Pupunta sa America (Going to America)--Zeth

 

“Magmadali, mahuhuli tayo sa ating flight.” My mother was in such a hurry because as usual, we were running late for our flight. We are actually finally going to America for the very first time. Being Filipino and living in poverty, it’s a relief moving to a country where we can forge a new, better path for the family. Then, a lady on the intercom says “Pagsakay sa gate 27.” Great. Our flight is already starting to board and we’ve barely checked in our luggage. Now, my mom was really mad. “Kita mo ba Ito ang dahilan kung bakit sinabi ko sa iyo na magising ka ng maaga.” Now she’s yelling at me for waking up 5 minutes later than I should have. I wish she could cut me some slack, but I know how Filipino moms are and she’s most definitely in that stereotype. Adding to that, she struggles with her english right now. I think that’s why she keeps talking to me in Tagalog and not english because she doesn’t want to embarrass herself in front of others. She’s always been very conscious on not embarrassing herself for as long as I’ve been her son. But, through her scolding, I could tell she was relieved they were going to America just as much as I was. Her and my dad are not on the best terms due to him being a “ladies man.” Whatever that means. Then, my older brother just stopped talking to him while my younger siblings and myself are just kept in the dark not really being exposed to the whole issue. It’s just a slap in the face just because the reason we are even going is because of his new job in LA and he's bringing me and my siblings along. My mother is honestly being brought along just because of how much my younger siblings begged him to do so. But, from what I’m told, we’re all traveling in separate flights so my parents don’t have to worry about being anywhere near each other. Now, at the gate, we are getting our tickets checked while my siblings and I are practically dead tired from running and being yelled at by our mother all the way from the security checkpoint. Oh well I guess. As long as we’ve made it on our flight, I can deal with her yelling. As we got our luggage in the overhead compartments and I began to sit down, my mother looked at us and I actually noticed her to be a little teary eyed as we were finally going to live out our own “American Dream.”