Sa Simula

Blessie Vergara

Blog Post #4

The streets were lined with litter and speckled with patches of dirt. Jeepneys painted in all sorts of colors were jam-packed with different shades of chocolate-skinned people. Multicab and tricycle operators drove these same people in their vehicles, far beyond their maximum capacity. The cries of lumpia, banana-Q, and cascaron vendors filled the air, as they worked desperately to make a living. The sweet smell of fried delicacies lingered in the atmosphere as well. Sa simula, the Vergara family made this place their home. Guagua, a humble municipality in the province of Pampanga is where it all began.

It was 2007, but I felt like I was transported to the early 2000’s. Through the eyes of a Filipino-American eight-year-old, everything about this place seemed so outdated. Infrastructure was worn; the buildings were encrusted in paint shavings of all sorts of bright hues. Electrical wires were scarce, and if they were present, they were fully exposed in odd places. The roads were dotted with potholes. But what struck me the most was the fact that the people who lived amidst these conditions were joyful. Although I looked and sounded like these people to some extent, I felt like an alien.

From this trip, I received a new-found appreciation for the comforts that America had to offer. As an eight-year-old living in America, I had the privilege of having a constant supply of electricity, a stable house, being able to go on family vacations, and a steady source of income to provide it all. My parents lived among the people of Guagua, have experienced hardships there, and have sacrificed whatever they could in order to give me most (if not all) of America’s luxuries. Seeing my origins firsthand gave me a sense of humility and gratefulness in the years to come. This mirrors Coates’ experience; he was one of few African-Americans in his neighborhood who came from a middle-class family and became passionate about his culture after seeking knowledge about it firsthand. As I make my own sa simula story as a first-generation American born individual, I reflect on my roots and take that with me.