How to Express one's Love for Country When Abroad

I was in S'pore last week and met a guy at the concierge of the hotel named Reezahl. Yes, it is pronounced exactly as Rizal. Hesaid he was Malaysian-Singaporean. I asked him if he knew that his name sounds exactly as the name of our hero, Jose Rizal?

"Yes, I heard he is very popular in your country," he said.

"He is our national hero," I responded.

"Hmm..." he whispered nodding his head.

I am sure a lot of Filipinos must have spoken to him about "The" Jose Rizal but I was surprised he knew nothing about Dr. Rizal apart from saying that he is "popular in your country."

This gave me a signal to begin my short declamation!

He is our national hero. He was spoke and wrote in more than 20 languages. He was a doctor, sculptor, painter, escrimador, novelist, scientist, historian, farmer, journalist, poet, sociologist, educator, traveled all over the world, among other areas where he specialized in. He was a polymath, a genius. He wrote 2 stirring novels alluding to the injustice brought about by Spain's colonization of the Philippines, which inflamed the Spanish authorities leading to his arrest and subsequent martyrdom. He was killed by firing squad. He is our national Hero, perhaps the first Asian to lead an intellectual revolt against western power.

Reezahl, the guy at the concierge, was stunned. With his glaring eyes wide open he said, "Wow, you just made me feel proud of my name." "I never knew about that. Thank you for sharing that information."

I simply smiled back at him and told him, "You look very much like a Filipino."

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