Am I any less of a Filipino if I stay in Canada?

By Marielle Gallajones

I moved here to Canada when I was 17. My life was all planned out; I was going to stay here in Canada for a couple of years and move back to the Philippines. But now, I’m not sure if that’s what I still want. I have a new life here and it wouldn’t be easy to move back. Then, in a conversation I had with my friends about patriotism and being a Filipino, I asked myself this question: am I any less of a Filipino if I decide to stay here in Canada?

I do not think I am less of a Filipino if I decide to stay here in Canada.

For me, being Filipino is beyond living in the Philippines, my citizenship or whether I speak the language or not. It is more about how proud I am to be a Filipino and what I do to represent the Filipino community. Therefore my being a Filipino does not stop even if I am no longer living in the Philippines.

Now that I am here in Canada, I just have a different venue to show that I am Filipino. I think being Filipino is to be able to reach out to my fellowmen regardless of where I am. And I think that is what all these Filipino organizations are doing. They reach out to the Filipinos away from home to not forget where they came from, to embrace their heritage and culture or to help those who need it.

Moreover, I think moving back to the Philippines is not as easy as it sounds. Sure, I grew up there and most people I know are there, but whether I admit it or not, things changed since I left. If I go back, I would be in the same situation that I was in before I left for Canada. I would be giving up the life that I have now and I would have to start over again. Also, there are more career opportunities for me if I stay here – opportunities that may not be available back home in the Philippines.

I am not trying to convince people to stay in Canada because where you want to live is your decision. And I know some people will go back to the Philippines under any circumstances. All I am saying is that, if Filipinos choose to stay in Canada or anywhere else for good, it would not make them any less Filipino, because it is not about where you live but about what you plan to do to represent the Filipino community.

Marielle Gallajones is a member of ANAK.

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