00:00:03.650 - 00:00:20.590

Ok. Hello, my name is Ray Marla and my name is Irene. My name is Prosper. Thank you so much for your willingness to participate in the oral history interview. You're welcome. Ok. So um could you start by telling us a bit about um when and where

00:00:20.600 - 00:00:47.150

you were born? Um I was born on June 1919 51 in Bay City, Philippines. Um I'm the eldest of three Children in the family. Where did your family grow up? Oh, they're all from the Philippines. Yeah, I can, I just came to America when I was

00:00:47.159 - 00:01:06.099

in my thirties. 33 or so. Could you tell us about your hometown um about my family, different place or anything about your family? What it was like growing up? Uh where you guys live? Yeah, we grew up uh I grew in a small town but it

00:01:06.110 - 00:01:25.419

was like when I was born, I was born in city like in the city for the hospital. And then I grew up on the lower in the in that city is the like the capital city uh capital summer of the Philippines. So like in the lowlands,

00:01:25.430 - 00:01:48.250

near the China Sea area. Ok. So, but it's in the city of Union and my parents are both teachers. Right. Yeah. And it's, I would say I'm happy that I was born in the, like in the province. Not in the city. You, you know, you have

00:01:48.260 - 00:02:14.330

better experiences. You, you grow, you get out of the house, playing around, not just inside the house, you play with friends, like climbing trees, you know? I know. Right. Most people now doesn't climb trees and when you're hungry you just go, yeah. Gather fruits. Yes, I

00:02:14.339 - 00:02:35.160

miss the thing. That's why at home here we had some fruit trees. Yeah, I know. Yes, I went to school elementary, about six years of elementary over there. I did four years in high school and then I went to my pre nursing. I'm a nurse. Right.

00:02:35.580 - 00:02:55.419

Yeah, a preg. I just had it for one year and then I went to a nursing school. It's a government school. So I, my tuition is just very small amount. Right. Right. Um, and, and I graduated as a graduate nurse. After that, I went to the

00:02:55.429 - 00:03:13.750

big city in Manila. You have heard of it? Of course. Yeah. I went to the Far Eastern University for my two years. Bachelor of Science in nursing. And after that, uh, at first in my first year I was, uh, like, professional student before, you know, you

00:03:13.759 - 00:03:32.050

know, in my, in our country or our parents send us to school. Right. Without working. Right. That like kids here. Yeah, I know. So, I went to school for my first year. I'm, I graduated already as a nurse but it still for the BS M, uh,

00:03:32.059 - 00:03:51.240

then my second year I said I, I'm a nurse. I need to work. So I went to work and at the same time anyway, most of my classmates are working. So our classes at night, like in the evening. So I work nights, midnight to eight, then

00:03:51.559 - 00:04:16.059

go to sleep, then go to work. I go to school in the afternoon and I graduated in 1974 March, 1974. After that I joined the military of the nurse corps of the Philippines. And I was there for 11 years before coming to America. So I got,

00:04:16.070 - 00:04:37.720

um, wrap up captain before leaving the military. Yeah. So, but within between that I wasn't trying to come to America trying to, I don't know that one that II, I took all the test, pass them. But I don't know, I just, maybe it's not my life

00:04:37.899 - 00:04:58.690

that time come over. Yeah. Um, I don't know the, so I got married when I was there. Um, for five years I married, you know, I didn't have any kids. Like we're trying to go for our family to the doctors. So we spend all our money

00:04:58.700 - 00:05:19.700

savings. Right. Yeah, we're not paying our mortgages because we have a lot and then another house because we spend right there. So I need to get out. So I come to America in 1985. Yeah. And luckily, you know, with the money over here we did one

00:05:19.760 - 00:05:50.769

year I paid all our debts. I know. So, you know, in America you can, it's, um, how do they call that people come here to, to, you know, to, but there's a word bread and butter or honey. Right. Right. Yeah. As long as you work hard,

00:05:51.609 - 00:06:09.630

I think we will progress. She's better. So would you say you think there is more economic opportunities? Of course. Yeah. But I don't know with my brothers, I have a brother and a sister when I was uh when I had my immigrant status already, I went

00:06:09.640 - 00:06:29.670

to get there. But what will we do in America? Because my sister, my younger sister is a lawyer at the time. But now it's uh original judges already in Manila. So what will she do here? Of course. And then my brother is a pi right now.

00:06:29.690 - 00:06:46.829

She has good. They have a good life though. I don't know if I stayed there. I don't know what's in my life. Thank you very much for um telling us about your journey and process for coming to America. And, but when I came to America, because

00:06:46.839 - 00:07:05.290

I didn't have money at that time, I had to, you know, fly the airlines to pay now pay later at that time because not on my time. That's 19 if, if I had to. But then for the sub years, like on the 88 1990 because nurses

00:07:05.299 - 00:07:28.739

are, they, they get nurses from the Philippines with free flying, free border lighting, free, test, free everything. Whereas, you know, but now no more, they're not getting anymore, not just the Philippines or other countries. I think they stopped getting their since now. Um Could you go

00:07:28.750 - 00:07:56.130

back and now tell us a bit more about your childhood? Any special memories or experience that you remember? Um, but like, or for example, any traditions or cultures that your family, um, had, or those kinds of things from your country that might have been important to

00:07:56.140 - 00:08:18.059

you guys. Oh, yeah. What I, what I miss here, like, uh, like, because I came from a family, like all the relatives are all married in the same town. So, you know, and I miss that thing. Like, when you, you know, everybody, right? And everybody, like

00:08:18.070 - 00:08:39.789

what my mom said that she was, like in the barrier, like, away from the city, from the town, like all the neighbors are all related. Yeah. So when they cook something we have to share. And, and then I grew up also, like, um, there's like marriage,

00:08:39.799 - 00:09:07.229

marriage where the weddings we go and attend and then that's the time we met our relatives also here. Right? You can see, but it's different. There's like singing for, you know, that's what I miss, um, I miss like your friends. But anyway, my friends now, most

00:09:07.239 - 00:09:27.500

of them are in America. I know like we go anyway, we go home also at times. So, especially when my mom was being sick. I, while my mom is still alive because he died at the age of 94 for her last few years. I go home

00:09:27.510 - 00:09:47.979

every year just for two weeks to see her while she's still alive that I seen and then at least she's, she's lucky because I have my brother taking care of her, not, not bringing her to nursing home, seeing assistants in the house. Somebody take care of.

00:09:49.619 - 00:10:10.049

Yeah, that's what I miss. I don't know when I go out, where will I stay? Um, you mentioned singing, right? Yeah. Um Could you tell us a bit more about what kind of songs they were and what they meant to you guys uh, like, um, singing

00:10:10.059 - 00:10:39.719

during weddings? Yeah. They have like some uh how do you call that uh original songs? And also, um, like after the burial, we, we, I'm a Catholic, right? So we do some prayers for nine days after the burial. So like that, we say the rosary, we,

00:10:39.729 - 00:11:05.369

there's like people singing, you know, they sing some songs for, for the remembrance of the song, but now I believe with the young generations now, like few people goes to the burial already. You know, like, yeah, I know when, when my mom died already it's not

00:11:05.380 - 00:11:29.320

like when the old time because before there's no TV. Right. No. Right there. Some of you, some have, like, uh, ages but now kids know her, some, one that I take now. So it's really a change, a big change, a big change for 50 years. Right.

