It's been officially a year since I left the Philippines right after finishing my undergrad, and flew with my family to the US. That was April 22, 2006. I have never gone back to the Philippines nor left the US ever since.
Naturally, I am more comfortable now than I was when I first set foot. I've learned a great deal about a culture and environment different from the ones I grew up in. I've seen how people live in a place that is literally an ocean apart from the place I was raised. I've met new and wonderful friends along the way. I've talked to people on the streets and buses who I thought were very different from me. But from our conversations, I realized there is always at least one thing that I share with them: a favorite movie, a favorite book, a common dilemma, a shared observation, a shared complaint, a bus schedule we can't miss, etc. It's only a small step to conclude that people, no matter how different, have a lot in common after all.
Naturally, I miss the Philippines - the place, the culture, the people. Some experiences that I used to despise, but have nonetheless learned to live with, seem no closer than as if they were just yesterday: being stuck in traffic, standing and being squeezed inside a bus, street noise, massive pollution, the sight of vendors along the streets, etc. I miss the food. I realized that on this day, it's also been more than a year since I last ate in places where I used to eat daily or weekly during my elementary/high school and college years. Most of all, I miss my relatives and especially my friends. I hope everyone is well and having a good time.
Naturally, I see the differences between the two countries separated by the Pacific. While I think there are still a lot of things that the US can improve, for the most part, I've thought of the basic benefits and even luxuries that Americans enjoy but Filipinos can't even get a hold of (I don't want to enumerate what they are. I'm sure it's very easy to know once you compare the two lifestyles). I have my own conjectures and analysis on why things are so and how to improve them especially in the case of the Philippines. But of course, I admit that they are too simplistic and fallible.
However, I've developed a kind of distaste for certain conversations that are dragged into this topic. Most of the time, the discussion would disintegrate into rants about the country, its people and its culture. I acknowledge that there is a need for such a discussion. And that there is a fine line between a rant and an honest scrutiny that spawns accountability. But, it is unfortunate that I've always been in conversations that are wanting in creativity. Indeed, it is very easy to conclude how much better it is to live in a country like the US. I have no doubt that majority of immigrants who strive hard in US soil have noble hopes and dreams for themselves and their families. I also do not disagree with their accurate observations. I just think that the discussions are biased and naive.
As I said, I do not like rants and complaints that lead to nowhere. I just hope that people who are pursuing their dreams in what they (and I) consider to be a significantly better environment in most respects will acknowledge that in blaming the country's people and culture, the appropriate word is "we" (e.g. we lack discipline) not "they" (e.g. they lack discipline). When I see the differences, I am also reminded of the plight of most of our brothers and sisters in least developed countries (mostly in Africa) who can't even have clean water to drink, enough food to eat for the day, and proper clothing and shelter to keep them warm for the night. I can always complain on the crime rate, corruption, and health hazards in the Philippines. However, an African adolescent might, in a heartbeat, trade anything for the kind of teenage years that I lived. Such a thought adds a new dimension and convinces me that a constructive exchange of ideas is better than mere tirades, even if that is all we can do at the moment.
Anyway, I had lunch last Friday, April 20th, at the UCLA Faculty Center with Mr. William Hummel (the person who established the Hummel International Student Scholarship I received; see
my previous blog regarding the award) and several UCLA Extension officials (directors and associate dean). It was my first time meeting them and my fellow recipient and I very much enjoyed the opportunity. During lunch I was asked about the places in America that I have been. I said that I've always stayed within Los Angeles. On occasions, I've gone to Sacramento, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Mammoth Mountains, and San Diego. I said that I have never been outside of California.
Mr. Hummel, a world traveler, gave an interesting response that challenges the title of my blog, "You've never really been to America."
permanent link
