Growing up in the Philippines was hard especially when you’re raised by one parent. My parents got separated when I was 9 because my mom found out that my dad was cheating on her. Before that happened, I always heard a rumor that my dad was cheating on my mom but I didn’t believe them because my dad has been always nice to me until one day when I was about to go to school I saw my dad. He was holding another woman’s hand. At that time, I wanted to yell at him but I didn’t so I just told my mom about what I saw. My mom was so angry so she threw all my dad’s clothes on the front door. When my dad went home, he was shocked because he has no idea that my mom found out about his secret. My mom locked the door and didn’t open it. She doesn’t want to let my dad in. She said “How could you do this to me and your daughters”? Even if my mom was so angry she was crying. My dad on the other side was begging to stay but my mom didn’t let him. After few minutes begging, my dad decided to stay to his dad’s house which is right next door. That made my mom angrier but I saw her crying too just like me and my sister. At that point I was worrying what’s going to happen to us. I’m trying to figure out what am I going to do if my mom and my dad decided to get separate.
The next day, I heard some body’s fighting on the neighborhood. Then I saw that the one who was fighting was my mom and my dad because they wanted both to take care of us. For me that was embarrassing because the entire neighborhood was watching them until the Capitan came. Our Capitan is the one who’s responsible for the peace in our Barangay .He was so disappointed because he always wanted to have peace in our entire Barangay.He told both of my parents that they’ll meet at the council office. That’s where we’ll find out who’s going to take our custody. My mom or my dad? When the meeting started it was all quiet. My parents weren’t even looking at each other but I know in their minds they both love us. A lot of people came at the meeting because they wanted to support my mom. They all know how responsible my mom is and so do I. During that time, the room was all in tense. They all wanted to share their thoughts and feelings. After few minutes talking,the Capitan finally decided. He picked my mom but the Capitan also said that my dad could visit us. Even my mom doesn’t want to see my dad’s face; she has to do it so we could stay with her. Almost everyday my dad visits us until one day we heard that he’s hiding to the people that he owed. Since then we never saw his face not even his shadow.
After three years, when we are all settled for what happen, my dad came back to our Barangay.He came back to invite people to go to his wedding. He’s going to marry an aeta. He invited everyone but us. The wedding was going to be at Botolan. That’s the place where he’s been hiding for 3 years. They said that the only reason that he’s going to marry that woman is because she could help him to pay all the people that he owed. That was the rumor about it but I believe them because I know that he owed a lot of people.
After another year, we didn’t expect papers from the US embassy in the Philippines would be mailed to our house. I’m at school when the mail came so when I came back home my mom told me the good news. She said”Dumating na yung mga papeles natin”.I was so happy and excited. Actually we are all excited.Yay! Finally our prayers are coming true. We called my aunt immediately to tell the good news. Since she’s here, she followed up all the evidence that we need to pass the interview. The next day another paper came. It tells when is our Medical Appointment and our Interview. That evening, my mom packed up our clothes that we’ll use for five days at Manila. We get to go to Manila so I was so excited. When we got to the bus station it was so hot so we are all sweating. When we got a bus my mom said “Are you guys excited”? We immediately said” Yes”. I got more excited because my mom said” We’re staying at a hotel. Couple blocks away from St. Luke Medical Hospital”. We’ve never been to a hotel before so when I saw the hotel’s lobby I was amazed. It was so huge and beautiful. When I saw the elevator I wanted to go inside quickly. When we entered the lobby, the manager introduced himself politely.” I’m Mr.Salze. Would you like to check in”? He said. My mom gets us a room on the third floor. The room that he gave us was beautiful. It has two beds, two bathrooms, one big TV, one huge couch, and a microwave. It was all new to me because I don’t know how to use a microwave. I felt ignorant so I didn’t use it because I don’t want to break it but in my mind I’m dying to use it.
The next day I got nervous because my mom told me that they’re going to check our blood to see if we have Diabetes or any disease. I never like injections so when we got to the hospital I was shaking. I can’t explain what I was feeling that time. I felt cold, nervous, and exciting because the hospital was so huge. The hospital has six floors so we need to use an elevator. I felt excited again because I’m about to use an elevator. After that we need to register to the registration office. We showed our passports, ID’s and some papers that they need. They also took our finger prints and took us pictures to put on their computer. When we got to the waiting room it was loud because a lot of people are in there. After waiting about an hour, they finally called on our names. They took us to a room and took my mom’s blood but the injection left a black mark at my mom’s arm. The doctor said, “It will be gone for two days. That is just a reaction of your skin to the injection”. By that, they could tell if my mom has any disease and that means there are possibilities that we have it too. Thank God my mom doesn’t have any disease so we pass. Then, they took us to another room to check our body parts. We need to take off all our clothes. The doctor that checked us was a girl so I guess it was okay but I felt nervous. My mom went first then I went after her. My heart was pounding so fast, the doctor even noticed it. Then my sister followed me. How embarrassing is that?
After the check up the doctor said” We’ll just mail it to you. If you passed you’ll get it by the next two days but if you don’t receive it by that day you need to come back”. At the exact day, the result came and it says we passed. The next day my mom was getting ready for our interview at the US embassy in the Philippines. My mom packed all the evidence that we needed to prove that my grandma petitioned us at the year 1994, May. I can see that she’s excited because she’s showing big smiles on her face.We are going to Manila again.Yay!
When we arrived at the US embassy, we waited for 45 minutes in line. It was so hot that day so I felt tired and thirst. We got in the embassy and then we waited again for another 30 minutes. After that, they finally called on our names. The guy who interviewed us was really nice. He ask about my grandma in the United States then he asked for the evidence to show that we’re all related. After that, he congratulates us. We passed. We’re excited to tell the good news to my uncles and aunts.
In the Philippines, before going to another country we celebrate it or in Tagalog we simply called it Despedida.We celebrated our Despedida during my sister’s birthday. I can still imagine the happiness of all people during our Despedida.The noise of the Karaoke Machine, the people that are drinking outside and the children that was playing on our terrace. My mom prepared a lot of food like Spaghetti, Chicken Adobo.Rice, Pansit and my favorite Igado.
May 9, 2008 we are all excited. Why? Because we are now going to California. My Uncles and cousins came with us to say Goodbye’s and Goodluck’s.We are all crying at that time especially me because I’m about to leave my cat, its 3 kittens, my friends, and my 3 best friends. After that they left because we’re about enter the Airport. At exactly 10:00p.m, we left the Philippines and on our way to California. At the exact 12:13 a.m., we arrived at the LA Airport. I’m excited to see my Aunt Merly, Uncle Frank, Aunt Remy, Grandma, and cousins.
I guess what happens are all meant to be because if my parents haven’t separated, I wouldn’t be here because I need to stay with my dad.Now,my mom can make sure that we’re going to have a better future in this country as long as we do our best and don’t forget God.
