Conrad P
Major: Undecided
Hometown: Guilford, Connecticut
Age: 19
Mother Home Country: The Philippines
Father's Home Country: England, United Kingdom
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"There are more people who are second generation Americans here than I would have initially thought. I know a lot of other people who are also the first to go through the American education system, especially through cultural groups such as FASA (Filipino American Student Association) here at UConn. I came to college to give myself the chance to expand my opportunities and limits of what I can achieve.
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I do feel somewhat connected to my culture, however sometimes I do not feel like I am as educated on different aspects as I could be and hope to continue learning more about it. Growing up, my mom would always take my to Filipino family parties where I got the chance to make a lot of family friends that I still know today. There were also plenty of Filipino songs that came up and karaoke, which is a big part of their culture. We also cook some traditional food sometimes and my mom would tell me stories about her growing up in the Philippines.
I have been fortunate enough to go to both of my parent’s home countries to meet family in each and see how different they are from each other. In terms of the UK, a lot of the life there is more similar to the US not only through the language, but also how modernized it is, however there are definitely noticeable differences with their culture. The Philippines is very different - it is a country that has been starting to boom economically, but still wildly different form life in the US. City life is always busy there, with traditional food stands and people crowded all around. Someone my age there may be going to a university, or working somewhere in the city. In more rural parts, there is less technology to keep kids distracted, so it seems like they are out and about more spending time with each other. Overall, getting to go to both countries has been awesome and has helped me discover more of how my parents grew up."
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