spring 2009, week 2

i mentioned to two of my (new!) filipina friends today about how many of the nurses and CNAs i've worked with in the hospital in west covina were of philipino descent. one of the girls remarked how it's because filipinos aren't like all the other "smart" asians - they're the dumb ones, so they're relegated to being the nurses instead of the actual doctors. the doctor's roles are for the chinese people who are actually smart.

of course, i completely disagree with what she said. i thought to retort that philipinos are not dumb, i know lots of smart philipinos blah blah blah, but then it hit me that it was more than just "book smarts". one thing i really admire the philipino culture is for being very communal. their aunts and uncles and cousins are more like moms and dads and brothers and sisters. that type of caring, community-based values can really make a nurse a better health care provider. whereas, many chinese people i know (even myself) are much more focused on having lots of book smarts and getting things done now.. and fast!! which, for a doctor, might be a good thing, but may not be the best characteristic for a nurse. so, it's more than just brains - it's in our culture, it's who God made us to be.

me? i'd take a filipina nurse, anyday.