“Alyssa, you’re so Filipino.” With the Filipino flag in my Instagram bio and my weekly stories about TUPAC (Temple University Philippine American Council), I knew my friend was right; I am really Filipino. But is that really so bad? ‘Being…
Growing up, I found myself toeing the line between my Filipino and my American identities, never finding the perfect balance between the two. I would visit my family in the Philippines, speak fluent Tagalog, and still be treated as the…
Coming to the United States as a nine-year-old, I did not expect what challenges I had to face being in this great land of opportunity. Of course, as I was told countless times by my parents that the main reason…
One of the biggest exports that the Philippines has is its people. So, it was not an uncommon thing for me and my family to leave all of our familiarities behind in search of better opportunities abroad. At just five…
Growing up, I was often reminded to never forget where I came from. I was told to always remember the people who helped you reach your goals. It was emphasized to always give back to those who come after you.…
