Q&A with a Pil-Am working abroad in the Philippines

Maybe you were born in the Philippines. You may have flown there for the holidays to visit family, or perhaps you were even lucky enough to travel there as an exploration of your identity. But ever wonder what it might be like to be an American citizen actually living and working in the Philippine capital?  Justin Jimenez, a 23-year-old fellow of the Princeton in Asia program is doing just that. Here, he gives us a snapshot of his life as an expat-- nay, balikbayan-- living in the Philippines.

BW: So, Justin-- what brings you to Manila?
JJ: I'm doing fundraising and communications work for The Mind Museum (www.themindmuseum.org), which is a groundbreaking new science museum being built in Metro Manila. It aims to be a supplement to math and science education – areas in which the Philippines is severely lacking. Construction starts later this year and it’s set to open in 2011, so look out for that when you make your future balikbayan trips to the Philippines in the next few years.

BW: Sounds pretty awesome. How did you end up finding that gig?
JJ: I joined this project through a fellowship program called Princeton in Asia (www.princeton.edu/~pia). It connects recent college graduates with various institutions all over Asia. After doing a summer program at the University of the Philippines before my senior year of college, I’ve wanted to get involved with something that would allow me come back and do something positive for the country, and luckily I found this avenue to do just that.

BW: Is there a large expat community like in other big Asian cities?
JJ: There actually isn’t that large of an expat community here in the Philippines as there is in other places in the region like, say, Singapore or Hong Kong. However, there does seem to be a decent-sized balikbayan/Pil-Am community here. I differentiate between the two – expats and balikbayans/Pil-Ams – because I associate the former with having no prior connection to the country whereas the latter has some sort of cultural, linguistic, or, at the very least, familial relationship with the Philippines.

BW: Got it. Do you hang out in these balikbayan/Pil-Am circles?
JJ: Luckily, I’ve found other individuals who are here for similar reasons and we get together relatively often. When living abroad, I’ve found that it’s really important to find a network of like-minded people to share frustrations, find support, and just hang out. Finding other Fil-Ams in particular has really helped to ease the transition, especially when it comes to things like bi-culturalism, our grasp-- or lack thereof-- of Filipino languages, and other shared experiences that are common to diasporic/overseas communities.

BW: I bet a lot of interesting and random things have happened during your time in Manila.
 Sure – it depends on what you find interesting though. I have stories about cultural clashes, the frustrations that come with living in a foreign country, the amazing adventures that come with living in a foreign country, personal epiphanies – you name it. I think the most interesting stories that Manila has to tell come from the ordinary folk that you walk past on the street. Not that many people walk in this city, which is unfortunate, but another story altogether.

BW: Ah, I see. Anything specific?
JJ: Once I was making kuwento with a sales associate at a store and he asked me how old I was. I told him I was 23, and he asked “O talaga? Pareho palang kaming edad. Meron ka na bang asawa? (Oh really? We’re the same age then. Are you married?)” I responded, “No way! I’m too young for that.” Turns out he was a single dad with a five year old son, awkwardly reminding me of the different lifestyle choices and social expectations that I took for granted growing up in the U.S. And I assure you, that wasn’t the last of those moments.

BW: What should people in America, Pilipino-American or not, know about Manila?
JJ: It’s interesting, because in addition to the image of poverty that comes to mind when you think of the developing world-- think 'Slumdog Millionaire'-- I find a lot of Americans also romanticize these same countries as tropical paradises. So it’s a strange dynamic, because these visions of poverty and beauty are in constant tension with one another in the collective American imagination. That said, I’m also guilty of having similar views.

But I guess what I want to say is that I think these perceptions are valid, though only to a certain extent. The situation of the country is much more complex than that. Yes, people still do live in nipa huts without running water and electricity, but there also exist people with ridiculous amounts of wealth, however few.

BW: Do you plan on coming back to America anytime soon?
JJ: I think so. Being out here alone is tough when you’re young and idealistic. Also, being thrust in a foreign environment an ocean away from the US, I’m constantly reminded of how American I really am; the cultural/language barrier also plays a larger role than I expected. And even though it’s been easy for me to become jaded with how things are here, I also do hope to return to the Philippines at some point in the future.

BW: And finally-- what do you miss most about being home?
JJ: Two words: Mexican food. You'd think that a country with a few centuries of galleon trade with Acapulco would have a better selection. And of course, my family and friends.