00:11:30.090 - 00:11:54.059

Mhm. So, how was your school and education, like, back in the Philippines? Oh, we, since, uh, uh, Philippines has been with Americans before. Right. So it's in English. We are books but I, we just go to school in the 1st and 2nd year and our dialect

00:11:54.859 - 00:12:19.700

and then as we grow higher, it's in English already. And then we just had one subject like a Filipino subject like that. But our newspapers are in English. Where you, yeah, that's why you speak English. What other subjects did you guys take? Uh like our region

00:12:19.739 - 00:12:57.989

on the first race? And like, and the Filipino dialect, Philippine, like the entire Philippines dialect language. What that dialect? Your hometown? I know, especially in my hometown is, is like a regional dialect. That's then the national dialect is the Filipino Filipino or we call that, yeah.

00:12:58.000 - 00:13:24.489

Like other countries too. Right. They have regional dialect language. That's nice to understand each other. And are the dialects very different from each other or you can communicate? Yeah. Right. Right. Others, other regions they have, it's other region, they have their own dialect. But then we

00:13:24.500 - 00:13:51.640

have our national dialect. The, the Filipino, I see. And finally, could you tell us a bit about um more the jobs that you had um maybe since coming to the United States and the Philippines or? Yeah. Ok. So, uh I was with the, like in the

00:13:51.650 - 00:14:13.070

nurse, there's some other services like the navy, the army, the Air Force, but I was like assigned in the medical center, like we call it Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center. But at one point, at one time, because my husband was assigned, I was married

00:14:13.080 - 00:14:33.270

then after five years in the military. So he was assigned in the regional region two like away from the city. So I followed him but there was a, there's a military camp on that side. So I went also and he works in the next town. So

00:14:33.280 - 00:14:52.890

at least we were together for two years. But that like that is like a dispensary is like a clinic. It's not a hospital really. So it's like I said, so I had a little vacation. It's a little vacation for me. I know that's nice. But then

00:14:52.940 - 00:15:10.109

after that I went back with, but you were always able to um stay in the same location with your husband. Um And just at that point at that point when he was over there, but then, then I came back to, to the city, to the man

00:15:10.119 - 00:15:27.369

to Manila, then he will just come home for a few, you know, for a few. Uh Yeah, every month. Yeah, because it's far, it's, uh, maybe it's near, if it is like, in America, the, the road is so nice. But there you had to, you had

00:15:27.380 - 00:15:53.169

to travel maybe 12 hours by bus. Yeah, 12 hours or more. Yeah. What do you and your husband each do now for a living? Uh, no. Ok. My profession, my husband is a mechanical engineer in my country. But then, uh, when he came here, you know,

00:15:53.179 - 00:16:08.090

what happened is that when I came here? So when I was in the Philippines, I was not, I didn't have a baby yet because you know, like there's a problem with, with uh you know, we cannot conceive. So luckily after two years over here, I went

00:16:08.099 - 00:16:26.880

home for vacation for one month, I get pregnant. Yeah, I know. And I did. But by that I've been having, you know, like prayers like I just be home for one month. Um who would believe I'll get pregnant right in my history. So I came back,

00:16:26.929 - 00:16:45.789

get the baby. My mom come over here to help me. Then I went home again. I bring my son to the Philippines and I get pregnant again. Right? Would you believe that with my history? I said, oh, these are God gift and you know that gift

00:16:46.070 - 00:17:06.770

to us for just one month, who would believe? At least they looked like my husband. I was laughing. I was like, oh, didn't look like him. I'm just kidding. You know. So anyway, so then the thing is he could have just come here. We just didn't

00:17:06.780 - 00:17:24.838

know that as my dependant that time. But I don't know with my lawyer, I got a lawyer and he put him like an immigrant status application that made the worst thing. He had to wait seven years to come over here. And then anyway, my parents, my

00:17:24.848 - 00:17:43.339

parents came here to help me, just me alone the time and then after work, he came over. So, but the problem is my kids had a syndrome that they, that that time didn't talk. Um So he and it's so expensive to have baby sitter right by

00:17:43.349 - 00:18:03.560

the time you're still in New Jersey. So he just, uh what's that? I just take care of the kids from the two a boy and a girl. And at that time, he, he goes to school for nursing. But luckily he did not like he did not,

00:18:03.810 - 00:18:22.579

he did not finish his nursing. So right now, uh when he would come to Houston, we come to Houston year 2000, August of 2000 because his family are here because my kids are and now they go to National Institute of Health if you know that the

00:18:22.589 - 00:18:45.369

research center of America in Maryland. So and at that, uh over there also, but make me to come to near to the family, to the these families that over in New Jersey, even to your friends, you know, it's a, if there's a vacations like Thanksgiving, Christmas,

00:18:45.920 - 00:19:03.579

I go with my friend. I had a friend that the family of her husband are also in that area in New Jersey. You know, I miss, I miss the togetherness, like in my, in my country, you know, like you're a foreigner, you know, like you're, uh,

00:19:04.000 - 00:19:20.030

you're not, like, you're not in that family and they're so happy. There's a, you know, because they are, you know, they, they're all there and we are just there and if, and also, if there's something happened to my Children who will help us, even though you

00:19:20.040 - 00:19:38.699

have friends, it's different. Right. I understand. Yeah, it's different. So now we're here. My kids are happy and also over there and, and one more thing, my kids are happy to stay here because over there we just had a townhouse so they could not play around.

00:19:38.709 - 00:20:05.920

I'm here. Luckily, you know. You know, so when I'm angry before we'll go back to New Jersey. Oh, mom, 78 years old. Nine years. So now, and there's, if like, occasions here, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, New, you know, New Year or weddings, we come together.

