2008 Woodie Awards
Editor's Forum: Finding my identity between two cultures
By: Jocelyn Saddi
Issue date: 3/4/04 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Even before my three visits to the Philippines, my parents had already drilled me on the do's-and-don'ts of my culture; a culture that I had to understand and adopt despite it being more than 1,000 miles away from my own home of L.A.
Last semester, a previous editor who was born in the Philippines wrote about her experience of traveling there. Although I wasn't born or raised in the Philippines, I felt like I was for a while.
Each week, my mother's rustic cooking was accompanied by tales of her impoverished youth and of her arrival in the United States. She told me these stories because she wanted to make sure that I would work hard in life, so that I would not have to endure the same lifestyle. Then, my mother would go on to explain to me how hard it was for her to make ends meet in America, a place she admits she did not understand.
My father, who came from a similar background, always has a lot of advice to give me as well.
There were certain rules and guidelines that I had to follow because, as my father kept reminding me, I was Filipino.
Yes, I was one of those kids who brought strange lunches to school, who spoke with a slight accent and who had an incredibly ridiculous curfew. I was not allowed to date or go out too often. Even with friends, I had to convince my parents to let me go out with them or I had to ask for their permission in advance.
Growing up under a rigid tradition while being exposed to American idealism (freedom of expression, speech, etc.) led me to frequent disagreements with my parents, who believed that most Filipino traditions were unquestionably valid and just.
More than a decade before adolescence, I was already confused. I went through an early identity crisis. I grew up questioning who I really was as a person and in turn, questioning everything I came in contact with.
Being that young to begin with was difficult, I was only beginning to develop my own personality, and I had trouble trying to define who I wanted to be because I was afraid to be labeled only as Filipino or an American. I was afraid that I was going to have to inevitably choose between the two. So I reluctantly chose to try and juggle both identitie as I was forced to lean closer to my parents' wishes.
Last semester, a previous editor who was born in the Philippines wrote about her experience of traveling there. Although I wasn't born or raised in the Philippines, I felt like I was for a while.
Each week, my mother's rustic cooking was accompanied by tales of her impoverished youth and of her arrival in the United States. She told me these stories because she wanted to make sure that I would work hard in life, so that I would not have to endure the same lifestyle. Then, my mother would go on to explain to me how hard it was for her to make ends meet in America, a place she admits she did not understand.
My father, who came from a similar background, always has a lot of advice to give me as well.
There were certain rules and guidelines that I had to follow because, as my father kept reminding me, I was Filipino.
Yes, I was one of those kids who brought strange lunches to school, who spoke with a slight accent and who had an incredibly ridiculous curfew. I was not allowed to date or go out too often. Even with friends, I had to convince my parents to let me go out with them or I had to ask for their permission in advance.
Growing up under a rigid tradition while being exposed to American idealism (freedom of expression, speech, etc.) led me to frequent disagreements with my parents, who believed that most Filipino traditions were unquestionably valid and just.
More than a decade before adolescence, I was already confused. I went through an early identity crisis. I grew up questioning who I really was as a person and in turn, questioning everything I came in contact with.
Being that young to begin with was difficult, I was only beginning to develop my own personality, and I had trouble trying to define who I wanted to be because I was afraid to be labeled only as Filipino or an American. I was afraid that I was going to have to inevitably choose between the two. So I reluctantly chose to try and juggle both identitie as I was forced to lean closer to my parents' wishes.