It Wasn't Easy Growing Up As An Immigrant

Summary

Born in the Philippines, the narrator's family immigrated to the United States in 2004 for a better life. Initially struggling with language barriers and cultural differences, especially in kindergarten, the narrator gradually adapted and learned English. Raised with strict Filipino traditions and values, they faced embarrassment over their unique lunch and father's accent but remained deeply appreciative of their parents' sacrifices.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The narrator was born in the Philippines and later immigrated to the United States with their family.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The family's motivation for immigration was the pursuit of a better life and opportunities.
• 🏢 The United States was seen as a land of opportunity and freedom, prompting the family's move.
• 🏡 The family initially lived with relatives in California before finding a permanent home.
• 📚 The narrator faced challenges in kindergarten due to a lack of English language skills and cultural differences.
• 🗣️ The narrator learned English naturally and began to make friends over time.
• 👶 The birth of the narrator's sister Louine in 2007 completed their family.
• 🏛️ The family maintained traditional Filipino values and a conservative, religious lifestyle.
• 🍚 In sixth grade, the narrator experienced cultural differences, such as bringing Filipino food for lunch.
• 😅 The narrator felt embarrassed by their family's accents and cultural practices, but still appreciated their sacrifices.
• ❤️ Despite the challenges of fitting in, the narrator expresses deep love and gratitude for their family.

Q & A

In which year and country was the narrator born?

The narrator was born in June of 2001 in the Philippines.

Why did the narrator's parents want to immigrate to the United States?

The narrator's parents wanted to immigrate to the United States for a better life, more opportunities, and the country's reputation as the land of opportunity and freedom.

What challenges did the narrator's parents face during the immigration process?

The narrator's parents faced challenges such as meeting requirements, passing tests to prove they were not dangerous or sick, and being educated enough to live in the United States.

When did the narrator and their family move to California?

The narrator and their family moved to California in 2004.

How did the narrator's initial experience in kindergarten differ from their expectations?

The narrator's initial experience in kindergarten was difficult because they could not speak English, struggled to make friends, and did not understand the teacher.

How did the narrator eventually adapt to the new language and environment?

The narrator adapted by learning English naturally and started making friends over time.

What significant event occurred in the family in 2007?

In 2007, the narrator's sister Louine was born, completing their family.

How did the narrator's upbringing reflect Filipino culture and values?

The narrator was raised with strict rules, traditional Filipino morals, conservatism, and a strong emphasis on religion, reflecting their parents' Filipino cultural background.

What cultural differences did the narrator experience in their new school environment?

The narrator experienced cultural differences such as bringing Filipino food for lunch, which had a distinct smell and was different from the typical American lunch, and having a unique way of pronouncing certain words.

How did the narrator feel about their father's accent and the need to translate for him?

The narrator felt embarrassed when they had to translate for their father due to his thick Filipino accent, but they also understood and appreciated the challenges their parents faced.

What emotions did the narrator express towards their parents despite the cultural and social challenges?

The narrator expressed love and appreciation for their parents, acknowledging the sacrifices and efforts they made for their family.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Immigration and Childhood Challenges

The narrator was born in the Philippines in 2001 and describes the family's desire to immigrate to the United States for better opportunities and a more comfortable life. After years of fulfilling requirements and tests, the family successfully moved to California in 2004. The narrator faced challenges in kindergarten due to a lack of English proficiency, but gradually adapted and made friends. The birth of the narrator's sister, Louine, in 2007 completed the family.

🏫 School Adaptation and Cultural Identity

In sixth grade, the narrator moved to a new school and had to leave behind old friends, facing the challenge of adapting to a new environment. The narrator began to notice cultural differences, such as bringing traditional Filipino food for lunch, which was distinct from the typical American school meals and attracted attention and sometimes ridicule. Additionally, the narrator felt embarrassed by the pronunciation differences and the thick Filipino accent of their father, which sometimes required the narrator to act as a translator.

Keywords

💡Immigration

Immigration refers to the act of moving from one country to another with the intention of living there permanently. In the video's theme, it is central as the narrator's parents immigrated from the Philippines to the United States in search of better opportunities and a more comfortable life. The script mentions the desire to immigrate and the process they had to go through to get the green light, highlighting the challenges and aspirations associated with immigration.

💡Philippines

The Philippines is a Southeast Asian country and the birthplace of the narrator. It is significant in the video as it represents the cultural background and starting point of the family's journey. The script describes the family's deep roots in the Philippines and their decision to leave in pursuit of a better life, emphasizing the contrast between the home country and the destination of their immigration.

💡United States

The United States is depicted as the 'land of opportunity and freedom' in the video, symbolizing the dream destination for the narrator's family. It is where they immigrated to and represents the new life they sought. The script discusses the family's move to California in 2004, the challenges they faced, and the eventual adaptation and growth they experienced in the United States.

💡Cultural Adaptation

Cultural adaptation is the process of adjusting to a new culture different from one's own. The video's theme revolves around this concept as the narrator had to adapt to American culture after moving from the Philippines. The script illustrates this through the narrator's experiences in kindergarten, where they struggled with language and making friends, and later in school where they felt different due to their Filipino food and accent.