00:20:06.530 - 00:20:37.109

That's nice. At least my kids knows their relatives, their cousins, you know, I like, I like, like the weather here, my husband refused doesn't want the snow because we're, like, in the corner over there. He has to show and nice. Cool. Yeah. Well, yeah, you've already

00:20:37.119 - 00:20:58.939

told us a lot about your family, but we'd like to know more about your family background. Would you tell us a little bit about, um, your first name? Which is Pains, right. Uh, yeah, my first, my kids are here in America. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

00:20:59.359 - 00:21:22.510

Yeah. My maiden name is, my father's name is Ron. Laron. Ron. Is there any history or origin about your, of your first name? Um Did your parents tell you anything about uh I have, my name is Prospera. Right. Right. Like I think it's in the calendar,

00:21:22.520 - 00:21:40.880

you know, before the old people they get your name. Like you have Christian calendars, right? It's like I think, but I think it is a nice song you selected. But it, I'm so happy I got that name is, you know, when you go to your patient,

00:21:41.030 - 00:22:01.810

you your name, I'm your new nurse. Oh, that's a nice thing. Yeah. Oh, they always complain me with my name then I, they say that my is like, OK, God, I'm happy my parents named me this name, right? Very special name. Then nobody around. Right. Yeah,

00:22:01.819 - 00:22:28.880

it's nice. Right. You've told us that you speak two languages, English and catalog, right? Dialogue and English. So do you speak different languages at work at home or in any other settings that what about with your friends here? Filipino, Filipino, friends over here Filipino and some

00:22:28.890 - 00:22:54.420

are also with the same dialect some and how I wish I know my Spanish because in college we have four semesters. I finished four semester with Spanish in college and I had good grades. No, because it wouldn't, because if you don't practice right. Do your Children

00:22:54.430 - 00:23:17.050

speak? Oh. You know what happened is that we don't teach them because they were delayed in their speech. They have some hearing problem because of their syndrome. So we don't want them to be heard up, right? So how I wish we did learn. But anyway, just

00:23:17.060 - 00:23:43.119

more English. So, but you, you speak a lot of the languages. Um I speak Korean English, English and that's nice. Yeah, I'm originally from there. So and speaks, I speak Japanese and I'm learning Spanish. I said this in English because I have three already. I read

00:23:43.369 - 00:24:14.229

the Spanish too. Yeah, I should write that down because in the questionnaire we only saw two catalog in English. Oh, Ilokan a or Filipino, the same Filipino or Tagalog, right? Yeah. Which, which is, is your main language? And the one that you think, I'm sorry? Um

00:24:14.239 - 00:24:34.119

Which would you say is your first language is my first language? Yeah, that's a original dialect, right? Yeah. And you told us that your parents were teachers, right? Yeah. Yeah. Um What, how, which education did they receive? And how did they become teachers? Do you know

00:24:34.130 - 00:24:55.319

any like background of how they became teachers? My mother went to college for that as a teacher and my father this, you know, they said they go to the city for, uh, to be, to take that education. And my father, since he came from, you know,

00:24:55.329 - 00:25:20.430

lower status economic, he was like his in intelligent. So he was selected like original, he was selected to go to the, as a, so by scholarship he was able to go, you know, improve himself. Right. Right. So he went to a trade school and become a

00:25:20.439 - 00:25:39.910

teacher. So that is far and before we just have train as a transportation, so they might be just going home once a year. But I don't know, you know, but I'm just so happy he become a, he improve himself or else he would become a farmer

00:25:40.199 - 00:25:58.770

because his parents, he said, you know, at first they were just uh poor, like a share cropper. My father's side like, you know, like a farmer, they have, they own land, they go and share, you know, to work for somebody who has a land. And so,

00:25:58.780 - 00:26:22.930

so being, you know, savings, they save money and whatever they earn to fight the father to his parents. This, they buy lands and lands and that before that time is still cheap. But no, you cannot buy anymore. And then when my father become a teacher, you

00:26:22.939 - 00:26:46.469

know, his first salary, he said he bought a prop, a farm, a farm land. Yeah, his first salary. He bought a farm land. Same before yes one. And now you can buy them but there's no more land. Maybe that's expensive. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then for

00:26:46.479 - 00:27:07.290

to think, oh, that they are nine in the family. My father's side when, you know, they were, they get, they inherited some properties when they grow. So what I'm saying, with the parents, like a sharecropper, you know, at least the, you know, economic status on my

00:27:07.300 - 00:27:31.810

mother's side. Like my mother, my the parents of my mother, like they have, you know, they're not, they're not rich, they're like they already. But so they said that the grandparents, like my grandparents so that the land will not go to somebody like relative, you know,

00:27:31.829 - 00:27:59.680

the the the grandparents are related but not, not near but a little blood so that the property will not go away. So at least it goes and then they, they sell like like a trade then whatever from the farm that produce, please say it right? And

00:27:59.689 - 00:28:22.160

then she was able to go to comments also, right? And then become teachers. Um you know, I I'm so happy. They, they were our parents because they sent us to school. Like my sister, become a lawyer, my brother. Then do you see the, do you hold

00:28:22.170 - 00:28:43.819

any family reunions in the Philippines or in America or do you, how often do you meet your relatives? Um Like that's what I'm telling. But here I had for me, I'm just alone here. My mother's side. But they are all in California, like in my father's

00:28:43.829 - 00:29:05.540

side, there's a lot of them. But on my mother, immediate my father's side but my immediate mother's side, they're just four of us, first cousins to think of that. There are five siblings of my mother. Uh, two just had kids. Us, three of us and them

00:29:05.550 - 00:29:21.780

is four of them. So, like seven first cousins on the mother's side. But on the father's side there's a lot of first cousins. Yeah. I was telling my cousin in California, why not? We hold some, you know, a little reunion. I don't know. But when I

00:29:21.790 - 00:29:46.530

go to California, I met them but not like a gathering, not a gathering. Like I go to their house, like not to see them. So, but we had also like relatives in Canada. So when we go there, we like a little and you know, like weddings

00:29:46.540 - 00:30:11.500

like, like, uh, like Saturday, we had a gathering, my husband's family because uh, the youngest son that is the brother of Christy, you know, Chris. No, you don't. No, Christopher. So the one who initiated this Filipino. How do you, what you're doing? Oh, yeah, Chris. Chris.

00:30:15.339 - 00:30:34.869

Yeah. Yeah. The youngest brother married a Vietnamese last Saturday. So we had to gather all the relative of the, of my husband side are there. And then from, from Canada, they came over the brothers, the sisters of the mother of Christie came over here And my

00:30:35.040 - 00:30:56.300

God, the wedding is. So I said, how much they spend they spend on this wedding? And the Vietnamese is the only girl. Uh-huh. That, but she just had the one brother. Um, it seems they, they have a nice life. The Vietnamese. And the funny thing is

00:30:56.310 - 00:31:16.339

in the, if you had heard that in spring or maybe, oh my God, it's a beautiful place. Like you just rent a place and it's in a security area with a big, you know, like a big, like a mansion house. Wow, that sounds really cool. But

00:31:16.349 - 00:31:38.979

I said, oh, my God, how much? $10 does this? I do really enjoy it. See, these nice things. Right. If you have family around. Yeah. Uh, all your hard, you know, uh, your work even that you're working so hard at this if you see your family

00:31:38.989 - 00:32:04.099

and you happy. But those, how often do you go to California or Canada? Oh, not just Canada. Just maybe twice. Not much because they're not, you know, we're working. I work two jobs here. Yeah, I will do that. Yeah, that's it. I'm getting old, I think,

00:32:04.109 - 00:32:25.060

I mean, the, my classmates, we had away with my classmates, we went home, I went home last the other in November. Not this year for our 40 years nursing graduate. Wow. Ok. So, yeah, they have celebration and then our classmates are all retired. Some are retired.

