ISKWATER

ISKWATER. A very popular expression for the teens (those who belong in the higher socioeconomic status specifically) right now. In English, SQUATTER,( n. a person who occupies real property without a claim of right or title from  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/). In short, ILLEGAL SETTLERS. But the meaning of this word is different for teens of today. When they say "iskwater", they mean to degrade or refer to something inferior, not nice or not very likable. And it seems like people, especially a lot of kids I know, use this word in the wrong way. And they use it a loooooot of times, so they misuse it a lot of times as well.

Just last week, I got so irritated with this high school girl whom I was playing frisbee with. Well, not really to her but on how she was acting.While we were playing, some of the boys who were playing frisbee (who are her friends I assume) were teasing her and joking around with her. And she was like "Ang iskwter mo! Tell me na kase what is that about! Iskwater ka!" I think she used the word iskwater 6 times in one sentence! Now what irritated me is the fact that I know and I am sure that she doesn't even know what that word means and she keeps on using it incorrectly, and condescendingly. 

It's not actually the first time I hear a somebody use this word incorrectly,I hear it everyday. My students use it the way the girl use it. And, bad on my part that I don't get to correct it every time i hear them use it.

I have no idea where they learn to use this word the way they are using it right now. I think most of them know what real squatters are, and they might stereotype people who live in the squatters' area as people acting  improper, not the way normal people(normal in their point of view) acts. So they refer to improper or bad acts as iskwater acts, which is again not very nice to hear, and incorrect.

I mean, people in the squatters area did not choose to be there. If they had the option to live in a subdivision, in a village, or at least in a better place where it is easy to find means of living, why would they not chose to live there? If they had the option to get away from the dirty and overcrowded place, why not? But again, they did not chose to be there.  Yes, the government is trying to relocate them into a better place, but I am pretty sure, there is a big catch to that relocation.

Another thing, not all people who live in the squatters area act like the way we think. Yes, it's scruffy and disorderly in their place, but they don't necessarily act like that, not all and not at all. In fact, I have this classmate in my Sociology class during college, (Yes, she is studying in UP and she is smart),during a discussion, the professor asked something we want badly. Being the bibo(active boy) kid I answered first and said I want to be a teacher. Professor randomly calls her, and she says "Nakatira po kami sa squatter's area sa may gilid ng Trinoma. Gusto ko po makaalis don at mabigyan ng magandang bahay ang pamilya ko."(My family lives in a squatters' area. I want to get out of there and give my family a bteer place to live) Yes, she admits she lives in a squatters' area.Now that touched me. She is way different from our streotype iskwater. She acts really fine, she's nice and very modest. It's actually a usual story in UP, but I am not sure of a lot of people know these stories. 

My point, I don't think all of us understand what being a squatter really means, and how it feels to be one unless we become one. It's not nice I guess. It's hard. But hey, they are able to survive. They can afford to be happy despite being ISKWATER.