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This is Anthony Rogers and this is Chris and we're from Rice University with the Houston Asian American archive project. And we're here today with Mr Ronaldo Pan Rolando. Uh What would uh would you like to start off with telling us about where you're from? Uh Philippines?

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Yeah, I was born in the Philippines uh in the province of Le Union in the town of and uh I went to school there in Manila from uh college. First I went to school in my hometown. Then after graduating the uh high school, I went to

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Manila to get my course. I started the engineering but it's too hard, you know. Then uh my daddy uh called me back to my hometown. Then uh I went to get the uh technology uh practical electricity and uh industrial electricity such as uh welding electrician. Then

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I have my uh I have my own uh store like uh electrical and uh cement because my daddy is working in a cement factory, he supply me cement with the factory price. Then I'm seeing, you know, and uh since I'm seeing those electric electrical parts, I

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ask those people that need the electricity in the house that if they will buy the whole supply on me, I give them installation free. So I installed the houses for their electricity. You know, then when I'm tired, uh doing that job, then I ask my dad,

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can I go back to college? Then? Uh I decided to get uh commerce, commerce is look like a business, you know, then I took uh business school from the National University in Manila. How old were you? How old were you when you own your own store?

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Uh, I graduated high school at the age of 16. Then, uh, I stayed there for, uh, after graduation. Then I went to Manila for one year. Then went back to, uh, to my hometown. Then, uh, maybe I was 19 years old when I went back to

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college. Then, uh, I decided to get business. Then I finished my business, then, uh, apply for job. Then I'm working in a, uh, uh, you call that, uh, business district during the night and I go to school, uh, while, um, still on school of, uh, during

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the day. Then later on I worked night shift after graduation from, uh, that, uh, Pacific Data Corporation doing some, uh, computer. What year was this? Oh, I cannot remember the year, maybe nine years after college. Yeah. Then later on I took also some computer courses while

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I'm, uh, working. I took, ah, assembly, FORTRAN, Kabul. And, uh, then later on I decided to take the board exam for accounting. Well, we are reviewing for the board exam. Well, some of my friends uh just kid us that, hey, let's go to the Embassy, what

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uh we can get the application, go to America. He said, ok, then uh we decided to go there. But uh the problem is you got to leave early around three o'clock in the morning because the only a uh accommodate uh 60 people, then after 60 people,

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everybody will go home again for the next day. You know. So we went there very early in the morning. Three o'clock fall in line. Then the and uh I'm one of the uh before uh 60 people get application, then pull up, then uh send it here

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in California. I decided to go to California. Then uh it takes me three years before I receive a response. But before that my daddy is uh discouraging me. There's nothing. See, you have been sending your application for three years and uh you haven't received anything. And

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after that, I was surprised I received the uh response from a US Embassy in uh California that uh they need my physical exam and an interview. Then I pass, then I came to America. When did you decide to apply to come to America? Those people that

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uh they just make uh you know, those uh people that uh with me when we are uh reviewing the uh uh board exam, I took the board exam. But I feel, you know, feel those subjects then I decided not to continue. You know, I got my,

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uh, my reference will, uh, I work also from while my dad is there because, uh, you are free as much as you are. Uh, your daddy is working there. You know, we were, then we study during the night for the, ah, industrial electricity. Then I went

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to California. But, uh, before that I got a girlfriend in my neighborhood which, uh, also a relative of mine, third cousin from your hometown. Yeah, this is my, my relative, you know, when I was quoting her, still in school, taking nursing, you know, then graduated nursing.

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She came to America and exchange visitors, uh, here in Houston. Uh, she came ahead of me 1971. But it's just the exchange visitors. Well, me, when I come here in United States, I am an immigrant. I stay in California. Then call me during the night, you

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know, talking together and then later on she come and visit, visit me in California. But, uh, she got an uncle living in, uh Oakland, which is a, uh navy. You know, that, uh, when she was there arriving, I was working in California on, uh, hospital. Like,

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uh, they call it the Honeyman Hospital. Mm. As the, uh, house housekeeping then, uh, I guess it started that week when, uh, she came, I asked my boss, can I go and pick up my girlfriend in the airport and she asked me, what do you want?

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You can select your job or her, is it? Yeah. Then, uh, because if I go with her then maybe they're gonna fire me. You know, then, uh, I decided to stay in my job. Then I called my uncle to pick up my girlfriend there. And then,

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yeah, then, uh, she went to her uncle in, uh, Auckland. Well, after my work, then I went to visit her. Then after a week, she came back here in Houston because she's a nurse. She worked with a Methodist Hospital. Then, uh after six months working in

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uh California in uh San Francisco, I decided to quit my job and I moved here in Houston because my wife is, I mean, my girlfriend is encouraging me, hey, come to Houston. You got lots of jobs here. Then they came here. Then, uh she provided me

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a apartment. Then, uh I stayed in the apartment and later on we decided to get married, you know, and we got kids from, uh, first we got my daughter first, my daughter, then every two years, we got kids and for five years, you know, I mean,

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the five kids, you know, they got two years interval. What year were you married? Uh, 1972 June then, uh when uh I came here in Houston then after uh three months, I learn a year, I was a clerk in one of the, uh, uh, we call

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that, uh, paper company but I, I'm just a reliever because somebody got pregnant and, uh, get the baby. That's why I got to do her job. Then after that I was laid off and I find another job. Was it difficult trying to find a job during

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the seventies? Uh, it's easier rather than now. Now it's too hard. My kids takes, uh, maybe a, a year before they can find a job. But my, my first daughter, Christie, it's the job that look for her, not her, look for the job. Yeah. Before graduation

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for her, you went to her school? They ask her, hey, you wanna work with us? Ok. So I take care of my kids. Well, my wife is working during the night. Uh, she's a night shift. 3 to 11. Well, I work, uh, six o'clock to four

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o'clock. But my, uh, my wife, before she go to work, she leave my kids to other people. Either other people who also in nurse. She asked them, hey, are you off today? Can I bring my kids to you? Ok. Ok. Like that, you know, then keep

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on going. I pick up after, uh, after my work I got to pick them up. Then later on my first daughter is three years old. She went to a preschool. Then, uh, after preschool is only a 5, 1.5 years old. Then, uh, classes opening for the

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first semester. Of, uh, elementary. She took some for grade one and she passed without going to, uh, kindergarten. See, he's only, uh, 5.5 years old when he start. And so, uh, we didn't see us in his school then. Uh, I, uh, she's the, uh, I got

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to pick her up before six o'clock because once, uh, you will not pick up your daughter kids before six o'clock, they're gonna need to pay, I think $5 money, you know, extra money. So I got to leave early to my, from my work. Then I work

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with the Stuart Stevenson is the uh what it called that manufacturing for to be generators. Uh I worked there for 25 years, then later on our supplier with a general electric company. Then uh take over, take over the uh company and uh including the employees. So

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I worked there for 37 years. I mean, uh 12 years for uh GE and 25 years. But uh it was carried over your seniority, devote your seniority and I got 30 saving years, you know, did you keep the same job once Ge took over? Did you

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get a new position? So that's the way my life is on here in the United States. Can you tell me some more about uh your family back in the Philippines? Well, my daddy, uh when uh he's in college, he's a member of the ROTC. Then uh

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when the war broke down the got him and uh enlisted him as a, say, a third lieutenant on the military. So he became a, a soldier. You know, then uh during the war, he fought with the Japanese here with the uh 4.2 mortar batteries. But uh

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after several years, you know, well, uh Philippines, most of the soldiers were captured and uh my dad is one of them and uh, they put him in prison in, they call it then after that, he joined the March which around, uh, maybe, uh, 200 miles to

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walk from, to when he was in prison in, uh, in a concentrated camp. But the Japanese since, uh, he was a, uh, officer, he got, uh, a little, uh, more supply than those, uh, regular soldier soldiers. You know, because some of his friend with, uh, their,