00:32:25.069 - 00:32:54.790

But anyway, even though they retired, they go back part time. I see. Yeah. So I said I'm still here working but, you know, retirement year is 66 years old and we have some bills to pay. That's life in America, right? Um I'm gonna switch of it

00:32:54.800 - 00:33:21.800

and ask you a bit more about your, um, culture and tradition. So, uh, what kind of holidays do you and your family celebrate? Oh, in my country. Yes. Yeah, we celebrate birthdays, of course. Um We don't have Thanksgiving there but we have our independence. Uh It's

00:33:21.810 - 00:33:44.589

not like July 4th or independence, but mostly the Christmas and New Year and then like the Holy Week. Yeah. Holy Week is a very big one like the death of Jesus Christ. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And we celebrate that like since when I was there, when you

00:33:44.599 - 00:34:09.409

know, every and, and the Christmas time we had that uh mass in early morning, you know that like every morning we go to church at like four o'clock, we walk since, you know, we walk to the church and then go back to sleep after where else

00:34:09.419 - 00:34:30.020

there? Some food that you have to buy. And until the Christmas time, then we went to the chair at midnight, the midnight mass. You do that. I grow, I grow with that and the New Year and then the, as I said, the uh and also the

00:34:30.100 - 00:34:52.620

all day, like the uh what do they call it all so day? This, the remembrance of the dead people, you know, the November 1 and two. Like here they do it, the Halloween and the, we don't have Halloween in the Philippines. It's not like that is

00:34:52.629 - 00:35:16.969

like a business, right? Because, yeah, because you have to buy a and then you have the, this. So over there we go to the, to pray for the sauce over their beloved. I see. Yeah. So like, and so that, and then you go to church as

00:35:16.979 - 00:35:39.239

you love. And on Christmas time that I miss, I, I work at, at the, you know, we started December 16, we go 16 until the 25 we go house to house singing caroling. We call that Carol. We sing with friends and then they will just give

00:35:39.250 - 00:36:02.149

a sense ethos or can um I said, I miss that like, you know, they don't, your neighbors are not, you didn't have money or whatever. They just as kids, you know, I don't know. My music is as long as you pronounce the music, the songs I

00:36:02.300 - 00:36:23.959

uh have you preserved um the singing of the song since you came to uh Yeah, we, we over here now with my Maria, I know Christine's family. So when we have Christmas, so what we do, we go to the, their either of their, you know, their

00:36:23.969 - 00:36:48.020

mom's house and when they distribute, you know, we give exchange gift and then we sing Christmas songs and the New Year's Eve is in my house. Everybody comes to my house and Thanksgiving is the other brother's house. So that's nice. Yeah. What kind of Christmas songs

00:36:48.030 - 00:37:28.639

do you see here? Like the, the Silent, the American songs? Yeah. This American songs. Are there any other traditions or cultures that you've preserved since you immigrated? Hm. I migrate. That. What's that? Um. Oh, wow. So when you, I don't know, it's like a tradition that

00:37:28.649 - 00:37:52.370

when you build a house, like, even when we build our house, you know, when this, you just have to put some coins and the, you know, in the, in the cement, like, in the stamps. Yeah. And then my husband killed, like, uh, chicken and poured the,

00:37:52.820 - 00:38:19.060

the blood of the chicken. Yeah. I know that is to drive the, the, I mean, like my husband does it, you know, anyway, for me, I think tradition, you know, it's not, unless it's not, it's, it's bad, you know. At least it's, uh, uh, uh, if

00:38:19.070 - 00:38:42.340

it is good, you know, that you don't do any bad to other, other person. You know, it's that, how do you call that to follow them is just ok. Right. As long as you don't, other people's business or whatever that there's a word with that. I

00:38:42.510 - 00:39:06.750

think it's good to find a tradition if you don't do other to other person. How do you call that? I can say it in English as it is. You don't do damage just on other people. Right. Yeah. And the coins where they also. Yeah, I know.

00:39:06.770 - 00:39:26.459

It just, yeah, I know. I think to give, you know, the, the boy to give prosperity or goodness or luck for the house. Right. Right. They put it like in the interest and then when they put the cement, um, to put what, where we put our

00:39:26.469 - 00:39:49.520

house because when we built our house here, we really see it rise. We, when we we selected our spa and then we erected really go and see how it grow, how it is finished. So we put the coins, it's American coins. This is like the post

00:39:49.530 - 00:40:10.699

in the post. Yeah, I hope so far. I have, I think my house is, it was blessed. I hope because we celebrated a lot of masses in my house. And when you know, when we have masses with friends, we did our double wedding over there with

00:40:10.709 - 00:40:30.070

my friend and a classmate in nursing and a relative. My husband from Vancouver, we didn't know that we were got married like June 3rd in the Philippines and June 2nd in Vancouver. But that is like, you know that time, it's the same date. Uh So we

00:40:30.219 - 00:40:57.620

came, so they came over here for a double wedding and inside my house like I like to. So and then I had uh like a the priest of my town when he came over here, we and we say mass in the house. Um So, I think,

00:40:57.629 - 00:41:17.750

I think it's, I think it is a good house and, and now we have the tradition now that whenever, like if you have a party at home, our birthdays with my friends, we say the rosary, you know, we, we will see the rose and remember the

00:41:17.810 - 00:41:43.469

relatives that died. You know, because now parents died already because they're old. You know, his parents, my parents see Jose. Do you have any, um, particular practices to honor your relatives that passed away? Oh, we say, we say prayers and also we say like in the

00:41:43.479 - 00:42:18.129

church we, how do you call that? We like to be prayed in the church. Um, could you tell us any stories that might have been passed down through generations in your family? Uh, and, and my generation of the family tradition, right? Anything. It doesn't have to

00:42:18.139 - 00:42:42.250

be like, you know what the, the, as a Filipino, like the kissing of the hands, you know, I'm not familiar. Oh, you don't know that, right? Yeah. So, you know, it's a Filipino, like if a Filipino grew up in the Philippines, but here are some of

00:42:42.260 - 00:43:03.939

the American boy, uh, kids now, like the, that grew up in the Philippines. But some parents still instilled to them. Like if you met an elder people older than you, you had to kiss, you know, like it's not kissing like that. But, uh, like, you know,

00:43:03.949 - 00:43:32.760

you get my hands and put it in your forehead like a, a sign of respect. And then for your elder people, you call them uh or is like auntie, we call them auntie or the Yeah. And, and also there's a poor, like poor po or po

00:43:32.770 - 00:43:56.290

like a respect to them like yeah, like saying instead of saying yes, yes, like if you say is like there's a and say like you're saying yes, but there's it as a yes But it's like there's a like additional respect on the yes. You know what

00:43:56.300 - 00:44:20.060

I'm saying? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And we don't call first names in the same in Korea, we don't call, you don't call their first names like you call them. That's why they call them. Uh like if an older man, oh yeah, if there's this older lady or

00:44:20.199 - 00:44:44.699

else is a so everybody is a but not, you know, it's like a better saying uh telling them if you don't know their name like yes. But like every word that you say, oh I like it. I like, but my kids doesn't say that and you

00:44:44.709 - 00:45:00.629

know, if a, if a kid, if a person grew up in the Philippines when they come here and they say that poor, you know, that they really grow, you know, you know, they came from the Philippines because some, here, some kids doesn't say that poor anymore.

