One of my earliest childhood memories was my maternal relatives, my mother, and I embarking on the process of leaving our homeland; waiting for hours in lines that never seemed to conclude everytime we go to the American embassy, hiding from the check ups and formidable butt shots that my older cousins told me about, and experiencing the thrilling first flight during the typhoon season. I was born in the Philippines which is recently known for its greatest export: its people. More than a million filipinos leave the Philippines every year for employment, usually as: seamen, nurses, domestic helpers, etc. During my younger years, I hated having to move back and forth between the Philippines and some place else. On the other hand, as I grew older, I began to understand my parent’s perspective and that emigrating from the Philippines was more advantageous than disadvantageous for my family.
To start with our first move to the United States, I was excited with the prospect of experiencing something new, but I was saddened to realize that we had to leave my father. Similarly, it was also probably difficult for my father to see his wife and only daughter fly away from him to the unknown. At the time, he felt that we abandoned him in the depths of his heart. On the other hand, my maternal grandmother was most likely delighted to see her children and grandchildren; after all, she and my grandfather had petitioned for us to have a green card. Mostly, it was my grandmother who did all the work for us to be petitioned. Of course, it did not take long for the novelty of a new place to wear off for my four year old mind.
I missed my father terribly; our only communication at the time was a phone call every night. Not only that, I missed what I. . to accept that it was a choice that my parents have made to sacrifice our time together as a family for something better. If my mother and I did not leave and established our residency, we all would have stayed in the Philippines where I would not have the educational opportunities that I have here. Since the US has better medical technology, my mother can get help for her liver cirrhosis which she would not receive if we stayed in the Philippines.
My father earns more for his job here that how much he would make there. Our experience living in the United States was better as I adjusted to my surroundings. Now, that I’m used to adapting and being independent from my parents, I believe that the solitude I had as a child has prepared me for adulthood. Overall, I am, now, grateful for the chance to socially and economically advance as a result of my family’s sacrifice.
