Edwin
6 Jan 2010

Re: Like NJ life, love Bonuan home

Mr. Ceralde

I live in Union City, CA. When my wife (who is from Dagupan) and I moved into our house, there was only about 14,000 people living here, a far cry from the 80,000 who now reside here. As the city grew so did the Filipino population.

Our city has one of the largest per capita Filipino populations in California. The city government has many Pinoys or those who are married to Filipinas. We have several large supermarkets within three miles from my house that cater to the Filipino population. Yet, every year I look forward to returning to our house in the barangay. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it’s because of the peace I feel being away from the rat race. Or maybe it’s the admiration of way the people can bounce back from adversities such as the recent flood and maintain their cool and dignity.

I was six years old when we arrived in the U.S. after WWII. Before the war, my dad and mom lived in San Fernando, La Union where I was born. My dad, being American, was immediately sent to Santo Tomas in Manila as a P.O.W. by the Japanese where he was interned until the liberation.

When we arrived in the States we had nothing. My first coat was given to me by the Red Cross. We had lost everything during the war. My mother and father both had high work ethic. My Filipina mother did domestic work while my white father drove a cab. Yet, during these hard times my parents never asked for nor received welfare. The attitude that my parents had is what I see in the barangays every time I return.

My admiration of people with the “can do” attitude is one of the most admirable traits of the average Pinoy, that and their love and trust of God and family.

I’m not saying all the Pinoys are saints because there is always going to be a rotten apple in that large barrel but I prefer to look at the world through a rose-colored glass.

Oh, yes, on another subject. I do a lot of fishing (and “gaming”) at Lake Tahoe.

Happy New Year.

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