00:45:01.239 - 00:45:25.320

And then you ask them, you grew up in the Philippines. Uh uh Yes, yes. But there's a, like is like with a certain additional respect. Yeah. It's not like saying yes, addition. Oh, yes. But with like a certain in the air, like a certain respect. But

00:45:25.379 - 00:46:01.620

is there a similar way that the elderly talk to Children or younger generation? Uh, yeah. Uh, yes. Uh, like I had to tell them, like, an act, like, you know, an act, you know, you had to do like this, you know, like he's saying that to

00:46:01.629 - 00:46:30.719

the Children or any special words and reserved for older people talking to young. Oh yeah, yeah, if you call them a like a like, you know, I like uh a is like a child but that is another word and if you call them but if we

00:46:30.729 - 00:46:53.550

add something, there's our like if we request something for them to do, we have the word pak. I like a like it's not like do this do that? No, you know uh like you have to ask them, would you please like would you please do like

00:46:53.560 - 00:47:26.250

this? Could you please finish like finish, do you please clean up your room? But we have a said a word like like please but there's you know, yeah, but for me it's me like that but you know, as a request. Hm. Mhm. Do you use it

00:47:26.260 - 00:47:47.239

when you talk to your kids or you know the lower like they're lower in younger, you're a lot younger. Like when I come to America and when I was in New Jersey, I was the eldest in my unit, like at my floor because I'm a younger,

00:47:48.770 - 00:48:11.149

younger nurses. So they always call me at, at, yeah. Now when I come to Houston, when I work in Methodist and then, because I worked first Methodist for maybe two months, then I went to VA there's some, you know, VA is a area, a place, you

00:48:11.159 - 00:48:33.830

know I'm saying, like there's an old nurses over there. So I'm so happy because I had a, they're not that I, I'm not the one being said, but I had somebody to say, but now I'm all, I'm the, the hospital now. I'm the, now again. 62.

00:48:33.840 - 00:49:02.060

0 my God. That I see. You're young. You're nine twenties or no younger, 19,000, 1920 21. And see as if you're my grandma. Oh, no, my kids are 26 and 27. I helped them after 10 years. My son, after 10 years, same as like, and then

00:49:02.070 - 00:49:26.169

my daughter two years after. Right. Yeah. So that's why I'm the eldest in the family. But I have the youngest kids. My brother is the youngest, I'm older. The other really interesting. Could you tell us about some special food traditions that your family has? Yeah, we

00:49:26.179 - 00:49:59.760

cook like, uh, like we have the noodle, right? The, yeah, we cook the, we have some, we have, we, but as Filipino, you know what? In my country we eat vegetable. Like we cook the vegetable over there. Right. You, you cook your vegetable, you cook veggies,

00:49:59.979 - 00:50:21.260

your veggies, like, but over here, over there we, we have some Philippine vegetables. We have, they have, they are here too. Ok. Yeah, like in California most of them. But we cook them. We, we boil them, then we put fried fish. Right. We call them and

00:50:21.419 - 00:50:42.719

then we put, like, or salt or the salted fish. And that's our, that's our food vegetable. So, when I come to America, you know, even though that there's a little, uh, carrots in the, we got carrots when I come to America. My first time in New

00:50:42.729 - 00:51:08.770

Jersey, what they're eating, like, they're eating carrots, the salad, they're eating the cauliflower fresh. They, there's a lot of, how do you call that the whole culture? There's a lot of culture mushroom because our mushroom, the Phillips are different than here. They grow the mushroom here,

00:51:08.780 - 00:51:28.500

right? The mush. They grow the mushroom here. Mass production and their cas. But in our place, mushroom grows in the, like in the banana, you know, somewhere it's different. Mushroom. They have also mushroom in the whole, and the food, the whole whole food, whole food. Oh,

00:51:28.520 - 00:51:53.689

yes. Yeah. The other one with the, with the hat, I like that. Do you eat that fresh? No, I don't. I was cooking. I know. So, so the mushroom here is different. But, uh, and they eat here from, oh, my God, that did mostly fresh. And

00:51:54.169 - 00:52:13.300

so when I got, so when I go to the cafeteria at work, because at, at the apartment we stayed, we cook our food. Right. So, so you know the salad bar. So II I pick up the salad bar and I taste, you know, the, I taste

00:52:13.310 - 00:52:37.520

the broccoli, the cauliflower. At first I could not eat the broccoli fresh and then, oh, it's good. It's good. No, I, now I silent. Then they have the right. We don't have much over there. When I grow up. We don't have, we have cabbage. But we,

00:52:40.000 - 00:53:01.139

and so, and then I said, oh my God, America is very wasteful. Right? Yeah, I agree. I said that at work. I said, I, you know, when I get report, I anyway, you have to delete some of it. Right. Yeah, I know. So when I get

00:53:01.149 - 00:53:24.449

report, I use the, you know, we have some reprinted papers. I use the printed one. I use the bath and the other nurses. When they get report they'll just pull down the new paper. And I said, oh my God. And then I put back some before

00:53:24.459 - 00:53:44.530

I got, there's in the va that every printed paper, there's a black paper. Go, go with it. I don't know why it, like, I, I select all the black paper and put it back. Oh my God. The Filipino brain. Hey, is it an American? How many

00:53:44.540 - 00:54:04.209

watches do you have, I grew up with just one or two watches. Just one or two bag, one or two shoes. I like few dress and, yeah, my God. Yeah. Right. I understand. Right. Parents always taught me to paper. It's, I said America is so, so,

00:54:06.850 - 00:54:24.149

and then my husband said, yeah. At least there's a work for the people to do. Yeah. And they always give out like, so many plastic bags in the supermarket. Oh, you know, I recycle that. Oh, you do? That's, that's the one I used to earn garbages

00:54:24.159 - 00:54:40.600

liners, e garbage liners. And sometimes we, we, you know, I, I sent to the Philippines boxes, you know the door to door bags that you can. Oh yeah, we had the door to door bags, right? So the spaces uh so what my husband, we do the

00:54:40.610 - 00:54:58.399

plastic when we fold it nicely and then we send the, you know, the, you know, the bags and send them to the Philippines and they can use it and going to the market to the grocery because it's so expensive also. Like you see, and they can

00:54:58.409 - 00:55:19.659

use it rather here just throwing it away. But here I sit there and use it for liners. I don't buy, I just buy the, the big carpets liner. You know the thing for the big one I buy that, that's the one I buy. But the small,

00:55:19.669 - 00:55:48.590

that's why I buy the plastic garbage containers in the rooms in the bedrooms. That is just good for the, the face of the grocery bags. Yeah, you recycle things. Um So finally, do you have any um family possessions or like things or objects that were passed