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uh, uh, what I call that, uh, just a regular soldiers, not the officer, they've been, uh, in the soul of their shoes to survive, you know. So, since my dad as an officer, somebody sneaking like a nurse sneaking to give him boos. But, uh, they found

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out and, uh, I think they killed the nurse by the Japanese. Then when my dad, uh, get out from the, uh, when the war is over and they were released from the, uh, prison. He stayed in Manila and, uh, you stay with your friend, uh, until

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he recovered, you know, because he's also a very well at skinny then uh after several years, he continued his uh school, he went to National University to get his uh engineering course, civil engineer. Since he is in the military. He got the, we have that uh

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people that the military, that the military will be the one to uh give your tuition like that. So, Con Venus Engineering, uh I was already born when he's in school. I stayed with him in Manila. I'm, well, I'm, uh, I think, uh from four years old

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to 66 years old. That's in 1950 1948 to 1951. He graduated in January 1951 in 1950. Then he passed the board in 1951. Then he worked with northern cement industry for 35 years. Then, uh when I was here in the United States, since I got lots

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of kids, you know, first petition my mother to come and help, you know, babysit. Then he come on BBC. Then later on my mother petitioned my dad. Then they came here, apply for uh veterans and she got a pension. Then after that, she started by staying

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here in the United States because she cannot just get out without me because they are not driving, you know, then every Saturday or when I was off, that's the time that I can drive them around. Then he's not happy for that. He want, he want the

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uh, life that, uh, he can, uh, go around. That's why he went back to the Philippines because in the Philippines, all you're gonna do is uh get there like a, you know, it, right? Can you bring me there? Can you bring me there? Then they can

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bring him anywhere? You know, while here you get to know how to drive before you can go around. Yeah, when, when did your parents come to the United States? Well, my mother came here 19 with my little girl is uh I think uh 1980 can remember

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what they, because my mother stayed here for 25 years and your father came before that? No. Uh my father came after, oh, ok, then uh well, my uh father went back to the Philippines. My mom stay here. She go there once in a while to visit

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my dad. You know, then she got sick. She got the, then uh she died on here in the United States. Well, my dad died in the Philippines in 2004 and my mother died uh 2007. Then we bring her body back to the Philippines instead of uh

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burying here in the United States. You know, because that's what they want. So how often do you go back to the? Well, uh I went, we went there with my family in 1986 like every four years, something like that. Then my dad, when my dad passed

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away before he passed away, they told me that there is an emergency. Then I went, then after a year, uh after maybe 63 months, I went back again because he died. He died. Then after a year, I went back again up there. We, we bury him.

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Then uh we got those uh all those uh prayers for 99 days. Then after that, I came here in the United States. Then after a year to celebrate his anniversary, I went back to the Philippines to celebrate his first year anniversary. Same as my mom. When

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my mom died, then we bring him to the, bring her to the Philippines, then uh body in there. Then three, I stay there for 34 weeks. You know, then after a year, I went back there again for celebration of her anniversary. That's the tradition that we

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got to have a big uh prayer and a party to celebrate the anniversary. Then uh after two years, I went back again. Then my brother is encouraging me to. Well, uh since my mother is already here, he petition also my brothers. That's why all my brothers

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came here in the United States. But my other brother, he got a girlfriend and in New Year's Eve, that's why it's the girlfriend and they get married that uh bring him to New Jersey and now he moved to Houston. And now we are three in here

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in Houston and one, the youngest one, he cannot uh he cannot stay here. He don't like to stay here for long. That's why he went back to, uh, Philippines and now he got his family there. How many brothers do you have to? I will get four

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in all. I'm the first one. Yeah. And, uh, so my, my brothers are not far from my house and I go visit them once in a while, uh, go fishing with them. You know, because that's my habit. Go fishing. So then stone free. Yeah. And, uh,

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right now my brothers got farmed and they supply me eggs every week. Like a big, because, uh, you got a farm big farm. 79 acres. And here in 288 they give me a chicken to. But, but my kids don't like it once. They say that I'm

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butchering. Hey, you got to be, uh, you got to love those, uh, chicken, don't butcher them. Ok, then, uh, if I butter them they don't like to eat. Once it come out, it come from the, uh, they're not, not in store. They don't like to eat.

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Then, uh, my hobby is, uh, go fishing and, uh, have my garden in my backyard. Vegetable garden. That's why most of the time I'm not buying any, any, anything from the stores. You know, only some, uh, dry goods. I got my eggplant, uh, Bermel beans. I

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got all my, in my backyard. And now since I'm retired, I stay, I stay home. Yeah. After retirement I went, now, me and my wife went to Europe to visit because we haven't gone there for a long time. We have been seen in Europe while my

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daughter will go there every three months because he worked with Shell. And uh, she, uh she is in the Netherlands, went to report every uh three months. He's there. So we went to uh Portugal, we went to Spain. Uh we went to France, Paris. Yeah, there.

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So maybe the next two years again, maybe I go to Holland or somewhere. So how did your um can you explain how your wife, the wife, your wife's program to go from the Philippines to Methodist Hospital? Well, uh she's a nurse in the Philippines. She applied

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uh with the uh we all the exchange visitors like a agency. Mhm. Then uh the recruit her, they got 21 of them when uh they came here in the United States. Then it uh it was uh petition by uh we call that hospital. So they are

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all together 21 there then after a year. But uh they are only uh not uh not the uh all that uh not a nurse on here but uh like uh help her until you pass the board exam on here. And after passing the board exam, then

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they give you big money, you know, because you are already here in United States and she's still there for 40 39 years now. 71 that's uh 40 years already. In a Methodist. Some of his, uh, her is that came here at the same time, leave the

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hospital and, uh, go all over. Like, uh, they, New York, Washington, California. They go everywhere. You know, I think they got only three of them left in me for those 21 people. Yeah, because, uh, in the Philippines, once you are a nurse, most of the nurses

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don't stay in because they don't pay much. That's why if, uh, some, uh, something that pass around maybe 2000, all of them will get out. Maybe, uh, I know somebody just go back, maybe talk, them, went back and stay there in the Philippines. Do they usually

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come to the United States or do they go to, they go anywhere Canada or, uh, England, Australia, Middle East. Yeah. As long as they can earn more money because our money is not too big, you know, right now it's around 45 per dollar by. So they

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make more money. Do you have a religion? Yeah, Catholic as that. Since I was a kid, I was a Catholic when my, when I married my wife, she is in uh, other religion. Uh, cheers of grace. But the priest that, uh, married us don't like to

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marry us unless she will convert, go back to Catholic. But actually she was born Catholic. Her dad is the one exploring, uh, only, uh, religion transferring from one religion to other religion. So, uh, since we get married and uh she's a Catholic and now he's a

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die hard Catholic. Uh go to church every day once, uh she finished her work in the afternoon, around five o'clock left the house, go to church. He's a member of uh four, I think, four Catholic organization. Like uh well, that uh I forgot the name, uh

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Precious Blood. Uh Holy rosary. Proceed. Uh The our lady of Lord. And then uh there's another one, I forget the name. It's in my, it's in my mouth but I cannot like, what's that? So she uh every like, uh, every week like Saturday,

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she go to meeting from one place to another, right? Different church. Uh like our house is surrounded by churches. You got three ho uh church there but we go uh to a different church that far from our house. Not the one that you can walk. I

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was like, I don't know why. Oh, we go to Notre Dame in uh because the pastor is a Filipino, right? Oh, you know that I, I've been to. Oh, yeah. And our house is beside uh uh San Teresa at the back and uh, and the front

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is uh mm, the one in uh Bill was that, uh, there's another church there. That's why, uh, it's not far from our house. That's why. But I don't know why my wife go further. So, did your wife convert when you got married? Yeah, I know you

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Catholic even her dad, her dad after, like, uh, he saw in America or something like that, you know, then you go back to Catholic. Her dad, uh, her family is in Canada. We go there and visit every, every year. Where do you live in Canada? Yeah.

