Woman

I stayed up late last night coz I watched Oprah, i think last night's episode was one of the best they had. They showed the lifestyles of 30 years old women in different countries in the world. I learned that in Kuwait women cannot vote, but they can shop expensive things. That's because they don't have to worry about taxes, medical insurance and college education, all of these and more are provided by the Kuwaiti government for free. So they have their money all to spend for that Louis Vitton bag, Jimmy Choo shoes and that wedding gown in Paris. Isn't that neat? Now it left me thinking... which is more important your right to be heard or the privilege to spend my money in luxury? hmmm...

And then there's London where the most vacationed women in the world live. That's because the government grants employees a 5-week paid vacation per year. Cool huh? But what ain't cool is that according to their statistics every 1 guy in London is chased by at least 4 women. That's why more women spend their free time walking their dogs instead of being out on a date.

In Mexico, women don't need to execise and diet because men there like curves. Compared to busy American women who dresses for comfort in jeans, lose shirts and flat shoes, Mexican women mostly wear skimpy dresses and high heels.

But Mexican women don't come close to the vanity of the Brazilians. Where having a good buns is more important than anything else because they spent most of their lives in thong bikinis. That is why we have what we call Brazilian wax and Brazil is declared as the plastic surgery mecca in the world.

On the other hand an average 30 year old woman in Cuba had at least two divorces because it's so easy to get divorce there and for a mere $3 you don't have to find a reason to cling on a marriage that doesn't work.

But what struck me most among all the women shown is the poor situations of women in Iraq and Rwanda. I have so much respect for the strength and courageousness by the Iraqi women who live in fear most of their lives in their war stricken country. As told by the Iraqi journalist in her thirties, her main goal everyday is to stay alive. I realized that waking up everyday is one blessing that I often take for granted. I just found out last night how gravely women in Baghdad are deprived of their basic human rights. When a member of their family died they are not even allowed to cry or to mourn. To numb themselves of their losses and their maddening state or statelessness, they turn to Valium which costs only 20 cents there and could even be bought without prescription. Actually the ongoing war is not the only thing they are battling there, drug addiction is prevalent but goes unnoticed.

I was also sad to hear what happened to Rwanda. Believe it or not, reaching 30 is already a miracle because of the massacre that happened there about 10 years ago. A holocaust had actually happened in that country where the Tutsis were slaughtered by the Hutus. Sadly, it was not given much media attention, well maybe because it happened in a poor country. Please check this site and open your eyes: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/rwanda/reports/refuse.html this girl is like the Anne Frank of the Rwandan Holocaust. Hearing the story of Oprah's guest and the girl in the website is so heartbreaking that there is no word available to describe enough that horrifying event.

Mixed emotions took on me that night, I felt envy to those women who live in luxury and I also felt sad for others and I feel blessed that I am not in that situation. I am already thankful that the most cruel thing a person has done to me was break my heart (figuratively). At least I could cry freely and express my loneliness without being threatened to die.

But I also couldn't help thinking what I would be when I reach 30 for I am only 5 years away from that. Will I already be settled by then? if I am, will it be with my dream man and 3 cute kids? or will I be in that small bachelorette condo I was eyeing at Ayala last week? or could I become of those 4 women chasing an average man in London for sheer desperation?

At this point I don't have a faintest idea on what I would be in the next 5 years. What I am pretty sure is when I turn 30, I want to be a woman who is more aware of her surroundings. In touch with things that really matters in life. I want to be stronger and more courageous but still teeming with femininity in every way.

To be contented will be asking too much from myself but wherever I will be by then, I wish I am happy. I want to be hopeful in every sunrise and smiling in every sunset, at peace with whatever happened in my past. So I will be more graceful in trekking the road I've chosen.

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.

I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty,

believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

—Louisa May Alcott