My Cultural Identity

One of significant time of my life is when I migrated in the United States. It was leap of faith that we were able to my family and I was granted a great opportunity for a fresh start. We took this opportunity because life in the Philippines was just unbearable and the United States to us was paradise. And so I thought. The first week to my new school thought me that this is not paradise at all. This experience caused me to realize, accept, and to adapt in this world.

On the day of my first day of school I was beyond excited because this something new to me and a different experience. I was a naïve young boy who did not know a thing what awaits him behind those classroom, cafeteria, playground, and restroom. Upon entering Albert Elementary

Therefore, I had to accept that this is my place in society. I was a minority who needs to bare and accept what the people are saying about me. The kid made fun of how I talk because of my heavy accent and did not even realize that I had accent until I was told. Also the way that my eyes look like an almond. All I can do about this criticism is to accept them, and bare with the fact this is actually who I am as a person. It caused me a great amount of pain because I never realize all these things about me until I was bullied. At that time, the only thing I can do is to ignore them. I could not do anything and do not know what to do to make them stop this cruelty. The identity that my parents preserved is slowly fading away because I was starting to think that being myself was not normal. A lot of things was going through my head when I was getting bullied that day. My culture identity was shattered in just a matter of minutes because all I was thinking that this is not parade but rather it was hell. I was astonish that such little kids my age was capable of hurting one another just because they feel threathned about their own culture and identity. I believe that is how they feel since I was an immigrant and I should not be here. They also told me that I should just go back to where I came from because I do not belong here. MY naïve self was actually thinking the same

At that point I did not even want to go back to school the next day because I was traumatized and my parent were unware of what I just experienced. Therefore, I had to go back to school which I referred to as literally hell. Upon going back to school I know that I need to avoid them as much as possible and just mind my own business. I know that I need to accept and assimilate with them. This is the only option to make them stop bullying me and so I did. I tried my best to fit in and try not to cause any trouble. I had to try my best to change the way I talk just so they would not notice my heavy accent. I also had to change the way I look because if I don’t I would just attract trouble for myself. I basically had to Americanized myself just to be able to assimilate amongst them just so I would not get bullied. Which they actually did, they left me alone along with my