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Saskatchewan Regina. We are scheduled to go back there. What, uh, July 30th or visit. We go there every time and, uh, her dad already passed away there and I, she got her sister, 23 sisters and uh two brothers there. So they got a reunion every time

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one is in a Winnipeg. And uh every time we go there, it's a coincidence that uh it's her birthday because August 4, you know, that's why we celebrate her birthday every time on there. And my kids are telling us you haven't celebrate your birthday here. You

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always celebrate in Canada because that's the uh we call that uh when we go there, that's the uh vacation, you know, so it's a coincidence that we go there during vacation. We stay there sometimes a couple of weeks. But this time just only one week because

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the hospital don't approve the other week because they say, and even a year ago, you like now her vacation next year for 2012, she already told her boss that I will be vacation on this day. Once you are late, then you cannot do anything. You know,

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that's why could you talk about the different languages? You spoke when you were in the Philippines. Uh do what different languages is it? You know, you mentioned you had, you spoke a dialect with your family. Oh, yeah, in my hometown we speak uh because we are

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then uh when you go to Manila, you got to learn how to speak uh Tagalog because that's the national language of the Philippines. So that's uh I, I understand some other languages like because uh my hometown is in between. Uh and uh that's why some of

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the people that, that live in my hometown speak uh I know a little bit but not much. What about in school? Did everyone speak English or did? Yeah, in our school. Yeah, because I said I was great work to teach us English. But uh right now

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they do uh like uh they emphasize for the uh student to get a Tagalog courses. So they get to learn because some of those uh further south, like uh in your, in your parents, if they went to Manila and they go to Manila, sometimes they cannot

00:35:49.580 - 00:36:14.300

speak uh the dialogue because most of the time they're uh dialect, they're like uh or, or whatever, you know. That's right. That's why uh some of those uh my coworker Filipino, we cannot speak the fluent uh dialogue. So that's why uh some of those uh people

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in here like uh those Mexican, how do you learn uh how do you learn how to speak English we learn when we were kids, you know, then they're asking me, you Filipinos, you came here in the United States just to teach us how to work. Yeah,

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because you don't know how to work. Yeah. Those Mexican, they are doing that because they came here illegally. You know, you cross the border. They don't even know how to do. You know, because, because they didn't go to school. Filipinos are 90% go to school. Did

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you go to a Catholic school? No. Uh, no. Regular, just a regular public school. Did you teach your kids? Um, oh, we teaching them but they, they don't like to learn. But, uh, my, uh, my other son, you speak in Filipino and he will answer you

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in, uh, English. He understand it but he cannot talk well. Uh, on those other ones, the first thing that they want to learn are those bad words. How many Children do you have? Five? I got, uh, two boys and three girls. And where do they, where

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do they all live? Now? My daughter, Chris live here in downtown. He got a house there and then, uh, my other daughter got a house in, uh, in, uh, Grand Parkway. My other daughter is in New York. My other son, my youngest son is, uh, he

00:37:58.439 - 00:38:19.419

live in an apartment. My oldest son is still in my house. It's still, uh, it's only now that he decided to go back to school. Well, the rest is already graduate graduate. Now, he's taking nursing. Where did your Children study? Uh, where did you, where did

00:38:19.429 - 00:38:42.300

your Children study? Who your kids? Well, my daughter, Chris, uh, went to school here in downtown uh University of Houston. He was the most, uh, what smarter because, uh, uh he was there then, uh she become the uh editor in chief of the newspaper and the

00:38:42.310 - 00:39:06.189

University of Houston. That's where they found that uh after, before, before six months graduation. Well, uh shell company went there to recruit her and uh she met her husband, one of the writer and the editor of the newspaper. So then later on they get married, they

00:39:06.199 - 00:39:38.250

got two kids. Her husband is a, is uh like a, a writer and now he's sticking low. But my daughter is the one that are paying the school. You know, because uh she make, she make more money than her than him. My other daughter, most of

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my kids are, uh they take a computer. My first daughter is a information system and she got her master's degree. Uh I don't know while taking a master's degree, she applied for the Texas Hall of Fame. They gave him a, they gave her a scholarship then

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uh whatever the uh Hall of Hall of Fame don't pay, then the shell company pays all the master all the expenses. Uh They are encouraging her to take her phd. But I don't know when, when the, she took her master's degree. She applied here in uh

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Rice University. But the problem of rise before is, uh, you got to give up your work to be a full in your. But right now they changed their curriculum, you know, you can work while you're studying, you know. But before now, well, you take your master's,

00:40:51.929 - 00:41:16.419

you got to take 100%. Ok. That's why she didn't come here. But she passed the board. Uh she passed the exam on here for uh master entrance exam. Then she went to uh University of ST Thomas. That's where she graduated. My other daughter also uh went

00:41:16.429 - 00:41:39.399

to school there in uh University of Houston. Uh two of them, the one in New York also went there in the University of Houston downtown. Well, my youngest, also a computer uh technology went to uh uh we at the central campus in the University of Houston.

00:41:39.479 - 00:42:12.219

Yeah, all in University of Houston right now. My uh oldest son is in uh Houston Community College taking a summer class for nursing. So the everybody went to school. Yeah. What about um when you went to school in the Philippines? What was your biggest memory memory?

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What memory of, of school in the Philippines? Uh like uh well, I, I went uh maybe four or five different schools in there because of course I went to college then later on hard for me I drop, I mean, a I did pass some other subject.

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My dad get mad. Well, it's not easy, you know, because, uh, you are the first born and, uh, once you leave the house because, uh, in the Philippines you go to Manila, that's around, uh, five hours. You stay there until you finish your first semester. Or

00:42:58.229 - 00:43:23.020

if there's a holiday maybe 34 days, then I go home then, since I'm a first in the family, uh, my concentration is not on school. That's why I flung some subjects bit later on. I get the, uh, I went to art school, which I, I took

00:43:23.030 - 00:43:52.219

my, uh, uh, practical electricity. Then, uh, when I worked in the, give us a, they hire somebody to teach us, uh, industrial literacy. Then I went back to Manila to get my course in a business. Then after that, then I work, then I go to other

00:43:52.229 - 00:44:14.310

school again to get a computer. That's why maybe 56 different schools that I went. Yeah. Did, um, did your family have, um, a lot of pressure to go to school or? Well, and they encourage you, you know, because, uh, if you, if they wouldn't encourage you

00:44:14.320 - 00:44:33.280

to go to school, then you will be, I mean, you cannot live, you what you, what life you want, you know, like, uh, in, here in the United States, most of the people here after, after graduation from high school, they were, after working, they don't like

00:44:33.290 - 00:44:54.770

to go to school anymore. Right. That's what the pressure drew in the Philippines. That's why 90% of Filipinos go to school even. Uh, you are very poor. You're gonna borrow money. Like my cousin is, uh, his dad is a farmer and uh, he went to medical

00:44:54.780 - 00:45:19.870

school. Then, uh my dad uh, give uh help. My uh cousin go to school, buy books. You know, then, uh, since my cousin cannot afford to buy books, then he went to the library and study before he go to class. Then he finish because uh medicine

00:45:19.879 - 00:45:37.520

there is 10 years, not like on here. Maybe I don't know how many years in here. Engineering there is five years. What is a bachelor's degree in five years? So he finished his uh medical school, then came here to United States and now he is such

00:45:37.860 - 00:45:57.770

uh doctor is a plastic surgeon. That's why even you cannot afford even you don't have money. You got to make way so you can uh you can let your kids go to school. That's what they are doing there in the Philippines. But like here in the

00:45:57.780 - 00:46:21.500

United States, once you can afford, that's all you go and find a job to, then you can uh go to school what to tell you, right? They let you go find job first before you go to school here. So what was your um your biggest uh

00:46:21.510 - 00:46:38.840

memory of when you came to the US? What kind of impact did you have, when I say, ah, it's a big impact for me because uh once you come here in the United States, it look like a glory to you. You know, because you earn American

00:46:38.850 - 00:46:57.600

uh dollar. Well, compared to the, ok. So, um, were there any surprises when you came to the US? Was it not what you expected? Yeah, because uh in the Philippines you cannot afford to buy a car on here. You'll be surprised you can buy whatever amount

