Week 1_Miguel Flores_ASA114

Displacement has been a constant and on-going movement of peoples; they are dispersed due to many forces and issues that affect their survival and desire to succeed. This constant movement is not a thing of the past nor a problem that is only centralized in the regions of Viet Nam. In Anderson Lee’s literature, it offers us a definition that is continuously being redefined and contested through the comings and goings of people – a process that spurs division of differences, political inclinations, and economic diversity. Valverde’s reiteration of immigrants detesting the usual conformation of people to the host’s culture and tradition goes hand in hand with Lee’s take on displacement and creation of diaspora overseas. This seemingly distant connection always rebound as people longs for the familiarity of home. Though circumstances of oppression and repression tend to deter people from restricting their connections with the homeland, James Clifford notes that “Transnational connections break the binary relation of minority communities with majority societies – a dependency that structures projects of both assimilation and resistance (Valverde, p.27).” Despite the notions of resistance and dispersal from their homeland, people reconnect with their roots and this is even made possible through innovations in technology and communications. For the most part, technologies are our go-to when we miss home, but could there be a downside for this that could affect our perception of home through mainstream media?

I was born and raised in the Philippines, and my family migrated here in the United States in 2010, though we were not forcefully displaced, our economic disadvantages and a desire to succeed were the driving force on why we came here in the first place. This idea of an American Dream – financially stability, quality education, and the benefits of democracy entice us as a family to become the dreamers. We are immigrants who come here to fill that void and shortcomings we experienced from our homeland. I ask my parents the question: “after you made this X amount of money, put my brother and me through college, are you going back to the Philippines?” The answer they gave me was vague: “It depends.” This vagueness of an answer hints a combination of hesitation and longing for our homeland. I am still connected to my homeland, but the more I become connected the more I am satisfied with my family’s decision to leave the country. Corruption, war on drugs, and alliance with communistic China are all predicaments that reflect the shifting democracy of the Philippines.

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) arriving at the airport after being away from their families.

Citation:

Kieu-Linh Valverde. “Transnationalizing Viet Nam – Introduction.

”Transnationalizing Viet Nam.Anderson and Lee. “Asian American Displacements.” Displacements.

Rappler. When In Manila. Overseas Filipino Workers Arriving At The Airport. Image. https://www.wheninmanila.com/watch-touching-story-of-how-overseas-filipino-workers-sacrifice-for-their-families/