Concepcion Magat: 20 Years a Filipina in California

For this project, I chose to interview my mother, Concepcion Magat. She immigrated to the United States from the Philippines 20 years ago along with a few of her siblings to start a new life. She came to pursue the "American Dream" that many in third-world countries, such as the Philippines, have dreamed about for years. Watching how hard my mother has worked over the years to provide for our family and eventually bring my father and brother to California has made me curious what those 20 years of being an American felt like.

Table of Contents

1. Life in the Philippines vs Life in America

2. The Beginning of the American Dream

3. Surrounded By Differences

4. Staying Filipino in America

Life in the Philippines vs Life in America

In this segment, Concepcion reflects back on her life in the Philippines such as her lifestyle, family status, and traditions. She then compares those aspects of Philippine culture to American culture such as "...[embracing] evangelical Protestantism, opposing abortion, gay rights, and the overall erosion of what they termed 'family values'" (Competing Visions: A History of California, 458).  She also discusses how westernization and the "American Dream" have influenced certain Filipino structures and educational systems.

The Beginning of the American Dream

" Most were professional and technical workers fleeing economic hardship and political repression in the Philippines. But although highly skilled, as many as one-half of all newcomers worked in low-wage clerical or manual occupations..." (Competing Visions: A History of California, 374)

Once reaching the United States, Concepcion worked at her older brother's care-home, where she found both a job and a home. Although not a high paying occupation despite her extensive background, being a caregiver gave her access to begin interacting with different ethnic groups and tried to get accustomed to diversity and American culture. 

Surrounded By Differences

"Although living in an ethnic community, she was quite aware of the differences between white Americans and people from her own ethnic group and was eager to venture into the outside world" (Chinese American Women Defense Workers in World War II, 148)

In this segment, Concepcion discusses the different interactions she has with various cultures and religions. Having lived in Daly City for a long time after moving from her brother's care-home, she has been surrounded by a vast number of Filipinos, so she feels as if she did not fully come in contact with American and other cultures for most of her life in California.

Staying Filipino in America

With 20 years of living in the United States, Concepcion feels that she will always have her Filipino culture intact and identify as a Filipino. Loving the life she has lived in California, she feels that the American culture has not greatly influenced her, but has impacted her in important ways such as learning how to teach and discipline her children in a western society. She would not identify herself as an American patriot, but she does cherish the culture and the opportunities available in the United States. 

WORKS CITED

Cherny, Robert W., Gretchen Lemke-Santangelo, and Richard Griswold Del Castillo. Competing Visions: A History of California. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. Print.

Zhao, Xiaojian. Chinese American Women Defense Workers in World War II. 1996. University of California Press. Print.