00:46:57.610 - 00:47:12.550

you can, you can drive on here. You can do uh like uh those uh rich people there in the Philippines you can do now on here because people here are all the same, you know, you got money, you can buy anything you want. So did you,

00:47:12.560 - 00:47:37.110

did you buy a car when you first got here? Oh, well, I got the second hand car. Then I drove, I drove all over United States already. I drove to uh California to L A San Francisco. I went to uh uh Florida. I went to uh

00:47:37.429 - 00:48:00.419

Louisiana maybe many times because uh one time my brother lived there, then I go visit him maybe once a month. I drove to New York to Long Island. I drove to Canada where my wife's uh, family maybe three times already from here. You drive, uh, what

00:48:00.439 - 00:48:22.199

you call that? Uh 35 go to Dallas. Then Dallas it become uh 36 I guess. Go all the way to north Dakota. Oh, then from North Dakota you cross the border, go to, uh, Saskatchewan because the, the first state of Canada that you can hit up

00:48:22.209 - 00:48:41.560

there. North Dakota is Saskatchewan is right. You go to Winnipeg the first time we went, we went to Winnipeg. Didn't go around. Then from Winnipeg to Saskatchewan is another eight hours. I don't know, two or three days every time. Like, uh, California is the longest. I

00:48:41.570 - 00:49:02.520

can it be three days, three night, we make games. Is it easy to cross the border into Canada? Well, uh there are some people in that district, you know, because uh when we cross the border, we get all the papers. Then uh the one in front

00:49:02.530 - 00:49:22.229

was they are, I don't know, they are young. They let them uh bring out everything in their car but others, it just should be a show you our paper I will since in the United States because I applied my citizenship. When uh after five years that

00:49:22.239 - 00:49:48.939

I came here then uh after applying and then does the time that I my wife because my wife is an exchange when we get married. Then uh I petitioned her because I am an immigrant when I came here and a third preference. So she becomes same,

00:49:48.949 - 00:50:17.250

same name. Then 79 I become 19 and uh I came here in 1972 I became a citizen in 1970 75. Jump to six. I my wife and become, is it easy for Filipinos to become us citizens? Well, there are some, uh, because, uh, you got to

00:50:17.260 - 00:50:39.629

push the, uh, pass examination too. Mhm. Well, uh, before it's easier, easier. Yeah, when, uh, you're in the seventies easier it's, uh, once you are a resident of five years you can apply for citizenship. But now maybe a little harder now. Well, uh, there are some

00:50:39.639 - 00:51:01.330

Filipinos that, uh, illegally came. they maybe they cross the border from Mexico. If we go that way, I don't know, some like a like a Mexican food. They only found them when they will uh get their uh driver's license sometimes. But before that, when they are

00:51:01.340 - 00:51:20.649

kids, they cross the border, stay here, go to school, they didn't care about uh there illegally. Then later on they could do it driver's license at the time that they're gonna look for the papers, you know. So that's my claim because uh in the Philippines, you

00:51:20.659 - 00:51:40.469

cannot afford to buy a car unless you are a rich man. So here is once you get money, I bought my car. Well, that's uh $500 when I get, we get that. So, so what um what struggles or difficulties did you or your family face when

00:51:40.479 - 00:52:07.750

you came to the United States? Uh when uh my family is growing because once they will uh go to school, especially in college, they go all together, you know, because their, their uh interval is only two years. Like uh if you got 33 kids in a

00:52:07.760 - 00:52:39.610

college, then uh if you are making uh not enough money, then you cannot afford. That's why they got to apply for. We all do educational benefit. Like uh they apply from uh well, uh right now they finish school. That's the only hardship I got. So how

00:52:39.620 - 00:52:58.580

did um are you involved with the Filipino community in Houston? I am a member before, but now I'm not a member anymore. Ok. So, did you have any friends from back home that besides your family that moved to the States? Well, uh, some of them, but,

00:52:58.590 - 00:53:16.169

uh, they go different states, you know, because once you got a relative, you go where your relative is. Like I got a relative in California. That's why I went some, uh, like, uh, but my, uh, other relative that issued me a pt of sport is in,

00:53:16.179 - 00:53:36.790

uh, Chicago. Ok. But I never go to Chicago from California. Then I came here in Houston. Then I was down here because my wife is already here and then, uh, we got a family but before when, uh, they are kids, we used to travel, you know,

00:53:37.540 - 00:53:57.280

but when you get old it's hard to travel because I'm the only one driving before. Well, my wife, my wife would drive but she sleep. Then we, we go in and I'm tired and you sleep the whole day and no you're tired when you first went

00:53:57.290 - 00:54:16.389

to California. Where did you stay? From? Where California, my auntie, I used stay with their aunt. I got an auntie there in, uh in uh circle is a relative with my dad. So I stayed there in your house. Then later on I found a job. Then

00:54:16.399 - 00:54:36.379

when I work, I got a job then, uh I went to the, uh where was that? The, for uh they got a two story house we rented, uh, belonging then, uh I got another guy there and, and he worked with the hotel. He is a ship,

00:54:36.389 - 00:54:55.209

uh, cook. Then every, every afternoon he bring out, bring me food, you know, from the hotel and bring those big steak. Hey, don't worry about uh, buying you, you wait for me to come home and I give you steak or everything you bring out because it's

00:54:55.219 - 00:55:17.209

a ship, you know, and I stayed in the house. So how has, um, whenever you go back to the Philippines, how has it changed since when you were little? It changes, uh, like the winter sometimes because, uh, sometimes it's too hot there when you go around,

00:55:17.219 - 00:55:40.840

you know, then, uh, sometimes when you go there and invite your friend that, uh, they are still there, then hey, come, come to the house, it drink, ok, drink and uh, go buy foods there because sometimes those people, they cannot afford to buy uh, foods. They

00:55:40.850 - 00:56:05.449

will be drink. We go around. Yes, sir. Sometimes I, I hire the tricycle. Don't go any anywhere. I'll pay you the whole day. He stay there inside, you drink with you. Now, let's go there, then drive again. So, how has Houston changed since when you first

00:56:05.459 - 00:56:22.189

came here in the seventies? Well, uh, I'm still new in here and then, uh, I don't know what I'm doing then when I learn how to go fishing on here and then, uh, I go fishing every, every weekend, you know, and there, the only thing we

00:56:22.199 - 00:56:40.659

go fishing there is in the, uh, what about that? In fresh water? While here I go to and learn. Even my kids, I go fishing with my kids. They are still small. I teach them how to fish. Then all of them knows how to fish, you

00:56:40.669 - 00:57:02.679

know? But, uh, nobody, uh, get my part as a fisherman because they are lazy, you know, it's too hot. They said, ok, it's too hot. I go to work. I go somewhere with my friend. Ok. You go, then I go by myself and go fishing. Have

00:57:02.689 - 00:57:27.919

you gone fishing in the Philippines? I went, but, uh, I tried to bring some fishing right there. Then I went to the sea. I go visit it. I watch more like, and, yeah, I got a big one. I, £30. Yeah. So you on here on the

00:57:27.929 - 00:57:52.659

boat ride on the boat? Three days and 200 miles away. I got those uh Yellowfin tuna black donor grouper because it's, it is, you know, do you miss the Philippines? Well, once in a while I will change my friend. Some of them are already passed away.

00:57:53.290 - 00:58:10.540

And uh the only thing there now is my brother, I got another friend there, which he, he don't like to go to United States. Well, uh those other people there, I don't know because uh when I live there, I live uh Philippines, they have been born.

