Being the Family Backbone, Somie Tam Roa interviewed by Allyson Vitales Roa

        

Somie Tam Roa with her sister 

Elena Ong at Roosevelt College, Marikina. 

Introduction :

Somie Tam Roa was born in Delgabo medical center, Quezon city, Manila; On September 30, 1956. Mrs. Roa immigrated to California, U.S.A in the year 2000 and worked as a store retailer, leaving behind her job as a nurse and her family back home in the Philippines. 

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Family Background

3. Expectations of America

4. Adjusting to America

5. Filipino Americans vs. Filipino immigrants

6. Life during the Marcos regime

Family Background:
Living in a wealthy, big, happy family growing up
made her childhood magnificent.

Somie and her sibilings with their mother
 in the middle holding their grandchild, Naomie.

Expectations of America:
Somie expected America to be very clean
and that the air would smell like perfume.

Adjusting in America:
Unlike most immigrants Somie did not
experience discrimination.  

Filipino Americans vs Filipino Immigrants:

Cultural practices such as "opo" are used
everyday with Filipino immigrants but Fil-Ams
are more Western cultured. 

Life during Marcos regime:
Most people only know the bad of Marcos,
however, Somie exposes the truth about him
as a president of the Philippines. 

Life in America vs. Life in the Philippines
Even though we follow the Western way of living
we still are very different.

Thank you!