Hello. I am a Filipino American girl from the US. Have you ever questioned your national identity? I began to seriously think about this when I first travelled to a different continent when I was 16. It was obvious that my family and I were tourists, so naturally people would ask where we were from. To my surprise, my parents would answer back with “we’re from the Philippines.” Yes, they are from the Philippines born and raised, but I am not. I, on the other hand, was born and raised in the US and don’t speak a lick of Tagalog (I’m actually ashamed of this, but I blame my parents for speaking English to me all the time). I have American friends, go to an American university, and have a pretty typical American life. I’m not saying I want to disregard my cultural background. I am proud of being Filipino; it has shaped my life greatly. But truthfully, I believe myself to be American above everything else. The Philippines is a wonderful place; it is where my ancestral roots run deep. But to me it is not a place where I would call home. But when people from different countries ask me, “Where are you from?” and I response back with “The US,” it doesn’t seem to satisfy them. Being Asian apparently doesn’t qualify as American. In instances like these, I become confused on who I am. If other people do not see me as an American, and I do not see myself as truly Filipino, then what am I? Please no hate guys. This is not intended to bash any country. Thanks for reading :)
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