Umber! What a great word. You're the first person to mention sampaguitas on my journal and for that I heart you. Always reminds me of the story my teacher read us as a kid, in which sampaguitas turn into stars (or stars into sampaguitas? Hazy).

Do you think it is too feather-ruffling, if I post this like in a writing community? I'm writing from a certain perspective as you see, and thoughts of reverse racism (reverse ethnocentrism?) and political correctness poke at my conscience. Rizal was shot for writing stuff like this (not that I'm anything close to Rizal). And then there is the fact that I chose to portray the Philippines as a passive, battered housewife (I mean, for a reason. But still).