It’s October! You know what that means? It’s Filipino American Heritage Month!
Since going to school at a PWI (predominantly white institution), I’ve made an “alter-ego” to adapt to my surroundings. During midterms, nothing ever beats coming home to eat the home-cooked Filipino foods I’ve grown up with and speaking Tagalog with my parents. Taking a break from my stressful life at university to return to my roots after exams is one of my favorite things in the world. Let’s be honest, trying to survive college with nothing but caffeine and a dream is seriously no joke. I often feel a little disconnected from reality whenever I switch personas.
Actually, I never knew this until recently, but Filipino American Heritage Month is celebrated during the month of October because the first arrival of Filipinos was recorded back in 1587 in Morro Bay, California. This is why heritage months are pretty important, especially in a college setting. For me, Filipino American Heritage Month is a time where I get to show my pride in my culture and share it with all my friends.
If you want to spice up your life with some Filipino pride this October, here are some ways to show appreciation:
Support Your Local Filipino Businesses!
Albeit a bit rare to see a Filipino owned food joint, but once you find one, I’m sure you’ll fall in love with the food, the people, and the overall atmosphere! There’s this one cafe that I like to frequent that makes the best ube lattes and ensaymada. I just like to sit down and get work done there.
Swap your Spooky Scary Thrillers for some Classic Filo teleserye
Look, I get it, its October, and we’re all preparing for Halloween. However, let’s take a break from rewatching Hocus Pocus and maybe try out some of these popular Filo Dramas:
- “She’s Dating the Gangster”
- Pangako Sa ‘Yo
- Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas
- Ang Mutya ng Section E
- On the Wings of Love (2015)