00:58:10.550 - 00:58:24.060

Then when you go back there after three or four years, then they already got the kids. Then another four years, then they are grown up, you know, then who is nice. What's that? They come to you? Because everybody will know that you came from the United

00:58:24.070 - 00:58:46.070

States. Everybody come to your house. I say, hey, my gift, my gift, my gift. Yeah, that's the tradition there. Then uh they ask you, hey, you buy for us and then uh OK, go find, uh go find a goat to butcher a dog because they're in

00:58:46.080 - 00:59:04.340

the full of and it dog. Yeah, go and find dog. OK, butcher it. Uh, we eat together, you know, look like a, almost every day. They got a party in your house, just come and have drink with you. You know, every day, even until uh 12

00:59:04.350 - 00:59:26.560

1 o'clock, they are still there in your house, drinking some other people just cannot, cannot go home anymore because they were drunk, they sleep in your house, then the next day again, like that again, every, every day until you left the Philippines never, they go back

00:59:26.570 - 00:59:49.820

to their old themes. You know, then, uh, when they know that they are coming again and they come to your house once you are not there, they're not there. Second. Do you like Houston as a city? Well, I, I, if you think of a talk later,

00:59:52.510 - 01:00:17.070

well, uh, before I prefer to stay in California because the weather is good. But, uh, since, uh, my wife encouraged me to come here. Yeah, I thought of myself even, it's too hard anyway, you can stay inside. Uh, you got air condition. Have you ever felt

01:00:17.080 - 01:00:36.790

like discriminated against because you're a Filipino living in Houston? Oh, some other, yeah. Sometimes in your job. Sometimes they give you hard work. Well, the other, like, uh, they give them issue work, you know? But, but I didn't complain because if you complain sometimes you cannot

01:00:36.800 - 01:00:58.870

stay long. And you, what? So some other, some of my companion there they laid off. Well, I didn't complain. That's why I stay long. Many, many times. They laid up some other people there in my work. What about, like, neighbors or anything? Well, there are some

01:00:58.879 - 01:01:20.540

neighbors that, uh, don't even talk to you. I got the name of that. He only, uh, called me when, uh, my dog, uh, mess up the fence because, uh, like, uh, they get two Filipinos, they are neighbors live not far from my house. I know them

01:01:22.239 - 01:01:43.810

and, uh, the dog of the other one went to the other house and pulled her, you know, did the guy or the house get the pool and bring back to the other place where the, they get mad, they fight each other. You know, because that, that's

01:01:43.820 - 01:02:02.139

what, uh, what I have a neighbor there which, uh, they only talk to me regarding that, but they don't talk to me regularly. Only one neighbor on my right side that, uh, he talked to me every time he saw me outside. Hey, how you doing? Some

01:02:02.149 - 01:02:22.310

other people there, my across my house, they just look at me, they don't say any word. But sometimes I'm trying to figure out because one time my car was parked in the street and it's just straight to the house and my house was messed up, maybe

01:02:22.320 - 01:02:40.290

the back up the car and hit my car. You know, I didn't ask that because now it, during the night I didn't call the police. I just, what the expenses I paid $800 to fix that. Um, I didn't say any word. You're not talking to me.

01:02:44.500 - 01:03:03.889

Only one neighbor that talked to me every time. Now that old men that always call me already passed away. But the guy that lived there, his son, he don't talk to me, but he knows all my kids. He knows all the names. And my kids are

01:03:03.899 - 01:03:26.639

wondering how, how that neighbor knows our name. I don't know. I don't know if you ask him. No, I don't like to talk to him because maybe the guy will work. He stayed at home. Maybe he was on drug before. That's why his dad is a,

01:03:26.689 - 01:03:52.820

uh, beans. They can. One of the brother drive fancy cars, you know. BMW BMW Mercedes. Now, he's just driving by himself but he got three cars in the garage. Oh. So were your kids? Were they really, did they have more, I guess American friends or? They

01:03:52.830 - 01:04:20.300

have Filipino friends too? Oh, they should make, there are some because sometimes they came to my house. They are American. They are, uh, Indian. Uh, yeah, different. Uh, Vietnamese. My, my, my youngest son is, uh, got, he got a girlfriend of Vietnamese. My other daughter married

01:04:20.310 - 01:04:40.610

to my first daughter, married two friends. So we are all together when they kept them around. Every weekend. My daughter came, uh, they are all, uh, coming to my house. We get the reunion every weekend we come there, you know, bring their kids play with my

01:04:40.620 - 01:05:05.689

grandkids. Yeah. Uh, especially my, my oldest daughter. They, uh, youngest son. You got. No, yeah, crazy. Every time you come to my house you can break something. That's why every time you walk you got to follow it. Or else some, uh, one time, uh, I saw

01:05:05.699 - 01:05:27.520

a medicine then later on it's already half already. It's a liquid. You open it and drink, I guess. Then we go there. We call the, that voice from the department, something like that. Come on. How many grandkids do you have? Take the floor? My oldest is

01:05:27.530 - 01:05:55.270

16 years old. You see, uh, it's a lady now. I was 17 already. Yeah, she, she will run with this. Coming here in high. Did your kids? Um, really? So, you know, you showed how important education was to your Children. Are they doing that to their

01:05:55.280 - 01:06:26.669

kids too? Yeah, they go to school anyway. Uh, that's the old days. But the race is still a preschool because my, my second daughter was, she get pregnant when she's 15 years old. That's why she got the, she got a 16 years old kid now. But,

01:06:26.679 - 01:06:54.000

uh, I don't know what happened to the daddy. He just give up. Hm. Uh, my daughter get married to the other guy. I got the one boy and three girls. Only two daughters got the kids. The one that making good money is the one that got

01:06:54.010 - 01:07:18.860

kids. So, you said you used to be part of the Filipino Association? Yeah. The Association of Houston, uh, during the early, early days that I'm here. Uh, I know everybody in, uh, most of the Filipinos that here in Houston, I know them. But, uh, when some

01:07:18.870 - 01:07:40.080

other people, uh, migrated from other state because some, uh, mostly people in our area came from Chicago. Uh because it's too cold there. That's why the Mobile here in Houston, you know, but you can, in your heart and cold when it's cold, you cannot get out.

01:07:40.429 - 01:08:04.129

Especially in, uh Chicago is in the city. It's a summer here. You cannot say summer or hot weather until December there is uh, like, uh only three months, summer. That's all you cannot enjoy it. Even my, uh, my uh brother who live in New Jersey, her,

01:08:04.139 - 01:08:23.640

his kids stay at home most of the time. Then when they came here and visit, then they told their dad and mom we got, uh, we got to move on here. It's better in here. Ok. They have been in New York for what, 57 years, they'll

01:08:23.649 - 01:08:45.450

try to compare what's uh cheap on there. And they say, hey, in New Jersey you didn't pay tax. Ok. That's why most of those people in New York, they go New York see a shop there because it's cheaper. Ok. Were you worried, uh, when you first

01:08:45.459 - 01:09:02.159

started having kids about raising them in the States as opposed to the Philippines? No, I don't, I don't think at all until I got already grown up because every time you get the kids, what happened? And I say, I think it's an accident. I don't know

01:09:02.168 - 01:09:23.229

what happened. That's why they are wondering how comes, uh, we raise uh, five kids that most Filipinos got only two kids, two kids is hard for them. Well, we are fine. You know, then how do you manage? Well, as long as, uh, you got somebody to

01:09:23.240 - 01:09:45.229

help you, like, uh, like my wife, when she's working as those other nurses, Filipino nurses, are you gonna bring my kids to you? Yeah. Ok. Ok. That's what happened. What's something that you've learned through your experience that you passed to your kids? Well, I'm trying to

01:09:45.240 - 01:10:05.049

fast them. Like I experience like uh I go fishing then before they used to come with me. Then when they grown up they don't like anymore. They say it's still hot. That's the only thing that I pass on them and encourage them not to like my

01:10:05.060 - 01:10:37.830

son, uh oldest son, uh Poland, I encourage him to go to school every time I ask, hey, go to school, go to school there because uh if you get a degree, that's all that's for your life. I said then so uh since I'm already here for

01:10:39.040 - 01:11:12.069

39 years and already custom window, whatever in here. Have you always lived in sugar land? Yeah, where I live in uh here on Clark, I bought them because my, my friend got a house there. Then their neighbor sold the house and be, then they told me

01:11:12.080 - 01:11:37.080

to assume the payment. Then uh I paid uh $200 for four bedrooms. Been up there two years. He move out. Then I sold also my house. Then get another house. Then I stayed in Missouri City. Then later on, somebody encouraged me to, it's better to go

01:11:37.089 - 01:11:58.279

there to get houses. They're beautiful. I mean, uh because one of my friend become me uh real estate salesman, then he was the one who tell me about those houses there in. Then uh they are, everything is near there. You can shop like in the first

01:11:58.290 - 01:12:24.580

colony you got old moles in there. OK? I moved to Sugar and then since then I never moved anymore. I've been there. What? 20 3 to 4 years in my house. How land changed since when you moved there 24 years ago? Well, before like my neighbors

01:12:24.589 - 01:12:45.919

since uh my subdivision is uh until uh under construction before we are uh very few people, maybe 34 people are still there. I mean uh before no, everybody move on their different uh different people, you know, sometimes they are good sometimes they are bad, you know.

