About Me

I was born in the Philippines on August 14, 1995. I’m the youngest of four with two brothers and one sister. In 2004, my family, except for my oldest brother and sister, moved to America in hopes of getting a better life. My brother came here before us and my sister already had her own family in the Philippines. I was only 8 years old when we moved so I can’t clearly recall what I felt about the situation. Either it was because I was in denial of having to leave everything I know and love behind or I genuinely did not know what was going on. Before coming to America, my only experience of the country came from television and movies. Because of that, what came to mind when I think of America was Disneyland, snow, and blonde hair. Having lived here for more than ten years, I learned that it does not snow in every part of America and that not everyone that lives here has blonde hair. Disneyland however, was as relevant then as it is now. It was definitely a culture shock for me as even the air somehow felt new and different. More than half of my life was spent here so I associate myself more with American culture while also sticking to my roots of course. I still know how to read, write, and speak my native language Tagalog and am somewhat aware of current events in the Philippines. In America, I lived in a Latino dominated community and most of my friends back in my city were of Mexican decent. I like to think that I’ve absorbed some of their culture as I was constantly surrounded by Spanish and actual legit Mexican food. With the help of the internet, my taste in things has even become more diverse. My music taste can go from The Cure to K-pop and I can watch an episode of The Office and watch anime right after. I am grateful for my parents for bringing me here and giving me the chance to be exposed to multiple cultures. I truly do think that America has provided us a better life.