De Nile River

I have to confess. I used to think I was white.  

Even though I was born in the Philippines, we moved to the United States when I was just one.  My dad was in the Navy, and we lived primarily in the East Coast ~ Maryland, Connecticut, Washington DC, and Virginia.

I think I was one of three Filipinos in the entire school my freshman year of high school, and either there were even fewer of us in my junior high and elementary schools, or I just wasn't as aware of my being different back then.  

My parents never taught me the language, Tagalog, for fear I'd have trouble learning English.  And they never spoke the language outside of the home, except with relatives in their homes. 

Thankfully, I was never the brunt of discrimination or prejudice.  

When my dad retired from the Navy in 1983, we left the East Coast and moved to Vallejo where, as a 10th grader, I think I experienced culture shock.  With so many other Filipinos around me, and then them  speaking "the language" to each other in public, I was just appalled.

 So ... while I have since recovered, there began my denial.  And reading Pati's book, "The Oracles," once again reminded me to value of both the pains and joys of life.

In her book, she vivifies this clash of cultures that's not at all restricted to the Filipino's.  But more than just talking about the conflict, she helps us to embrace generational and cultural differences, also leading us to find value in both the joys and pains of our upbringing. 

I've read "The Oracles" and had the privilege of hearing her do a book reading at SF State last night.  I bought the book for one of my pastors who said (and I quote with permission), "This redneck honkey really enjoyed her book."  :-)

I hope you'll pick it up and read it too. 

You can listen to Pati read excerpts of her book by clicking here.