Life in the Philippines

My mom, Maria Vilma Macalino (known as Vilma) was born on September 8th, 1970 in Cabuyao in the province of Laguna in the Philippines.

She was the youngest of five siblings.

My dad, Jose Almer Tiangco Sanqui (known as Joel) was born on April 8th, 1969 in Cabanatuan City in the province of Nueva Ecija in the Philippines.

He was the oldest of three siblings.

Growing up, both my parents learned a lot about the United States, especially because the country was under US rule from 1898-1946. Despite knowing the history of US occupation in the country, many Filipinos spent their lives admiring the US.

"We have what we call there the 'colonial mentality'...the Filipinos revere everything US. Fashion, the movies, the music…" - Vilma Sanqui

"They copy everything. They wanna be Americans." - Joel Sanqui

During most of the time they spent in the Philippines, they lived under martial law, ruled by the dictator President Ferdinand Marcos.

They met in 1986 when they were classmates at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. That same year, a revolution occurred in the Philippines that removed Marcos from his role as dictator/president and freed the country from martial law.

"The big milestone was in ‘86, when they had the People Power Revolution and toppled him down." - Vilma Sanqui

My dad participated in the protests, but my mom was not allowed to because her parents were strict and did not approve.

My parents got married on April 5th, 1997.

They had their first child the same year of their wedding. My older sister, Mari Joe Sanqui (known as MJ) was born on November 1st, 1997.

MJ was born in the Philippines, but only lived there for a year.

My parents did not originally plan on immigrating to the US permanently.

"I just wanted to get my degree here, my PhD here, and go back to the Philippines. That’s my original plan. But after I finished my schooling here, I just tried to apply for a job here, and I got some offer and I evaluated, and we kind of decided that it’s probably best for us if we stay here. Especially for the two of you. For our kids." - Joel Sanqui

Life in the United States

My dad moved to Bowling Green, Ohio to get his masters in teaching at Bowling Green State University in 1997. My mom & sister stayed behind until they moved in 1999. My mom also studied at BGSU to get her masters.

When asked to describe the process of immigrating, my parents stated that it was very difficult; the process was time-consuming, expensive, and required lots of paperwork.

When asked to describe how they felt when first arriving to the US, this is what they said:

"We’re excited, but scared at the same time, because you know, it’s a new place, it was our first time being outside the Philippines and being away from the family." - Vilma Sanqui

"A little culture shock. Because you know, the image of the US that we know - we always see the US, as, you know New York, the big city - but we went to a small town in Bowling Green. So that’s not what we expected." - Joel Sanqui

I was born on March 6th, 2000 in Bowling Green.

In 2003, my family moved to Boone, North Carolina because my dad got a teaching job at Appalachian State University.

My parents made friends with a group of Filipino-Americans that lived in the Boone area. These people became like a family to us. Sharing the experience of being Filipino immigrants in America created a strong bond with these friends.

My parents took us on a few trips to significant places as kids, such as Washington, DC & Niagara Falls.

We have lived in Boone ever since 2003. We moved houses twice and are still living in the one we moved to in 2009. My mom got a job at Piedmont Federal Bank & my dad still works as a Statistics professor at ASU.

Life Now

My parents have always stayed in touch with their Filipino roots and made sure my sister & I grew up with Filipino culture, but they have also embraced American culture.

"We got to know the [American] culture more, now that we embrace most of the stuff that Americans do; like we celebrate Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and we enjoy it." - Joel Sanqui

One way my parents have kept Filipino culture in their lives is through religion. When Spain colonized the Philippines, Catholicism became the country's main religion. My parents practiced Catholicism as kids growing up in the Philippines, and maintained this when they immigrated to the United States. My sister & I grew up going to St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Boone. My parents met many of their Filipino friends at this church, so religion became another part of their bond.

"The American culture is different from the Philippine culture. But you know, we managed." - Vilma Sanqui

My parents & sister got their American citizenship in 2015. In order to become American citizens, they had to denounce their Filipino citizenship, but in 2019 they got their Filipino citizenship back, making them duel citizens. I was lucky to be born in the United States, because it automatically granted me both American & Filipino citizenship.

"We could say we have the best of both worlds, in some sense." - Joel Sanqui

Evidence of our Filipino background is scattered throughout our house, whether it's souvenirs from the Philippines on shelves or family photos hanging on walls.

Another significant aspect of Filipino culture that my family has an important relationship with is food. My parents, especially my mom, love cooking and have always cooked Filipino dishes for us, alongside of dishes from various other cuisines. My parents' cooking is something that brings me comfort & makes me feel connected to our culture.

Their cooking skills & knowledge have been inherited from their own parents/older generations. I hope to learn as much about cooking Filipino cuisine from them as I can, so I can pass what I learn down to my own children in the future.

Even simple things, like having our kitchen stocked with my favorite Filipino fruits & snacks, serve as a reminder of my ties to the Philippines.

Food is also a central part of the friendship my parents have with other Filipinos. They are part of a Filipino-American Association with Filipinos from all over the High Country, and they regularly celebrate different occasions together. Their parties are always potluck style, with everyone contributing their own Filipino or American dishes.

"It's the food that's the key. Filipino food is always the center." - Joel Sanqui

Despite some difficulties, my parents describe their experience immigrating to the United States as positive overall. They have learned a lot about what it means to be American & what it means to be a Filipino immigrant in America, and have adapted to changes well.

I would say that my parents raised me in a way that allowed me to appreciate the cultures of both the Philippines & the United States. At times, I have felt lost trying to find my identity in between these two cultures and have felt like I don't fit in enough with either. I have felt insecure about being unable to speak my parents' native language, Tagalog. I have felt like I stood out in school, surrounded by mostly White peers.

I consider myself lucky though, because I did not have to experience the hardships of immigrating, assimilating, & becoming a citizen in a new country, unlike my parents. Ultimately, my parents immigrated so my sister & I could have better lives, and I am grateful for that. I enjoy having the privilege of life in America. I also enjoy the privilege of having an interesting cultural background & the means to learn more about it.

No matter how disconnected I can feel sometimes, I find comfort in knowing that Filipino culture has always been & will always be present in my life through my parents. I have also established my own connections with Filipino people my age, just like my parents did. Meeting Filipino friends has deepened my connection with Filipino culture, and sharing a culture with these friends has deepened our bond significantly.

Last summer, my family took a trip to the Philippines. This was my first time visiting the country since 2008. On this trip, I was able to reconnect with my extended family & gain a broader understanding of what living in the Philippines is like.

We brought my Lola, my mom's mom, to Boone with us when we returned. She has been here for over a year now. Her living with us has made me feel even closer to my culture & my family history. It has also caused me to think more about the United States from the perspective of someone coming from the Philippines.

In my future of living in the United States as a Filipino-American, all I can hope for is to develop a strong Filipino community, like my parents did. Although being a second generation immigrant means my experience is very different from that of my parents & their friends, I still wish to make similar friendships through embracing Filipino culture.

I am proud to be the child of immigrant parents & I am proud of my Filipino heritage.