When new acquaintances and friends see me, they often think that I am Chinese, or have Chinese blood. This is because I have tsinita eyes, and a relatively lighter skin complexion. Some even assume I attended a Chinese school, or have a Chinese family name. Though I do have some drops of Chinese blood running through my veins, Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina.

My name alone is sooo Filipina already. Most Filipinas have “Maria” as their first or second name. I have Filipina cousins who are named Maria Carmela Theresa, Maria Lourdes, and Maria Christina. Amazingly, all my maternal aunts and my mother have Maria as their first names: Maria Concepcion, Maria Teresa, Maria Loreto, and Maria Milagros. Even the ultimate symbol, the epitome of the Filipinas’ conservative virtues is named Maria Clara. But unlike other Filipinas, I have Maria as my ONLY given name.

Most people know me as “Ria,” which sounds foreign. Then again, Ria was created by dropping the first syllable of Maria. When I was a toddler, some of my paternal cousins called me “Ia Girl”. In high school, some of my friends called me “Ma”. They were too lazy to say my very long three-syllable name. Right now, some of my friends also called me “RJ” an acronym for “Ria Jose.” All these methods for giving nicknames are Filipino ways of doing it, and because Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina, I accept all those nicknames given to me, even if I prefer to be simply Ria.

As a child, I was raised to be a typical Filipina dressed in frilly frocks, with lacey socks and stockings and shiny black or white leather shoes. My hair was always neatly in place, either with cutesy clips, or kikay headbands. In high school, and during my early college days, I enjoyed wearing girly tops, slacks (not jeans) and skirts. Now, like most modern Filipinas, I am content with tops and jeans. But yeah, sometimes, I do love wearing skirts and more girly tops. I am not, however, obsessed with bags and shoes. And unlike most Filipinas who had their ears pierced when they were babies or toddlers, I only had my ears pierced a few months ago. Right now, I enjoy wearing those drop earrings that most Filipinas are so fond of nowadays. That’s my most kikay thing right now. Although I don’t typically wear the Maria Clara or the kimono, Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina.

Despite my very conservative upbringing, I am not as conservative and conventional as some Filipinas are. Don’t get me wrong, despite my online search for a boyfriend, I am not a promiscuous person. When I say I am not conservative, I mean to say I often stay out late at night. And most of the things I enjoy are not things girls are supposed to enjoy: mathematics and science, computer games, drinking, and hanging out with the boys. These things are not what a Filipina (or girls in general) is supposed to enjoy. In fact, some people mistake me for a lesbian because of they un-girly things that I enjoy doing. Add to this the fact that I’m a loud person, and I’m not prissy. For my mother, who is more conservative than she would like to think, I am definitely not in the right path for it is only men who are allowed to play games, drink beer, and stay out late. But Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina who enjoys these things.

When people ask me what I do, I have a hard time explaining the multitude of jobs I have. I am, primarily, a legislative consultant for a Davao City Councilor. I do research and write speeches for him. On the side, I am a Marketing and PR Consultant for some IT firms. I also tutor college students in Mathematics and Science. And I coach professionals on the English language. And of course, I also consider myself as a professional blogger. I blog about politics, entertainment, fashion, travel and lifestyle, and of course my life and work. I am what people would call a “jack of all trades.” But I prefer to be called the “Maria of all trades,” a Filipina juggling life and work, not just to earn money, but to improve her community as well. Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina working hard for herself and for her country.

On many different levels, on many different aspects, Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina, not simply because I was born to Filipino and Filipina parents, but because like most Filipinas (online and offline) I am a Filipino woman, with my own story to tell, with my own trail to blaze. I may not be like many other Filipinas, I may even defy some Filipina conventions, and definitely not all Filipinas are like me, but this is who I am, and that is who they are. Being Filipina can mean many things. For me, Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina because she is.

This is an entry to the Filipina Writing Project of W30 – Filipina Women on the Web, Wireless, and Outsourcing.