I Became Him

Growing up in the United States was different for me and my siblings compared to an ordinary American family. Our father raised us in his traditional Filipino culture. We were not privy to many things as children. We had a difficult time understanding this during our adolescence. It was not until I visited his hometown that I realized the reasons he raised us in such a manner.

As a typical Filipino male, Dad worked very hard to support his family and rarely showed emotions. I never understood him or felt close to him until I visited his hometown in the Philippines.