$2.99 Buddha

Moving to Chicago, a place with a much more dense Filipino population, I've been relieved of feeling like an island. However, I have also struck a nerve I'm now forced to actualize. Growing up, my family's beloved living room shelf display, a collection of statuette jade buddhas, are approximately $2.99 /each at the Chinatown gift shop, neighboring other other plastic, anime paraphernalia on the…