01:12:46.910 - 01:13:13.049

But uh in my uh subdivision even you leave your uh garage open. Nobody, nobody will come and break it, you know. But I got the number on the other side. Uh that is mowing the Lord. Then later on he's thirsty. He leave the Lord outside, he

01:13:13.060 - 01:13:31.399

went to drink. Then when he come back, nobody's gone. Somebody pick it up, you know, there, there are some people that, that go around during uh like a night, they go around and look for something to, you know, uh, for a day they look around and

01:13:31.410 - 01:13:55.490

if nobody there and then you leave something outside then they will pick up, come and pick it up. Hm. When I was in Missouri, 11 on like Saturday I cleaned my car. I got the Red Monte Carlo. We, you know, then, uh, the next morning is

01:13:55.500 - 01:14:24.319

Sunday. We go to church, we all dress up, then we make it out. Then my car's gone. Somebody stole it in, in Missouri City. Yeah. So uh we lived that area. I get out from that subdivision and I just moved here in uh I got, I

01:14:24.330 - 01:14:45.149

got some friends there because uh we are neighbors. We get around seven Filipino all together in one block, you know, and some of my friends uh both uh properties in Pearland and they moved there. And uh I hope too. I still got two more left on

01:14:45.160 - 01:15:21.669

there, but I never go back there and see they're telling me you got your grip frog bigger than the house in there already. Ok. So, so when did you retire? Last January? January 31st, I decided because uh I'm 66 already then uh as my son since

01:15:21.680 - 01:15:48.229

uh you are 66 you are full uh social security already. Yeah. Time for me to retire. Sure. So what plans do you have now, since you're retired? Besides going fishing, uh maybe travel, we'll go and travel. Yeah, we already went, uh, after, after retirement, one month

01:15:48.240 - 01:16:10.509

after retirement, that's why we went, uh, we went to, uh, Europe. Hm. Then, uh, this, uh, January 13th, we're going to Canada next year. I'm planning, uh, maybe in March, I'm planning with my brother to go back to the Philippines because I have been there for,

01:16:10.520 - 01:16:43.089

what, three years since my 2008, 8, 1911. Yeah, three years. Then maybe another year. Then you go to putting up with my wife. Uh, my daughter is trying to tell me to go to Europe again. We will pay. You said, ok, you pay. Yes. Well, this,

01:16:43.100 - 01:17:14.819

uh, that's the, this, when you are retired, you got to make yourself active. You go around, you trying to tell me, go exercise. I could go exercise. I don't have any exercise. Yeah. So, um, you said job, it are jobs really still difficult to get in

01:17:14.830 - 01:17:39.479

the Philippines even now? Oh, it, it's more worse now than before even. I just to be, uh, that uh, like, uh cleaning the streets cannot even find a job. That's why my brother, what he's doing, he buy and sell uh rice. Once they got some uh,

01:17:39.490 - 01:18:05.669

rice harvested, you buy it, dry it and sim it before it's easy. Like me, I got my store before we got a lot of people come to me like, uh my, if they deliver 200 bags, couple of days is good. Mm. Then uh I was by

01:18:05.680 - 01:18:22.950

myself. Before then I got to carry, go bring it to like uh anything bad. Then I got to carry that to the uh to the car or to the tricycle because most of the uh transportation that can get a pipe badge that come back again. And

01:18:23.089 - 01:18:53.359

I like that, you know, since I, I sell cheaper than the lumber, that's why they come to me most of the time that now it's a little harder for people now because most people there, I wake up very early. Yeah, I tried also to sell some

01:18:53.370 - 01:19:15.209

stuff there in the market when I was here. Uh I don't know, you know about uh vegetables or uh do I don't know you can uh you know that kind of Doha is a uh black like this. We need to some black but when uh it's

01:19:15.220 - 01:19:39.830

uh green then become black. I sold it every day when I, I was very young. Go to the market. Special indication I got lots of things did bad when I was a kid one time my uh grandmother told us with uh other relative to go and

01:19:39.839 - 01:20:04.770

get some uh uh we do uh some kind of uh gras that uh give it to the uh big. Mhm What we did, we get some uh you know, the rice parties. Is it dry? We put first on the sacks then uh get that uh vegetable

01:20:04.779 - 01:20:25.649

for the one on the half of it. Then with that, uh, old woman. Found it. Oh, you get mad happened to you, didn't he already paid us some money? You know, I get lots of things that happened that, uh, I did when I was a kid.

01:20:28.750 - 01:20:52.919

What family, me and my friend again went to the field. We, so we, uh, on the, they got the, uh, for that uh, balloon. Uh, it's a little dip where they get water to water. The uh tobacco we saw the first we throw a small uh

01:20:54.029 - 01:21:18.689

oh hard uh uh look like a dirt but it's hard. You know, a rock rock. It's not actually a rock. It's made of uh uh uh you know, when the ground is dry, you can get it like this. I know it get more like this. Then

01:21:18.700 - 01:21:40.319

later on getting bigger and bigger, then later on that, that uh is already full. Then we left, then somebody saw us, then they get mad. They told my dad and his dad. Then they get mad with me. Then the next morning, my friend, me and uh

01:21:40.330 - 01:22:01.899

my friend went there to dig back that uh remove everything because it's deep. Uh maybe around like this. Then you got to remove everything that you throw it in there. In one time again, you got another friend. It's uh almost dark. Then we saw a papaya

01:22:01.910 - 01:22:20.350

tree, you know, we got the right fruits there. We get that, we gotta climb that a bit. Later on when he get dark, I was the one who climb. Then I get the papaya, you know, we are stealing it. Then I, I told my friend catch

01:22:20.359 - 01:22:49.839

it, then I throw it. Then when I throw, I saw the one catching is the owner, the owner. What happened to? What did the owner do? He's just laughing. But he told my dad my dad get, yeah, well done in the Philippines. It's normal for uh

01:22:50.250 - 01:23:27.589

father to whip you with a belt or stick. No, he me with uh bent you me. So here on here my uh my like uh in the Philippines uh uh on my backyard, I plant some vegetable, you know, and I, I'm trying

01:23:27.600 - 01:23:49.020

to teach my kids to eat the Filipino vegetable oil. They didn't like it. You know, those bitter me, I don't know, you know, better, you know. Oh, you got in China, right? Yeah. You don't like they say it's better and the, you know, the gore, they

01:23:49.029 - 01:24:06.339

don't like it one time. Uh when uh they are kids, I told them to eat. I, I told my son that that then later on I stand up, went to the, then uh after after that, then I go back then uh I saw his uh plate

01:24:06.350 - 01:24:28.529

is already empty but they're not talking, they are putting their head like that. Ok, good. You order it then. Yes, then uh couple of days my mother is cleaning the, the floor the rug, you know, and now comes this rug, it's a little, uh, then he

01:24:28.540 - 01:24:46.549

opened it to get the older, put some there. My son put it there and cover it. Be crazy. I told them because you told me to, you are pushing me to eat. I don't like, I cannot eat that. Ok. So what food do you like to

01:24:46.560 - 01:25:07.450

eat? Do you like, uh, American food? Do you like balloon? Well, uh, my son trying to eat what they don't like. Yeah, I even bring to my work, you know, that those American, they thought that this good work for you. Yeah, you eat a lot, right?

