4/18 Vergara

This article reflects on the oppositional ideas of Philippine nationalism and transnationalism as seen in culture in Daly city and individual ideas stemming from the Philippines. As a Filipina-American, I grew up hearing the contradicting means of what it means to move out of the Philippines and live in the United States.  There seems to be contradicting view points on what it means to leave one’s national country. Some have critiqued that those who have left the Philippines have forgotten their roots and have adopted the idea of individualism. For instance, my grandmother critiqued the lifestyle in America and my mother’s decision to live there. My grandmother had plenty of instances in which she could visit. However, she only came a few times and was critical during the time of her stay.  My grandmother thought family was not tight-knit and that everyone performed for their own interests. She told my mother she has forgotten where she has come from.

Although, like the article states, my grandmother’s perception is a misconception as the Filipino lifestyle in Daly City captures people’s longing to be emotionally and spatially connected back to life in the Philippines. This could be seen through The Filipino Channel’s popularity and their use of drama as to capture how Filipinos think of American life in comparison to life in the Philippines. Ultimately, it is an interesting conception as ideas of both lifestyles does not match the economical and cultural realities of Filipinos lived experience in America.