Chasing Windmills

Chasing Windmills is a fascinating collection of stories following the journey of Maya Butalid, born in 1957 in Cebu City, Philippines. While studying at the University of the Philippines, she became a Philippine political activist against the Marcos dictatorship. She was sent to the Netherlands to work as an activist from 1983-1993. Here, she learned Dutch and graduated from Tilburg University with a master’s degree in psychology.

Maya courageously tells of the challenges of living as a migrant in a foreign country, building her own family, bringing up her daughters in a missed culture, learning Dutch, and her various undertakings to participate fully in Dutch society. She talks about her experiences working in Dutch institutions as a migrant and her engagement in Dutch politics as a city councilor in Tilburg.

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Excerpts:

“The radiologist told me that the ‘irregularities’ were rather small, that probably it was nothing, but to make sure he advised that I have a biopsy done. And it was then I received the result of this biopsy which I heard from the doctor, a surgeon/oncologist, in the afternoon of June 6, that the ‘irregularities’ found in my breast was cancer.”

“I did not join the revolution because it was ‘sexy.’ It was terrifyingly dangerous, especially since we were fighting a dictatorship; when authorities could pick you up without having to explain it to anyone, and they can do anything to you. I did it because I was driven to do what I felt was the right thing to do.”

“THE SEEDS OF MY political consciousness were planted by my father. As a young girl I would enjoy listening to his rhetoric until the wee hours of the morning. He would then say famous quotes like “Give me liberty, or give me death!” and “Right makes might.” He also admired the bravery of General Patton who fought against the Nazi during World War II.”

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The Heart of a Mother

Never judge the heart of a mother. It stubbornly follows its own way.

I once had a colleague, a Moroccan woman. Let me call her here Soumia. She had a daughter and a son; both were young adults, and both were born in the Netherlands. When we were still colleagues, her son was arrested by the Dutch police, he was charged with terrorism. Her grief was enormous. But despite that, I saw her dedication to her son, giving him all the support he needed, doing this as a single, working mother.

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