The great unwashed

I want to refer to the common people of Madagascar. There are just too many things to say about them, but I just want to dwell on the very basic one. Don't get me wrong with what I'm going to write about them. It's just short and sweet. I just want to express what I think and what I "smell".

Yes, my friend, there is simply a striking difference between our great unwashed and the great unwashed of Madagascar. Do you want know what it is? It's the body odor. I just can't help but express my sentiment about it. To tell you frankly, they don't use deodorant and probably seldom take a bath. Mind you, I am not the only Filipino who has this observation, but a lot. Remember, we are a one-thousand strong OFW's here. And this is really the most talked about subject here -- in the town proper, in the office, in the camp's mess hall, among others.

Back home our great unwashed seldom stink like that. We have a "tawas" which is very cheap and readily accessible. But here, it's a different matter. I just can't understand why most of the common people here don't consider this as a basic hygiene (or if this word is really in their vocabulary). Well, we just have to respect the smell, bow.

If I can only put into the bottle what I smell here, and send it back home for others to describe it in my behalf, I would have done so. Oh, great unwashed of Madagascar, your smell is so terrific and indescribable. :-)