00:55:48.600 - 00:56:23.050

down in your family? Uh Like my, my mother give me my, like jewelry and some properties in the Philippines, like land and I had lands like inheritance. Like that was, I think just that, but that, but the education is the best inheritance. I agree. I just

00:56:23.060 - 00:56:48.139

couldn't believe this, this French people anyway. They have money already here. Right. That's true. Yeah. But education is the best inheritance from our parents. We have to be thankful. Yeah. Yeah. That, that the school, that's why in my country, even though a poor family, uh, send

00:56:48.149 - 00:57:10.229

their kids to school, they really sacrifice and send them to school. Like here, especially the nurses here. My coworkers, most of us, they do. I do my second job not to send money. Ok. That's very expensive. But I had friends in New Jersey. Like, I know

00:57:10.239 - 00:57:30.094

most of my, you know, they say even though they have family here already, they get a, of their salary to send home so that their brothers and sisters will go also to school to be sacrificed. Somebody has to sacrifice for the family. Like my friend. She's

00:57:30.104 - 00:57:55.659

the, she's the lucky one to come to America. She, she sent her, um, her sisters trip them to nursing to the brothers then, like my other sister in law, she's the eldest. Like she didn't, you know, the parents are not, you know, economically she went to

00:57:55.669 - 00:58:17.379

South Middle East. So when she was there she send money for the brothers and the sisters to go to college. Yeah. And now when she's here now she seldom said no, because whatever she earned in Middle East, they both lands. And that's the one helping the

00:58:17.389 - 00:58:43.629

parents, like I said, like the old, the old Filipinos before they come to America as farmers, right? The, the history in California and Hawaii, they come as farmers and they send money to the Philippines to educate their brothers, sisters, their nieces. Now they become engineers, they

00:58:43.639 - 00:59:10.560

become doctors and teachers. Now the next generation that come to America are educated well as like the doctors. So the second Exodus are educated. That's why they really, that's life. Yeah. Well, one of the important topics about this project is on immigration. I would like to

00:59:10.570 - 00:59:27.350

know more about your immigration history. I uh we know that you left the Philippines in 1980 85 for New Jersey. And what were primary reasons that you decided to come to the United States at that time? You know, as a nurse and you know, Filipinos usually

00:59:27.360 - 00:59:44.219

come to America, mostly as a nurse because sometimes uh in my work. Well, I met everybody as a nurse in the Philippines, like they met here in the, in America mostly are the nurses or is that only profession? No, there's some other profession, but that's the

00:59:44.229 - 01:00:06.860

easiest way to get out. Right. Because before they need nurses. But anyway, uh, my mom before doesn't want me to go to America because, like, what will you do in America? And I said also when I was in my, in my over there, why Phillipi who

01:00:06.870 - 01:00:25.090

go to America? Doesn't, I never see them come back. but it is in America. I see that. What is in America? What is life in America? So anyway, I tried, as I said, I tried before but unluckily, I don't know, it's not my lap to come

01:00:25.100 - 01:00:47.909

out but a really push show when we had run out of money already. Remember I had to get out so to save money at the time, there was no internet or anything. There's no, how do you know about the opportunity? We have agencies? Yeah, there's agencies.

01:00:47.919 - 01:01:08.270

Yeah, that's before and then the like the per uh representative from the hospitals in America go to the Philippines and recruit the recruits. They recruited us. Yeah. And they interview us. Yeah. But we had to pay the agency, of course. Yeah, we had to pay that.

01:01:08.699 - 01:01:25.229

Was it a lot of money? No, I don't think so. But as I said, as I said, then the next to me they are all free already because at that time they need a lot of nurses here. Oh, my God, the free uniform, free housing, free

01:01:25.239 - 01:01:46.159

examination, free printing. Really? Yeah. On the 88 99 1992. But before me, but we had to pay me and my and my time. Yeah. But no, no. Did any of your family members come with you or did you come here? Leave me alone. I come along

01:01:46.179 - 01:02:02.360

with me with my husband, you know uh but how, but, but then how uh they say that on when I came here, he could have just come as my dependent. But then if my my but her family are already in Texas, I I don't know that

01:02:02.370 - 01:02:18.520

that but then we don't have money, you know. So and if he has to come with me, I'm with a group of girls. And so we live in an apartment six of us or so a man, a man, he's a male and then I can, I

01:02:18.530 - 01:02:36.145

cannot afford to have an apartment by myself. I see. So when did he move? After seven years? After seven years? That's why I told you the immigration that it's a mistake. I should have taken him as my dependent after seven years. Yeah, he waited for seven

01:02:36.235 - 01:02:54.479

months. What, what did the status um did you have when you first immigrated? I'm a working visa. I'm a working visa. Then after three years, maybe we could apply now for our immigrant. So for immigrant for five years, you should the immigrant for five to become

01:02:54.489 - 01:03:15.800

a citizen. Yeah. How was the visa process? Like when you apply for the second time as a nurse, immigrant for the immigrant, for the Philippines. But they, they process everything, the hospital here process with the agency for the working visa. Yeah, they pay, I think the

01:03:15.810 - 01:03:31.889

hospital pay for that. But for the immigrate immigration, I think I got a lawyer. It's better to get the lawyers because you don't know what you do. Yeah, exactly. I get a lawyer. So you had to stay in touch with the agency for a long time

01:03:32.760 - 01:03:51.439

in the Philippines. Yes. Oh, no, you can because, uh, when you apply and then they will call you when there's a, like a representative from America to do the interview and when you are selected then they, they start processing the papers. It's just maybe a few

01:03:51.449 - 01:04:10.709

months, a few months, a few months before. And your husband arrived here as a green card holder as a green card. I see. So he could work when he, he can, he can work. But he did not work because he, uh, my Children to them at

01:04:10.750 - 01:04:32.489

that time. The winter sea baby. Sit there the mama. Oh, interesting. Yeah, until now go to the house because I work, I don't know. I work, uh, I have a part time job. I work in bedtime also times if I like to go extra money and

01:04:32.500 - 01:04:51.979

I work nights, what were some of your, uh, first impressions about the country when you first arrived here. Oh, yeah, when they come here. And you? Yeah, II, I should have to talk over there right in the east coast. So I, so I, I watch movies

01:04:52.080 - 01:05:15.399

in the, in the Philippines, right. Western movies. Yeah, there's American, right. But then, and read magazines too. Right. So we, I, I, uh, where we stayed is like the New York, right? And the next, like the Hudson River in the New Year series, the, then the

01:05:15.409 - 01:05:40.100

Jersey City. But we next is like the, I know like that's right. Yeah, that is Japanese like the Panasonic. That's the, that's in front of the hospital is the Panasonic. The, how do they call that? The base, the base of Panasonic in Europe. They're not like

01:05:40.110 - 01:05:59.449

the helicopter headquarters. Like that's a headquarters. Yeah, the front of it because that area is like the a man the out like we know we have outlets, right? That's a, that's an outlet that is so known over there because of the outlet. So New Yorkers come

01:05:59.459 - 01:06:26.610

over there to buy things because a taxi six in New York. Yeah. So they mostly come to, to, to, to buy it. And that, and that town is, you know, that town that we stayed is a community hospital. It's like uh what are they white Caucasians?

