Because it's all glamourous to me.

"You know what you should do? Go to the Philippines after schooling and make millions."

That's what a man said to me after I sang last night.

Since becoming one of the Fil-Am superstar winners, I've been given access to the filipino association glitz parties at the high-end side of Houston.

And it's all very exciting being the new girl.

It's kind of remarkable how everything is. There's beautiful chandeliers hanging clustered diamond tear-drops, and how the dancefloor's polished and stretched out as the centerpiece of the whole ballroom (you know how filipinos like to party....). People just walk past them as if seeing it was as normal as seeing a lightpole on the side of the street. And yet, I'm becoming more comfortable looking at them as well. I dine with the chairmans and national filipino associates from all parts of the U.S, and I take pictures with them.......for about an hour long. Literally.

The best part is, my ticket's always free. I sing to them, and then I have fun. Which to me, is a wonderful trade.

So I do so, and I entertain them delightfully.

& that's how I keep coming to these parties.

It's pretty surreal.

I do have to side with them when others say 'filthy rich' kids are so 'fake'. They're absolutely not. Their clothes and the fact that their parents are 'big' people of the 'so-and-so's' make them accustomed to always smile and give off a confident impression, not out of arrogance, but of what they stand for. And since they happen to be brought along by their parents at these parties, they just want to have fun. And not in a bad influential way either. They're crazy goofballs just like any of my own friends from school, and they like dancing until their feet fall off. It's understandable they might be considered as one by the fact that they don't really try the whole 'get to know you' phase. A group of teenagers will just tap my shoulder, compliment me, and ask me to dance with them. They get to know me as we go along having fun.

But it's hard even trying to step into the dancefloor when I have to meet or be introduced to so many other guests at the party, and have many conversations about my life, my goals, my interests.....since you know, I'm the 'new girl'.

And I guess they consider me a 'filipino local celebrity' in a way. I've never told myself that, they just keep implying that I am.

And that's when that man told me to become a star in the Philippines.

I never thought about it before.
That's actually a good idea since all the celebrities in the Philippines ARE Filipino-American. I'm actually considered 'tall' over there, and I......quote-on-quote, have talent. I just need to learn tagalog. & that's it.

I always wanted to be in a TV commercial over there since I do have connections from the industry to be in one, but I never....ever.....thought about actually BEING a foreign celebrity.

EVER.

Do I want to want to give up being in the states? Be an ocean apart from my friends and family? Afford long-distance calls to keep in touch? Worst part........give up A/C?

Or do I want to stay in the states struggling to be in a stable job and live a life of anonymity?

But, will I get used to this?

Getting dressed up.......having to curl my hair for every performance.....memorizing lyrics......singing off of karaoke tracks....shaking hands....giving side-to-side cheek kisses?

Should I?

Because after the party, I come home to a one-story house, in a bathroom that I have to share with my brother ( yeah.....not cool...haha), to a to-go food box using a plastic spork instead if a fancy gold spoon, and a list of summer assignments that I still have to do before school starts.

But that's okay, I'm a small-town girl.....I'm used to this.

& for right now, I like it this way.