[A Classic Domics Opening]
As many of you guys know I was born in the Philippines and moved to Canada when I was seven years old.
It wasn't for another 15 years that I would return after I graduated from university.
I was 22 and my parents figured it was time we all went back to visit.
Now 15 years away from your homeland can really change you.
Although my parents did their best to preserve the culture at home, I kind of just stopped speaking Tagalog.
I was able to fully understand it with my parents and other Filipino adults spoke to me.
But ended up just replying in English.
I still use a few terms like saying "opo" to my elders and "Kain na." to tell everyone it's time to eat,
and, "Mmm. Ang bango!" when I let out a fart.
But other than a few phrases I had a lot of trouble keeping up a conversation if I needed to reply in Tagalog as well.
So I was pretty nervous going back having to meet relatives that I barely remember,
catching up with my cousins who were all grown up like me and just
adjusting myself back into the way of life in the Philippines.
I think language was the hardest part, when people spoke to me
I knew what words and phrases to reply with but it didn't feel right coming out of my mouth.
So when in doubt I just ended up speaking English, but with a Filipino accent.
They knew English well over there.
It was considered the second language along with Spanish.
Although my relatives were cool with it I was always worried to speak to strangers.
The whole way there my mom kept warning us specifically my younger sister
and I since we spoke the least Tagalog to "Avoid speaking out loud because if we're in the jeepney-
-and they hear you, they'll know you're not from here and want to kidnap you and hold you for ransom."
So the first week or so whenever we go out to eat or shop,
I have to pretend like a mute in fear of my kidneys getting stolen
and just hope my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins can communicate for me.
It wasn't until we went to this one salon that I realized it didn't even matter.
My mom and sisters decided to get a "Mani-Pedi" and facial treatment and they extended the invitation to me. My dad was off hanging out
with his brother so I decided cool. Yeah, let's make me beautiful.
So we get there and my mom and my older sister go first.
I'm chilling in the lobby, but it was kind of a small and intimate place.
So I was still able to speak with my mom and sister.
Along with the employees who were working on them. The two ladies are having a conversation with each other and then I hear
"Gago in Denim Koreano", and I understood what she said right away, because as I mentioned I could understand Tagalog well.
I just had trouble speaking and at first
I didn't realize what they meant because my younger sister, and I were the only ones waiting in the lobby-
-and I got kind of intrigued like "Whoa-
there's Koreans here in Mindoro?", but then I realized oh, they're talking about me.
Because although I'm Filipino. I'm on the lighter skinned end of the spectrum
and Filipinos are generally known to be darker skinned, and even though I have small slanted eyes. I was like "Me? Korean?"
I usually get Chinese or Vietnamese or Thai or whatever, but sure okay?
That's kind of rare.
So then I realized it doesn't even matter if I don't reveal my weak
-communication skills, when I already look like I'm not from here and can't blend in with the people.
One thing I couldn't get used to was maids.
Some relatives that I stayed with had maids in their household which I didn't even realize were maids right away.
Because these were people haven't seen in 15 years with kids who weren't even around before I left. So when we got to their place-
and they didn't introduce the girl in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
I was like, huh?
Okay
That may be they will later and in the Philippines the maids and their family usually live with the main family
Often in an extension of the house, so they were pretty much in service all day every day
And we ended up never being introduced
So it was safe to assume that they were the maid I
Just couldn't get used to having that kind of service either. I felt kind of spoiled in a way
I was raised to kind of just do shit on your own and take initiative
You know be independent even as a guest in someone else's house
I'll make the effort to pick up my plate when I'm done eating and bring it to the sink to wash or at least rinse
Out the host might try to stop me
But I'd at least want to let him know that I have some level of decency and consideration, but in that situation
I was apparently in the wrong and when I got up after eating my delicious
Longanisa and eggs my cousin immediately interrupts and pretty much dunks my plate back down to the table yells geeky
I forgot the maids name
So I'm just gonna call it a kiki then the maid drops
Whatever. She was doing in the other room runs in and collects my dish to clean out the kitchen sink
I had no idea how to react [I] didn't know if I was [being] rude by trying not to be rude
my dishes
But it was the same thing at the mall food court as well after I was done eating I picked up my tray and look
For a trash can that didn't exist next thing
I know this worker comes out all panicked and pleads me to keep my trash and tray on the table for them to clean up
I was raised better than this but overall I'd say my trip was filled with amazing experiences
it was great to see relatives again since I don't really have any in Canada and I got to travel around the different islands and
Really appreciate the country went to palauan and floated through the scary-ass underground River went to Bohol and saw the chocolate hills
Not actually made of chocolate
visited my parents
Hometown of San Jose and Mindoro and got to see where they grew up and just going around manila where I was born and seeing
The culture and lifestyle that differed from what I was used to in Canada although
I consider Canada my home since it contains the majority of my memories and experiences
I'll never forget my roots and where I came from and hopefully you guys never forget your origins as well
This video has been brought to you by ancestry the global leader in Family history and consumer genomics
I've always been curious as to where I came from and how far back down the bloodline
I can see even though my parents have told me that. We're full filipino
I have my suspicions that there's more to it than that
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So you might have a cousin in a country you never thought you'd be familiar with I did my dNa test a couple of weeks
Ago, and now have my results and have revealed it to my family on Christmas
And I'll be sure to show footage of that in another video
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Grandparents might be unaware of I think one time my parents mentioned that we may have some japanese in our blood
But because it's so far back down the bloodline
I've always just disregarded it whenever talking about my ethnicity with others, but now
I may be able to shine some truth to it if you guys end up discovering something totally surprising about your origins
Share some of your results in the comments or post or tweet me and use hashtag my ancestry again
That's ancestry.com slash Domics link in the description and as always enjoy
FIN