💡Language Barrier

A language barrier is a difficulty in communication caused by not understanding the language of a particular group. In the video, the narrator faced a language barrier in kindergarten, not being able to speak English initially, which made it hard to make friends and understand the teacher. The script vividly describes the narrator's struggle and eventual natural acquisition of English.

💡Filipino Food

Filipino food represents the cultural identity and traditions of the narrator's family. In the video, the narrator's packed lunch of rice and Filipino dishes stands out as different from the typical American school lunches, causing embarrassment but also serving as a symbol of their heritage. The script mentions specific dishes and the distinct smell, which made the narrator feel self-conscious among peers.

💡Acculturation

Acculturation is the process of adopting traits from another culture while maintaining one's own cultural identity. The video discusses the narrator's journey of acculturation, learning English and making friends, while still being raised with strict Filipino morals and traditions. The script provides examples of the narrator's struggle with pronunciation and the family's conservative and religious upbringing.

💡Discrimination

Discrimination in the video is shown through the teasing and ridicule the narrator faced due to their cultural differences, such as having a packed lunch with a distinct smell or a father with a thick Filipino accent. The script illustrates the negative experiences that can arise from cultural misunderstandings and the impact they had on the narrator's self-esteem.

💡Family Values

Family values are the principles and beliefs shared by family members and passed down through generations. In the video, the narrator's parents instilled traditional Filipino morals and a strong sense of religion, which shaped the narrator's upbringing. The script describes how these values influenced the family's lifestyle and the narrator's behavior and attitudes.

💡Identity

Identity refers to the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is. The video explores the narrator's struggle with identity as they navigated between their Filipino heritage and American life. The script shows moments of feeling embarrassed by their cultural identity and the eventual appreciation for the sacrifices their parents made for them.

💡Appreciation

Appreciation in the video is the narrator's acknowledgment and gratitude for the efforts and sacrifices made by their parents. Despite the challenges and moments of embarrassment, the script conveys a deep love and respect for the parents, recognizing the hardships they endured to provide a better life for their children.

Highlights

Birth in the Philippines and family background.

Parents' desire for a better life in the United States.

Challenges in the immigration process.

Settling in California with family support.

Initial struggles with language and social integration in school.

Natural acquisition of English and making friends.

Birth of the narrator's sister, Louine, completing the family.

Upbringing with strict Filipino traditions and values.

Conservative and religious family environment.

Childhood lectures focused on religion and moral guidance.

Transition to a new school and the challenges of adapting.

Cultural differences in food and social acceptance.

Feeling embarrassed by cultural differences in pronunciation.

Dealing with the father's thick Filipino accent and its social implications.

Appreciation for parents' sacrifices and efforts.

The narrator's enduring love and respect for their family despite cultural challenges.

Transcripts

In June of 2001, I was born to two wonderful parents in the country of the

Philippines. Both of my parents and their family have grown up there and lived

there for most of their lives. My sister was born there, as well. After my

parents got married, they'd been wanting to immigrate to the United States for a

long time. My dad's side of the family were starting to move there in hopes of

a better life. The United States was known for the land of opportunity and

freedom, and my parents would have more opportunities for themselves and their

future kids. They knew that if they moved there, we could live more comfortably. It

took years for my parents to get the green light on being able to immigrate

to the United States. There were a lot of requirements and tests they had to go

through to make sure they weren't dangerous or sick and educated enough to

live there. We were lucky enough and we finally moved to California in 2004. We

lived with my uncle and his family who were already staying here while we

looked for a new house to move into permanently. Everything was okay for the

first years we were there, and then I had to start school. Kindergarten was hard. I

remember it very vividly. I couldn't speak English and it was hard to make

friends. They really didn't know how to talk to me. I'd always cry because no one

wanted to be my friend and I never understood what the teacher was saying.

I started getting used to it and I learned English naturally. I started making

friends and all was well. In 2007, my sister Louine was born and that's when

our family became complete. My parents raised me as if we still lived in the

Philippines. They had strict rules and traditional Filipino morals. They were very

conservative and very religious. Most of my lectures as a child were usually

based on religion and what God would have wanted me to do. Flash forward to

sixth grade. I moved to another school, so I had to say goodbye to my friends that

I'd known for for a long time and adapt to a new environment with new people and

I started noticing things that made me different from everyone else. I started

bringing a packed lunch to school and it usually consisted of rice and eggs, rice

and sausage, or anything my dad can pack rice with. Everyone first thought it was

weird that I always had rice and random Filipino food.

It had a distinct smell. I'd always feel embarrassed because I didn't have lunchables

or a PB&J like all my other classmates. Other people would make fun

of me because I would pronounce things differently, like comfortable like

comfortable. That's how my parents taught me how to say it. Every time I correct

them, they tell me that English isn't their first language and that I

should be patient. I also feel embarrassed if I went somewhere with my

dad because he had a very thick Filipino accent. People wouldn't understand

him and I'd have to translate. Even though there were times where we didn't

fit in, I still love them so much and I'll forever appreciate the things they

did and went through for us.