I am Filipino

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lausanne Morgan
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  For the first five years of my life, I lived in the Philippines. In all of my 21 years of living, I have only gone back once, for a year at age seven, and that single year is all the memory I have of my home country.

I remember so vividly the heat on my skin, the water filling up my boots after a hard rain, the tastes and textures of exotic fruits, and, well, pictures help too.

Moving to America at such a young age, I would have forgotten everything if it wasn't for my family. Tagalog, the main language spoken in the Philippines, was also the primary language spoken in our home.

Throughout my years of American schooling, I managed to keep in touch with my Filipino heritage. My older sister and I were involved with the local Filipino-American Club at Oak Harbor High School in Oak Harbor, Wash. We would perform traditional dances, host cultural days and cook authentic Filipino food.

No matter where we went, there were always Filipino-American Associations that we could connect with.

Now, even in England, I was recently "found", per se, by the Filipino-American Friendship Club serving RAFs Lakenheath and Mildenhall, and participated in one of their many events.

I have found that wherever I go, I either find my way back into my culture or it finds me.

Being with the Fil-Am dancers is like being in the Philippines; great food and great company. It only takes knowing one to know all.

For me, knowing this one person is like holding on for dear life while you cliff dive into the world of Filipinos. Everyone is family, so naturally everyone is my "Ate" or "Kuya" which is a respective word used in front of the names of an older sister or brother.

They often tell me to speak up because I come off as shy. I'm a sponge, a young mind absorbing the language and culture of the people around me. I am the little sister who learns from her older sisters. I sit, learn and listen. That's what I do, and if it seems like I'm staring, it's because I'm fascinated.

The Fil-Am dancers and I recently performed a Spanish inspired traditional Filipino dance called Cariñosa at Market Hill in Brandon.

The steps were simple, but it was inspiring to pick up a dance with such ease and elegance. I like to think that our ancestors passed down the spirit of dance to each and every one of their descendants.

Practice was kind of like having a mini-party at times; socializing and dancing. If there was food, it was made, not bought.

I am grateful to be a part of such a culturally enriching club.

I may only have an inkling of memory of the Philippines, but I don't think I ever had to worry about forgetting my culture or my language.

I am more than 4,000 miles away from my family back in the states and almost 7,000 miles away from my family living in the Philippines, yet all the distance in the world couldn't keep me from my roots.