two cities.
This blog is very enlightening. To have a friend like Clara, it’s what we may call low-maintenance friendships. Straightforward and full of compassion!
yung feeling na she might still be able to attend her daughters graduation. im hopeful. update ha kung nakarating sya!
Female friendship is like no other bond on Earth. I consider my female friends my safe harbor so I feel mighty fortunate to have the same friendship as Clara and Ai which incidentally also mirrors the friendship of their children.
I am from Iloilo, well my father’s side are, and I must say that what is endearing to them is their ‘malambing’ ways of saying and doing things aside from the fact that Filipinos are innately hospitable and endearing to any visitor 🙂
Such a sweet story about friendship. I also heard that Ilongga’s are very sweet and that’s very true because you are one of them.
awwww, thank you Abby:-)
Knowing and understanding stories of friendship involving different nationalities is inspiring and heartwarming. The warm hospitality of Ilonggos (which I can certainly vouch for) and sheer trust built the enduring bond. Hoping for the best for the kids!
Finding new friends in this pandemic is special! Bond that will last a lifetime! <3
Sweet and nice story of friendship! Isang patunay din ng pagigng hospitable ng pinoy. Update niyo po kami sa mangyayari pa sa kanila oag natapos na ang pandemic. 😊
The Philippines is a very good and safe place to live, even my Australia partner and his kids would love to live there. They find it more relaxing and fun. However, when it comes to healthcare I told him that it is better to send the kids and us back to Australia (if shit happens) because we know that Australia got them covered. The Philippines got its beauty and flaws as well, the same with other countries.
Stay safe.
This is sweet! I hope that like Clara, we all stay positive and pray that this pandemic will be over soon. With the way Iloilo is handling COVID-19, I think there’s nothing to be worried about. I’ve been reading news about the good governance in Iloilo. I hope the neighboring provinces adapts the same method too.
I love their story. Despite the differences in culture, language, and beliefs they were able to find the bond that turned their friendship into a family.
It is nice to know that other countries trust the Philippines to have their child study here. I hope everything will turn out fine so Clara will not worry anymore for Emily.
A good tale of friendship and it really sets the tone on how to make a lifelong friendship especially that the world is facing this pandemic. I hope someday, I could visit both places.
what a beautiful friendship! with all the kaguluhan na nangyayari and so many friendships being ruined by political views during this time, and families and friends not being able to be together, super refreshing yung ganitong nababasa, full of hope, full of love!
Hindi ko ata kayang mawalay sa anak ko lalo sa ganitong sitwasyon, but good thing that Emily is in good hands and the family consider her as their own. Very inspiring story of friendship between two different race.
What a lovely story! I can’t imagine how hard it must be to be far away from your loved ones during this hard time. Hopefully, the situation here in the Philippines will improve soon as well. Let’s all take care!!
Same here! I also find Ilonggos kind and friendly. With their tone of voice, really sweet to the ear! I have realized the importance of communition in a friendship which helps it to be stronger especially even you are miles away.
[…] COVID-19 outbreak boosts friendship between Korean, Philippine families – A Tale of Love and Friendship between Two Cities: Daejeon and Iloilo […]
I’m so happy to see a korean girl like Clara appreciated the beauty of our country and built strong ties with Filipinos as well… 🙂
I love this kind of friendship. It’s nice to know that despite their differences they treat each other as family. We really have siblings from different parents, it’s not all about blood. It’s the bond and love for each other. I admire them.
Mostly talaga ilongga mabait and malambing may nakilala din ako kababayan mo Ms.Wendy. Anyway ganda naman po ng nabuong friendship nila grabe yung trust na kahit yung anak iniwan niya kahit pa sabihin na mag kaiba sila ng culture. Sana nga po maging balik normal na lahat para pwede na din nila ma visit baby nila🤗.
Napakagandang kuwento naman po nito tungkol sa pagkakaibigan. And I also heard that Ilongga’s are very sweet. Meron din po akong dalawang katrabaho na ilongga at naging friend kopo sila. Sobrang bait po talaga nila. Kaya sobrang napalapit po ang loob ko sa kanila. Sana maging katulad Tayo ni clara na maging positibo tayong lahat at huwag kalimutang manalangin na matapos na ang pandemyang kinakaharap natin..
Waahhh amazing . Khit pandemic may makikilala tlga tayong mga kaibigan . Ung kahit mgkaiba sila ng pinagmulan. Khit gaano pa sila magkalayo 🤗❤️ kapag pilipino tlga kilala na din sa pagging palakaibigan 😊🤗
[…] husband and I were actively looking for a property in Guimaras even before COVID temporarily paralyzed the world. On my vacations, I would go check out some properties in Guimaras. […]