By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Wendy Palomo from the Philippines
Photos = Wendy Palomo and Ana Algabre-Hernandez

She greets friends and acquaintances with a demure smile and disarms with her wit.

Ana Algabre-Hernandez, the wife of former Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul Hernandez, exerted little effort in charming her all-women audience on March 31 during the Women's Month celebration at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul and in April at the Seoul International Women's Association's (SIWA) Working Women Network event. Self-aware and confident, she unpredictably blurted out self-deprecating humor that made the women pause before laughter escaped their mouths. But there's more to her eloquence.

Algabre-Hernandez has authored two books -- Binibining Stewardess: Mga Kwento ng Flight Attendant at Iba Pa (Ms. Stewardess: Stories of a Flight Attendant and Many More) and Welcome Aboard! The Ultimate Flight Attendant Guide for a Successful Sky-high Career – based on her experiences as a flight attendant, crew resource management facilitator, cabin crew counselor and in-flight service manager at Cathay Pacific. Thus she is a credible resource and author on the subject.

In addition to being a published poet and children's story writer, she is a painter whose works highlighted an exhibition at the Philippine Embassy during the Women's Month celebration.

Graduating cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila with a bachelor's in behavioral science, Algabre-Hernandez also has a diploma in child psychology and completed the teacher's aide program at Thomson's Education Direct.

As the wife of a former Philippine ambassador to Korea whose five-year stint ended in April this year, she has generously given tribute to Korean women and Filipino marriage immigrants in Korea through her paintings, highlighted by her series "Koreana: Korea in the Eyes of a Foreigner."

The first work of this series is "Beauty is Universal," which she said was inspired by Korean women's femininity, elegance and grace. The painting shows a tall and slim woman wearing a Hanbok with a lime green top, yellow canary bow and magenta skirt. This is her interpretation of women in Korea while stressing that "no woman is neither too skinny or too big, too much or too little, and too dark or too light." Through this work, she encourages Korean women to be empowered both by their physical beauty and that from within.

Accompanying this painting was her poem "Sparkle":

"Sparkly, sparkly night
A woman in her might
For what is good and bright
The universe conspires to light"



Algabre-Hernandez said she recognizes how Filipina immigrants have adapted to Korea and its culture, adding that she has high respect for their resilience. Despite the challenges such immigrants encounter, they surround themselves with positivity, she said, and this is what her painting "The Color of Joy" embodies. The woman clad in a purple Hanbok is a Filipina marriage immigrant surrounded by a dominant pink color. The color scheme highlights the romance found by such immigrants in Korea, and the artist said she hopes the women are surrounded by the colors of joy, "build a family founded on love and fidelity with their Korean spouses and raise beautiful bi-cultural children." This work was also donated to The Korea Times a week before her husband finished his tour of duty in Korea.



The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Culture House in Busan is another lucky recipient of an Algabre-Hernandez painting, this one being "It’s Christmas Every Day." The Philippines is known for having the world's longest period for celebrating Christmas, so this serves as a tribute to every Filipina immigrant embracing the culture and tradition of her Korean spouse. Harmonizing this acceptance of Korean culture, this painting reminds such immigrant women of their roots. For this painting, she wrote the following short poem:

"For what the eyes can be mistaken,
The heart knows for certain.
Is it dusk or dawn,
I need not know,
For each is a promise of the other,
Dusk or dawn."



Among Algabre-Hernandez's paintings, "The Joy of Spring" is her husband’s favorite, and also happens to be part of her Koreana series. Because it holds a special place in his heart, it was unsurprisingly brought with them to Ankara, Turkey, the site of his next diplomatic assignment.

The artist said she does not sell her "priceless" paintings but instead has donated a few of them for "thanking Korea for the people I met, the country that I have I lived in and the memories that I will bring."

Algabre-Hernandez said she will continue to paint and add to her Koreana series. After all, she has five years of memories of her Korea stay to draw inspiration from.

wisdom117@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.