01:06:27.590 - 01:06:51.229

What nationality are they not? Ireland, what nationality that day? Italians. So on the town before when I was when we were there. Uh-huh, few are Filipinos. It's just us, I think, or few of us and they didn't like they sent out a person by black people.

01:06:51.479 - 01:07:10.149

You know, there's so, there's so what do you call that? They don't like racism. There is. Yeah, before, but now mostly now are on that by so our generation, so some are nurses coming in to buy from uh houses now and some other Filipinos Asian Asian

01:07:10.159 - 01:07:36.879

people stay there now in that town like New New York is just 15 minutes by bus. You just go to the very close, just close to Europe, Manhattan. Yeah, 15 by train and bus because the bus from the town was straight on the highway on the

01:07:36.889 - 01:07:54.580

town of the New York. And then so ok, so from the air from the airport and they pick us up and then they at the, at the afternoon, then at night time this the we went to New New Jersey area and we went to see the

01:07:54.590 - 01:08:13.129

skyline of New York. Oh my God, this is nice, right? It's amazing. It's a, it's a beautiful and then then one of my friend after some, some time because we're still not working, right? We just arrived. So I think maybe one or two days we went

01:08:13.139 - 01:08:36.359

to New York. So see we went to the Manhattan and oh my God, I think that's Saturday, Saturday. Why? This is Manhattan? It's so dirty. And then by that time, the Philippines is so clean because of Marcos time when I left really, really clean. I remember

01:08:36.629 - 01:08:52.910

the Manilla before. It's really clean. Right. And I said, oh my God, it's good. Philippines is so clean than this. Oh my God. In Manhattan before. Papers like liters, you know, it's so dirty around. Oh my God. And then I said, oh my God. Houses are

01:08:52.919 - 01:09:15.750

so old. All my, all, all my friends are, you know, the nice, nice house like in Houston, right? Because that's my imagination of America. I see. Yeah, I didn't realize that there's, that's like that, I guess a country at work. Oh my God. Oh, my God.

01:09:15.879 - 01:09:38.259

But you know, you wash your hands right? And then, oh my God, there's a paper towel to wipe your hands and in the towels we can, we can wipe our hands in the tower. Not the paper towel. Oh, no, that's life in America. Yeah. It's very

01:09:38.270 - 01:10:13.250

different. That's nice. I'm happy here. At least with savings, you know, working hard. We get something. Bye. So why did you first settle in, um, your town? So, uh, was it where the hospital was located in the Netherlands Netherlands Hospital? But it is in, that's the

01:10:13.259 - 01:10:34.160

hospital that petitioned me to come to work? I'm just so happy that that hospital petitioned me. And then when I later I learned that my coworker in the Philippines is working there too. Oh, ok. Nice. And she was the girl, she was the nurse that she

01:10:34.169 - 01:10:50.569

was like a, she's, uh, someone that I told you that she work and she send money and because at that time we worked nights and like, her nurse, military nurse and then she's like my nursing aide at night, then she goes to work at, at night

01:10:50.580 - 01:11:12.939

and go to school in the morning to become a nurse. So it's really, it's really worker stuff. It's a hard, a hard worker. Yeah. And then we met each other again. It's nice. At least I'm not much lonely. Like, maybe if I went to other States.

01:11:13.229 - 01:11:44.470

Yeah. Anyway, you can just find yourself, uh, what else? Um, what was the hardest thing about moving to the United States? Mhm. Oh, I can't see my family, my immediate family. Yeah. Like my sister and brother. Um, at least I can see my nieces, you know,

01:11:44.479 - 01:12:02.859

to grow up. But, you know, they have their own family anyway. Yeah. But we, but now my God, with the communication that we do now, my God. I know. And now there's the b, and now you can just talk to them and I had the plan

01:12:02.870 - 01:12:25.629

in the telephone that every, it's $15 every month I could call international. Uh-huh. There's like, 500 minutes per month. I can even use that. It's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. But before, like, my husband, when you, a boyfriend and girlfriend, he has to go to the telegram. To.

01:12:28.330 - 01:12:47.779

So you're happy if you receive a Valentine's and, and there's a telephone before, but maybe there's, there is at work but not in the house. I say, yeah. Yeah. And I say, oh my God, how can you communicate before? And now, you know, when you go

01:12:47.790 - 01:13:07.759

to a friend's house you can just call them. Oh, I'm here at your doorstep. I'm here in, here in front of your house. You don't have to knock anymore. That's true. Oh my God. Yeah, I know. And now you can see the albums, your, your friends

01:13:08.040 - 01:13:27.600

and the Facebook anymore. You know what is happening, you know, like the thing that you, my husband posted them already and then my family in the film has not comments already. Oh, that's a nice dress. That's see before we didn't do that. Yeah, things have changed.

01:13:27.609 - 01:13:51.580

I know. See what science is. So, you know what, that's what my husband say. These scientists, this intelligent people, uh you know, like versus the athletes, they just play and they get more money, millions. But this inventors, the CNN and say is this is more, this

01:13:51.589 - 01:14:18.450

is better, you know, but these athletes they just play and everybody is the, the science. My God is amazing. Right? Then you can drive the car with a key. Oh my God. At first my car is right at first. I, how could I drive up with

01:14:18.459 - 01:14:34.759

my kid, my kid. And now I said, oh, that's, it's a good one because I don't have to bring up my kid with me. I can just, you know, you drive in the Philippines. Yeah. Oh, my God. Yeah. It's just that I'm lucky to have a

01:14:34.770 - 01:14:55.080

car because what, what happened is that I'm the eldest in the family. I have my brother and sister. So, since I went to school I remember in a government school I just, my vision is just so nothing like so cheap. And then my sister went to

01:14:55.399 - 01:15:16.779

law and then dad was a doctor. So my parents to, they give me a car so they give me a lot. So I drive but uh not, not too much because, you know, gas is expensive at time and you know, salary is just so I can

01:15:16.859 - 01:15:41.330

pull my friends from my house, do my work because it's fun. Yeah. Yeah. So when they come to America, they know how to drive. Have you done? But it's different again. It's this, I think, I think it is good. And you talked a lot about the

01:15:41.339 - 01:16:03.500

culture shock that you had coming here. But were there any similarities that you could find between the Philippines and um either Houston or New Jersey similarities. We can plant our, the same fruits the same year, the same vegetable we produce our own, you know, some in

01:16:03.509 - 01:16:32.770

summer time. No. Plant our vegetables. Yeah, because my husband and I also still want uh Phil, they must be really fresh right too. Um That's the narrative. You know what you could not say anymore because it's almost this kind of like now the time it is