01:25:09.770 - 01:25:40.930

It's like, oh, yeah, that is a good one. Yeah. Make you strong. Hm. So, what other, what other ways did you try to, besides food? Did you want to give the kids, give your Children cult Filipino culture? One? Trying to encourage them, like a, beside what

01:25:40.939 - 01:26:08.169

I'm telling them to do. Like, uh, but, um, some of my kids will play tennis with their friend but I didn't teach them how to do it because their friend is the one that, uh, invite them to go play. Uh, my other daughter is, uh, remember

01:26:08.180 - 01:26:51.109

I, I think he's teaching, uh, he's one of the, uh, we called the instructor in, uh, fitness. You go exercise, they teach you how to do the right thing there. 24 hour fitness. Do your kids sell, do they sell are they also diehard Catholics like

01:26:51.120 - 01:27:20.259

your wife, you eat like all my kids Catholic. But, uh, only, uh, only two or three. First, uh, only two is going to church. You know, then later on when my daughter, first daughter got, her daughter went to, uh, C ce, then, uh, get the first,

01:27:21.109 - 01:27:48.290

then you got to go, got to go to church with her, you know. But, uh, but their husband is not a fully Catholic. Were you Catholic, uh, baptized by birth or? So, your parents are Catholic also? You know, most, most of people here in the United

01:27:48.299 - 01:28:12.330

States are not much Catholic on here, either Baptist or, yeah, Protestant or something like that, you know, were most people in your hometown Catholic also? Oh, yeah. In, uh, Philippians? Hm. 90%. Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, I don't know, they got some kind of religion that, uh,

01:28:12.339 - 01:28:30.009

born again. They call it born again a new kind of religion that when you die they will not bring you, like, uh, they will not bring you to church. You just go straight to the cemetery for, yeah, they bring you the church first before you go

01:28:30.020 - 01:28:52.740

to the cemetery, right? But a born again to do that. Once you die, you come from your house or come from a, because most of the people in the Philippines when you die, your week is in your house. Not, uh, not any funeral home. Hm. Once

01:28:52.750 - 01:29:17.390

you get out from your house, then you go straight to the cemetery. But, uh, in Catholic you bring you first to the church. Then, uh, something like that. You know, my daughter in New York, when, uh, she cannot find a job, she went to a church

01:29:17.399 - 01:29:43.870

then later on, she found a job then now she go to church every time now. But, uh, they are planning to come back. I mean, I go in is, uh, they like, uh, New York. The rent of your one bedroom is what look like. You're paying

01:29:43.879 - 01:30:18.660

one house over here. 1,000,002 in, you know, too expensive. That's why. And, uh, during winter it's too cold there. While on here you enjoy until December is still a hot. So, what are some other benefits that you see living in Houston instead of living in other

01:30:18.669 - 01:30:43.979

cities besides the weather? Uh, well, uh, during, uh, early days it's, uh, easier to find a job on here because, uh, most of those oil company is here where I was in California, it's hard to find a job on there. But when I leave California, that's

01:30:43.990 - 01:31:09.399

the time that they start the Silicon Valley. Mhm. Oh, if I was there, maybe I didn't move there during that time. 1970. They don't have the Silicon Valley. The only, the, the only, uh, we call the computer company is the IBM in San Jose because I

01:31:09.410 - 01:31:37.500

went also in San Jose. They also, they were elected there. I stayed there for what, one month I think all over California. I got the, I got the relative in L A Sacramento in uh San Francisco. You get lots of uh in there. That's why, what

01:31:37.509 - 01:32:01.089

I'm doing there before is since uh every weekend they got those uh party like you play and then once uh in your house play, man, you got to cook foods, you know, for the players, then they cook food, then I go eat, you know, at your

01:32:01.100 - 01:32:18.430

house. No, on those uh like uh not on my house, on other people there in uh in uh California. Uh I never, I never uh what do you call it? I never learned how to play, man. Even in the Philippine poor in our house, they play

01:32:19.700 - 01:32:57.279

my uh my brothers learned but I never learned what I did is just cook uh eggs, then whoever win, then sell the eggs. But uh I never learned how to play. My brother is known. So that's right. Now, the life of a retiree is uh this

01:32:57.290 - 01:33:17.359

week out. Well, I, I still wake up early because I, I bring my wife to, to work and she don't like to drive because once you drive on your park, like in a medical center, you, you wake up early and so you can park near the

01:33:17.370 - 01:33:40.089

hospital. But if not, then you got to go all the way to, to that uh is too far. So I bring my wife to work every morning since, uh, the same time I wake up when I'm working because my work start at six and, uh, in,

01:33:40.100 - 01:34:00.299

at 2 30 my wife get out at 2 30. Then I just, uh, drop by, I mean, I drop in the morning and pick up in the afternoon and. Mhm. Then since she's still working I got to wake up the same time until she will retire.

01:34:01.379 - 01:34:17.009

I don't know, maybe next year still, uh, she's 64 or 65. Now, this year, I mean, a 64 next year she will be 65 and maybe she, she want to retire too. Do you want her to retire now? No, my wife, or do you want her

01:34:17.020 - 01:34:40.959

to retire though? Well, I'm telling her, uh, if you want to retire, if you, every time, uh, you wake up in the morning, uh, oh, yeah, look like I should go back to work. Ok. Then in the evening she went to sleep early and well, since,

01:34:40.970 - 01:35:02.100

uh, I don't have work, then I can stay up till midnight, you know, watching TV. And she told me go to the, and I watch TV there because I got TV, also in my room. Well, you said next year, maybe I want to enjoy my retirement

01:35:02.129 - 01:35:28.740

early. So I don't like to retire when you get, you get sick or some other people die before they retire. You know, you cannot enjoy anymore. So, do you like retirement? Well, yeah, it's better. You don't worry about, uh, doing things already, you know? But it's,

01:35:28.750 - 01:35:50.839

uh, it's ok for, because, uh, you cannot see your coworkers anymore. You don't have plans with them, you know. Do you plan on going back to the Philippines anytime soon by March next year? Uh, yeah, last week of February. Uh, yeah, last week of February, early

01:35:50.850 - 01:36:18.220

March because that's the anniversary of my mom. Which, which anniversary do you mean the anniversary of the anniversary? I go back then. I'm busy. Maybe every uh, every two years I go back. I'm busy because uh my kids want to go there but they want to

01:36:18.229 - 01:36:40.910

go to that. Uh that, I don't know if you heard that. You see, uh is a bit that uh everybody go there like American go there too. You like to go and take it. But then do your kids go back to the Philippines often? No, they

01:36:40.919 - 01:36:55.479

never go, they were, when they were kids at the time. They were there in the Philippines. But right now in Hawaii came to the Philippines. This is you and your wife to go back? Well, uh only last uh last two years that my wife came with

01:36:55.490 - 01:37:18.879

me, she never go to the Philippines for what? 24 years? Oh, wow. Because uh most of her family, they live in Canada. That's why they go to Canada every, every year to visit. And they get the reunion. You know, every time from my brothers, sisters, they

01:37:18.890 - 01:37:53.089

are all that live there. Now. Nobody, she gonna visit her auntie there in the Philippines. She got another auntie, the, she, her mom and some gossip, you know about that. Most of the time she go to Canada. So, how did you find your jobs when you

01:37:53.100 - 01:38:15.330

first came to Houston? Well, uh, my friend, he's an accountant. He worked with the, the company. Then when he found out that, uh, somebody is leaving for, to have a baby and she asked me if I can work there because she knows that I know how

01:38:15.339 - 01:38:38.459

to work with and I work just, uh, every labor, you know, but I quit that job. I mean, I sense that the, uh, that lady came back to work then, uh, I get out from that, then find another job from the, uh, agency here in, uh,

