My name is Marivic Bautista.

I was born and raised in the Philippines in the province of

Canaolan in the city of Binmaley, Pangasinan. It is about 5 hours away north of Manila, the
capital of the country. I came to this country in 1979 with my brothers and sisters in Fairfield,
California when I was 13 years old.

When we were growing up in the Philippines, our parents sent pictures and letters, to us
monthly. We saw how clean and beautiful America is through pictures, the trimmed grass, white
snow, bright lights, beautiful dresses, and a white 4 door car. Our first impression America
through pictures made me more eager to come to this country. My parents were sending my
grandparents money who were caring for us to use to take of six children made me thought that
my parents were rich in this country.

My family left by choice with the help of my Uncle to this country for a better life. My parents
worked very hard in a clothing company in Napa, California. Early on, my parents stressed the
value of education. It was a priority we needed to do and during the summer, we helped by
doing summer jobs. It was a cycle of nine months of concentrating on our studies then during
summer, we worked to help the family. We did this until we left for college. My father's mantra
was "with a college degree a better opportunity comes your way". We believed him because he
had to work two jobs to support his family. He was one hard working man, determined to make
sure his children had a better life than he.

My parents were petitioned to this country in 1972 by my paternal Uncle Fidel who migrated
here in the 1940's. He and his fellow Filipinos who migrated at those times farmed the land of
California; Delano, Lodi, Stockton, Salinas. They traveled wherever the land needed to be
farmed. My Uncle settled in Fairfield, California with his family. He also continued to help his
brothers and sisters back in the Philippines financially and financially helped with his siblings
education. And eventually petitioned my father and mother to come to America in 1972. In
Fairfield, California is where we all settled when we arrived, all six children in 1979.

When I arrived finally in 1979, the pictures I saw matched the beautiful country; truly clean and
green and so private; each house was bordered with fence. My parents picked us up at the
airport with their very clean 4 door white car. After one week in America I found out my parents
had to work so hard in a clothing factory to earn their living and to support us. I leaned very
quickly they were not monetarily rich, but rich in ambitions for them and for us, children. I
remember my mother saying, we have to leave all you behind so we can built our life in this
country and have a better future.

When I arrived to this country, my grasp of the English language was limited. I remember I had
to listen really carefully on what was being said so I can fully understand. I did a lot of
observation of my surrounding and the people when I first came to this country. This prepared
me to be a good listener and observer that I have to be for my patients; I am a registered nurse,
by profession. (Why did you want to be a nurse, what was your motivated?)
I guess I can say that was one of the culture shock I encountered, learning to communicate in a
different language. One more I noticed that was a culture shock to me, was how the elders were
addressed. Back in our country, when we encounter elders in a room, we were to take their
hand and we tap it on our forehead, an acknowledgement of respect to our elders. It is not a
practice in this country. How I wished my children was born to do this gesture. (What parts of
your culture do your children carry, what do you want them to carry to pass on?)

There are many opportunities to do in America for young people and adults if they are willing to
work. Also, in American everything is paid to keep everything clean, and in order, and to be
safe, and regulated, and properly run; you pay for garbage, water, car insurance, life insurance,
taxes, health insurance and on and on. In my province where I grow up, there few regulations.
The people bury and or burn the garbage, we have water well and water pump for water
consumption and supply. We pray a lot for everything and anything worth having, we have
abundance of faith among my people. There are not a lot of employment though in my home
country but the people are willing to work, but unfortunately few jobs exist. Which makes life
difficult for the people. I understand that the economy of my homeland is weak in comparison to
a lot of countries.

My first visit to see my relatives, and my grandparents who cared for me was, when I graduated
from college. I continued to help financially for them and some friends I left behind. The second
visit was when I shared with my children their homeland; I wanted them to meet their relatives,
and see the place where I grew up. It is part of their story too.

What I like most about the US, is what I mentioned before, the opportunities it has for everyone
when one is willing to work hard; in school seeking knowledge and training, and abundant of
employment when one is not too picky what work to do. Just like what my father said "in
America as long as you moving you are earning money and therefore you will not starve." I
learned my work ethics from him. (Expand on the relationship you had with father, and how you
personally took his advice)

In America, because everything is overly regulated, the people learned to work within a
parameter and regulations to be followed. Sometimes it restrict creativity in fear of being sued.
That is what I find interesting in this way of life. There is that "common sense," Factor that is
missing because we may do or say something that may offend others. In my work, there is a
script to follow when addressing certain situation with patients. We follow a policy on how to
answer which in a way I find helpful in a difficult situations. (What is your most difficult
situation?)

Discriminators among the white Americans are alive and still prevalent in this country. The
power of entitlement is part of the American people. It is both a blessing and a cursed for them;
they know no other way of life in their land of abundant. Because of my upbringing and what I
have witnessed early on in my country, I am appreciative of what I have. This is what is lacking
of the American people that experience of other way of living which makes it hard for them to
relate to foreigners, who knows and understand hard work. That differs me from my fellow
American coworkers: My outlook in life is vast, in that I am grateful for everything. I have a work
that pays for everyday expenses plus for Emmanuel's schooling and his sister, who is at UC
Santa Cruz. When I applied for an upward mobility in my work, I was bypassed twice. Yes, I felt
discriminated and I cried, my children knew very well that experienced I went through. But I
stayed in the same place. I did not quit. Because the lesson was for me to show my children
that we don't quit when things don't go your way, but to persevere, and to show courage to keep
moving forward. What I got out of that experience is strength of who I became. That happened
just 5 years ago.

I like everything this country offers to all its people, the Americans and the foreigners alike; the
opportunities, the better way of life and the standard of living is better in comparison to my
homeland. It is up to the individual to take advantage of all that it offers and not to take for
granted these opportunities because the competition is also fierce. The age of technology and
the young minds can easily replace the veteran, experience workers. So young people have to
take advantage of the opportunities and the veteran workers like me have to keep learning to
keep up of new ways of doing.

I am in touch to my Filipino roots by surrounding myself with my family and friends I am

connected with. With the advancements of technology, it is easy to connect with my relatives
back home through FaceTime, cell phone conversations. I attend Filipino organizations with my
family as well. And another way to connect is through food; we longed for my Lumpia, Adobo,
Pancit, Papa It, Turon, Halo Halo. My children ask for these dishes when they are home
because not only are these delicious, but it is a reminder that they are Filipinos in America
thriving and succeeding.

I notice the American have it easy. When I say Americans that includes my children who knows
only this country. And they don't seemed to know how easy their life is. They are blessed in
many ways. They see abundance of food, beautiful places, they have beautiful things. They
have traveled to places on vacations. They are given cars, they fly home during school breaks.
They were given lessons to learn instruments and lessons to play sport since they were young.
And many more. These things I never have so I made sure children have it. I hope they are
taking advantage of these opportunities and never to take it for granted.

America, is the land of opportunities for all and a land of material abundance. But it takes
courage to understand the way of life and its people. My advice is to take the time to listen and
to observe the people and its culture, so make sense why discrimination happens, perhaps
because of insecurities or just not knowing other ways of living. Everything here comes easy.
We as foreigners need to understand them and the American to take the time to learn from
those coming to this country that hard work, and perseverance and gratitude are keys to
fulfillment and builds strength of character.