01:16:32.779 - 01:16:56.569

different, it's different as well in the Philippines. Yeah, it's different. It's different. The same. Not maybe, but in a way I grew up, like, you know, I was, I was reading in the magazine yesterday, like the, you know, the toilet, you know, the toilet is outside

01:16:56.580 - 01:17:19.049

the house and you dig it on the, well, we have, well before and now we have like, yeah, not the top water now at our house. But I grew up in very kids, maybe elementary, uh, grade one, grade two, grade three. Still. We go out away

01:17:19.060 - 01:17:43.549

at the house with like a little hat and then now we have inside the house now. But right. Yeah. And then now that's the thing with them. Like my brother, like now, like, oh my God, he keeps every, because he's a doctor right now. So when

01:17:43.560 - 01:18:05.580

I remember when he was young, he just want to buy something, you know, when we were in the city. But, uh, it's like a toy gun. I don't know. My parents didn't even buy him. So he just cling to the was crying. Now my son, you

01:18:05.589 - 01:18:28.109

know, he gives, like, he gives everything he wants. But anyway, they're good kids. He's a doctor too. The son and he has a daughter and my son. They're both doctors. So life changed. Yeah. So um could you remind me? Are you a US citizen? Yes. And

01:18:28.120 - 01:18:55.720

why did you decide to get the citizenship? Mhm. Maybe to stay here. Just stay here. I don't know. But then I don't know if I had to apply for a dual citizen, a dual citizenship citizenship. Only for females, males are supposed to go to a military

01:18:55.729 - 01:19:15.209

service and if they go to military service and they can keep dual citizenship. But it's like a Korea. Yeah, there's a North Korea. South Korea. I'm from South Korea. And all, all men are support like they are required. Are you the, are you communist now or?

01:19:15.310 - 01:19:35.709

No? Um, South Korea is no longer a communist state. There isn't that there's a fight before. Yeah. Yeah. In 1950. And they really, they're like, they're, they're supporting them. Mhm. Oh, so that if you're a Korean boy, you have to go back. Yeah, they have to,

01:19:36.879 - 01:19:59.379

they could become American citizen unless they go to a military service that they can keep both citizenship. I think if they don't, then they can't give Korean citizenship. But the female females are a lot too. Yeah. It's interesting. I see. Yeah. Mm. And I think I

01:19:59.390 - 01:20:17.229

want to be American citizen because I had, my father stayed with me. Um, so that I can petition him but I think you can do an immigrant. Right? I don't know. So you did not get your citizenship. I had my full US citizen. Ok. Yes, I

01:20:17.240 - 01:20:40.919

see. I have my, because I work in the va you cannot go to VA unless you a citizen. Um, yeah, the veterans, what else we might know? Um, a lot of Texans are, like, really proud of just being Texan and not American. But do you feel

01:20:40.930 - 01:21:10.879

that way at all or do you consider yourself just American? Not Texan? I think I like American, but mostly Filipino. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Is there any Filipino restaurant in there is? Yeah, there's a lot in, and now you have the south main and south, right in

01:21:10.890 - 01:21:32.779

front of the, no, in front. It's super. Right. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Like in that intersection, right. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's a Filipino. Oh, my God. The first time they started, they open it up last September. Uh-huh. They just opened that up because they are

01:21:32.790 - 01:21:54.240

in the California side. That's their first be here in, in the east coast. I feel like my God. And the first days which I never go to make line to get inside is three hours. But now no more. But there's a lot of good, there's a

01:21:54.259 - 01:22:20.970

lot of good. Yeah, I'm interested, but it's different from the Vietnamese or Chinese restaurant. There's a lot. Did you go to, to, to, to, that's a Japanese restaurant. They about to, you don't know, you just got to school. I, I know if you're near Rice Village

01:22:20.979 - 01:22:38.660

and, yeah, I love it. No, I haven't heard it. There are a lot of great Japanese restaurant in Houston. There are a lot of great ones. Yeah. Yeah. But you know what, to be careful, you know, because, you know, girls, you know, I think, you know,

01:22:38.669 - 01:23:04.529

just be careful because, you know, people are disappears. Right. Yeah. Right. That's so scary. You be, they just set you over with. Right. Sometimes I look at the TV. Was watching this TV. Oh, my God, these girls are being smuggled, this Spanish people. They're smuggled to

01:23:04.540 - 01:23:31.220

come to America to be prostitute. Yeah, white is a white. You call the traffic, um, traffic woman. Oh, my God. This is scary. That should be careful. Like, uh, like the, like you guys, you go for breaks, like spring breaks or they go to drinks and,

01:23:31.259 - 01:24:01.009

yeah, I, I heard of it. Yes. I don't drink, even though I was in the military. I didn't even, my husband collects wine. I know we have a lot of, I didn't even drink beer. I know. I'm a good girl. It's fine. But that was all

01:24:01.020 - 01:24:53.399

we had to, um, all we had prepared to ask, where are there any other, um, memories or experiences you'd like to share and the tradition. Right. Yeah. What is that? Like, experience in America, right? The cultures? Yeah, that's a good one. Ok. What you, uh,

01:24:53.669 - 01:25:19.160

you know, in the, in the Philippines when I grow up? Hm. You know, we grew up in. Right. Right. And Korea maids are very expensive. They only, like, you know, no, but I studied in Malaysia. So there were a lot of people who had maids, Indonesian

01:25:19.169 - 01:25:39.479

maids at home from, from Indonesia, from Indonesia. And now also a lot of Filipinos become maids in other countries. Oh, there are Filipino workers in Malaysia too. Yes. Maids maid. Yeah. Like, you know, before is still cheap. We, we grew up with maids even. We were

01:25:39.490 - 01:25:59.209

not rich. I see. Yeah. And now you have to work here. Yeah. Yeah. But now that I do some extra job, I just, but sometimes I cannot afford like to have my house to be clean because I have my friends, I know she has a big

01:25:59.220 - 01:26:17.390

house. She has her, she had a Spanish lady who come to her house twice a month at first, once a month in my house. But then I, I just call her if I need her pr N, is it very expensive here? No, it depends. But I

01:26:17.399 - 01:26:39.100

just pay her, my friend pays 90 per visit but her house is big. But me, I paid her because I just, I just call her once in a while. I pay her 100. Sometimes 1 20 depends. I say, yeah, it's just the best thing. It's the

01:26:39.109 - 01:26:58.259

best thing and I clean, I clean my house. But I said because if I have to clean my house it takes my whole day. I'm tired. I said I'll just go and do my overtime. See my overtime will just be me amazing. Yeah, the cleaning lady

01:26:58.270 - 01:27:27.350

let me just stay there. You know, my second job. Yeah. I said, oh my God. And survive that there. Is that how you prepared? And thank you so much for your time to participate in the interview about the pictures. Oh, yes. And I, you know, I

01:27:27.359 - 01:27:39.839

just, I just, what do you want to see? It's the middle one you want about um my US citizenship. You.