01:38:40.669 - 01:38:58.390

in, uh, Houston, at a western, uh, ge. But it's a nice ship. It in 12 hours. You were, you, uh, at six o'clock in the afternoon after six o'clock in the morning. And, uh, I got some kids then I asked them to transfer me during the

01:38:58.399 - 01:39:17.339

day. They didn't like it. Then I quit again. Then, uh, I went to those, uh, Filipino that playing basketball talk today. This is a big word. You come and apply. You know, I went to apply. That's the Steward Seven Show and I was uh, I got

01:39:17.350 - 01:39:45.399

the job then, uh, that's the start that I stay in for long, 25 years. You know, then, uh, census was, uh, bought by General Electric. Yeah, you're making those, uh, big, uh, lots of overtime. But when you get cold you don't like to work overtime anymore

01:39:46.359 - 01:40:21.270

when I was a young strong and I work 12 hours a day, sometimes 72 7 days a week. But no, you're lazy. That's a long hours, full of hours a day. You know, you make good money. But, uh, during the income taxes, most of the money

01:40:21.279 - 01:40:42.160

you're making goes to Uncle Sam, you know, over time you get lots of overtime. I even got out on, what, 60 hours over time for two weeks. So I, I make more money on overtime than your regular pay, you know? Yeah. Yeah, you cannot work 60

01:40:42.169 - 01:41:04.169

hours overtime. Just, only overtime. That's why 60 hours over time plus your 40 hours. That's 100 hours an hour for two weeks. Because of that company. I work here a lot of overtime, you know, I think I bought when I was young but, uh, when I

01:41:04.180 - 01:41:31.810

get old and, uh, already, uh, sixties, uh, I still work over time. You're trying to build it like this like that. No, it's ok. How did you like, uh, your company working with, uh, GE or before? Well, uh, since they got all the benefits, uh, good

01:41:31.819 - 01:41:55.229

benefits, like in, in if you work 10 hours a day and you have a vacation, they don't pay you eight hours, they pay you 9.5 and 9.6 extra. They get the extra 1.6 and uh some other benefit. The only thing that they remove is the, the

01:41:55.240 - 01:42:20.080

profit sharing ge is too tight. They don't like to spend money. They don't even give you a bonus or whatever. You know, they cut everything, even those gift during December, they give you like a, a gift certificate for December, like 30 or anything to cut it

01:42:20.149 - 01:42:44.020

off. But when I was in the steward driving truck, everything there, you got, uh, profit sharing, you get, uh, like, uh, if you finish the job early, the company will give you a bonus and, uh, every time we ship out the unit we get departed. You

01:42:44.120 - 01:43:08.580

know, that's why there is a big company. You don't like to spend money. They don't even, uh, like before when you still step. So if they hire you after, uh, three months, they give you a raise already. Right? And this, uh, ge you got to stay

01:43:08.589 - 01:43:37.680

there for one year. If there's no vacancy, delete you out, then you can reapply for another three months after three months. That's what they are doing there. And they don't hire somebody from, uh, outside street, from outside the hire from agency. Sometimes it's good. It depends

01:43:37.689 - 01:44:07.319

the management. Sometimes it changes, you know, sometimes they change the manager, sometimes they change the president. So do you have anything else you'd like to include in the interview that we haven't asked you about? Uh like what particular, um I don't know any stories or anything

01:44:07.379 - 01:44:27.189

like that. You haven't told that? Yeah, I already told you a while ago about migration. That story when I was. Yeah. Uh I was a crazy man. A crazy boy. That's why I always get spun from my dad because in the Philippines once they will not

01:44:27.200 - 01:44:45.819

spank you, you will not reform, you know. Have you had to spank your own Children? Oh Before when our kids, but uh sometimes on here like uh have you seen that one on v that uh black woman, he spun her kids. They let her on uh

01:44:46.180 - 01:45:09.009

the kids uh report to the teacher and uh the uh is that the GPS uh the services it took her kids out from her, you know? Oh, wow. Yeah, I, I was, I don't know. How did you, I mean, uh did you, are you born on

01:45:09.020 - 01:45:27.089

here or are you born on a, you born in China? Now? I was born, you were born on the West? Yeah, because uh it's different to raise Children in your own country than when you are in the United States. You know, what are some differences that

01:45:27.100 - 01:45:45.669

you saw? Yeah, that like encourage you like on here in the United States once uh you graduated high school, once you learn how to go to work, you were, uh, you forgot to go back to school, you know? But in the Philippines, once you graduate high

01:45:45.680 - 01:46:08.350

school, they encourage you to go to college, they cannot afford, we borrow money from you to let you go, uh, have education. So you, I really like to do that. That's why most Filipinos maybe 90% go to school have degree, you know? But once they get

01:46:08.359 - 01:46:31.689

the degree, once they pay it's not enough, you know, you get out, they apply for overseas work anywhere. As long as you get out from the Philippines, a lot of them go back. Oh, very, very few people go back there once you are in another country

01:46:31.700 - 01:46:54.100

and, uh, you adapt yourself there then, I don't know. Once you've got your family you don't go back anymore. So most people there don't, uh, stay long. Some of my friends, uh, I cannot even see them. They are all, uh, all over the United States, I

01:46:54.109 - 01:47:23.529

guess. Maybe they get around 56 already. Pass away some of my classmates before. And, uh, once you are in the Philippines, once you don't know somebody in the, uh, politics you can find a job. You get to know somebody that's why they call it. It's not

01:47:23.540 - 01:47:54.709

what, uh, it's not what you are but it's who, whom, you know, and then you can find a job even when you don't know the job. As long as somebody recommend you, you get to get, you know, to make money. Did you do the Filipinos in

01:47:54.720 - 01:48:28.009

Houston? Have any other interactions with the other Asian American Asian communities in Houston? Well, uh it depends upon your. Mhm. Some other people uh does, especially you are an active on any organization but some other, you like my brothers work with the Continental. Then he got

01:48:28.020 - 01:48:49.620

Iran, he work half day on his runs and a half day on the continent. And then uh he work uh buy this but most of the time he's there in his run, feeding his chicken and uh cow and pony and whatever there. You know, because once

01:48:49.629 - 01:49:13.870

you were not there in your hands. So there are some uh like the coyote kill your chicken, the uh snake eat the, the, the eggs. You got some snake, the, you got a big snake. And then my brother's ranch is this raj in Houston. Yeah. Here

01:49:13.879 - 01:49:38.330

in 2 88 he got 79 acres there. He got beside the bio because uh once you are beside the bio, you got lots of snake. Um coyote, sometimes you got uh 30 chicken died because uh the coyote eat it. The coyote raccoon is, they only eat

01:49:38.339 - 01:50:11.040

the guts coyote. They got uh only the feeder left in everything. And the owl, you know, the owl, they eat the uh chicks, but they go during the night. Not that day day, you cannot see them. Did your family, any of them own, uh, own farms

01:50:11.049 - 01:50:36.660

or ranches in the Philippines? They don't own anything. Only two get the houses. My first one, I got a house here in, uh, in downtown. The one worked with the shell and the other one, he got the house there in a grand parkway, uh, whisper all

01:50:36.669 - 01:51:03.600

the way. The other one lives, live in apartment and my other boy still in my house. Well, uh, since I got a big house, sometimes, only two of us with my wife didn't look like it's not good. Right? If a big house and then you're only

01:51:03.609 - 01:51:28.149

two sometimes. Yeah. But sometimes my wife go to the church. I'm by myself there. I look around and I hear something, you know, to be at the there or whatever. Ok. I think we've reached a pretty good stopping place unless covered a lot. Unless you have.

01:51:28.160 - 01:51:47.609

Ok. Anything else you wanna say? Well, uh, thank you very much for, thank you. Thank you very much for this, uh, thing and this is the first time that I was interviewed for this kind of, uh, you know, it's my, I hope it was a good

01:51:47.620 - 01:51:50.490

one. Yeah. Thank you very much. Yeah.