Learning to love my brown skin

I live in the Philippines. We frequented the beach during summer and sunny days. As a kid, I loved the beach. Playing in the sand, making sandcastles, burying my cousins, and eating the freshly grilled barbecued meat, fish, and vegetables dipped in soy sauce and calamansi (a tiny citrus fruit endemic to our country).

However, my mom always warned me not to spend too much time in the sun.

“Huwag kang masyadong magpa-araw mamaya maging negra ka, sige ka!”