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The fact remains that numerous Filipino individuals and families go abroad for a better life, whether for better job opportunities or the cost of living. In this way, numerous Filipinos lose touch with their culture as they are stationed in a foreign nation where Filipino culture isn't necessarily exhibited in everyday life. Personally, I know someone who has lived in the Philippines for most of her adolescent life, only to go to Japan for college, followed by her career. Coming back to visit the Philippines every once in a while, I've come to realize that she wouldn't just be out-of-date with the country's slang, but also seemingly forgetful of certain words when we spoke to her in our mother language. Consequently, this is happening to someone who was raised in the Philippines most of her life. What more if one were to be raised in a foreign country with only their blood to inform them that they are Filipino? This is happening to many Filipinos, one of which is my 3-year-old cousin born and raised in Australia.

Though they may be unable to resonate with their origin, one cannot necessarily blame them for not being able to do so, or even for being in these circumstances in the first place. After all, one more fact still remains, numerous foreign countries offer higher wages as compared to the Philippines.

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Taking into account the fact that numerous Filipino individuals and families go abroad for a better life with better opportunities, allowances, and cost of living, I'd say that the essay aims to point out that there are a number of Filipinos in the world that were raised in another country and struggle to resonate with their cultural identity and language. That said,
in spite of the fact that it isn't necessarily their fault, the essay seems to detail that knowing their origin and where they come from is an important aspect contributing to who they are, and their identity as a person.

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The essay revolved around the author's experience and life as a Filipino that moved to eh the United States at a very young age. Due to this, he is unable to speak his mother language fluently and isn't able to converse/resonate with his fellow Filipinos.

In order, the essay starts off with the author deciding to visit the newly established Jollibee in Queens. Throughout his journey, he came across a number of Filipinos but is unable to converse and connect with them. That said, he then recalls moments in his life when he felt so at ease in America that he never really felt the need to explore his Filipino culture and identity until he started to mature.

To summarize, it was about a Filipino living in the United States, unable to resonate and relate with his own culture, identity, and people.

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There are a number of people involved aside from the author himself. Consequently, these include his mother, his American stepfather, the navy veteran, his Filipina wife, and the numerous other Filipinos he encountered in the essay--- including the Filipinos in Jollibee and those who he could not relate to due to his lack of fluency in his own mother language.

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Personally, I am a Filipino-American born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. That said, although I was raised in the Philippines, there were moments in my life when I Pondered what my life would be like if I was raised in the United States. Would my life be better? Would I enjoy my school life more? As someone who had English as their first language, these were some of the questions I asked myself growing up with dual citizenship, knowing that I can go back to the United States any time.

Growing up, however, I've come to appreciate Filipino culture. So much so, that I'm currently conflicted about whether I should go to the United States for college or just remain in the Philippines. Looking at the rankings, without a doubt, going to the United States would be the better option. Yet for the first time in my life, I started to ponder if I really wanted to take that step. After all, I knew that my family's life, alongside my own, would never be the same.

I stand by the fact that knowing one's identity through their culture and origin may influence one's decisions. In my case, it certainly did. It isn't wrong for one to go to a foreign country for a better life, but it would be best to make such decisions knowing what is at stake. It is important to keep in touch with our culture since it is a part of us. Consequently, I think that people who were raised in a foreign country, are working in a foreign country, or even ponder to live in a foreign country, should give this a read of what may occur in their life outside their mother nation.

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From start to finish, it can be seen that the essay is an "episodic narrative." This is due to the description of the author stating events that took place in the story through numerous segments/episodes. In spite of the fact that these seem to be independently separate events, they all correlate and come together on a specific timeline to form the author's overall story and theme.

That said, these positioned episodes shift from both past events through flashbacks to present occurrences, in the author's new life in Minnesota. It is told in the first-person point of view from mostly the author's own perspective of his life and what Jollibee means to him and his family as Filipinos living abroad. Although there are events in which the mother's perspective is shown alongside speaking to the author in different languages with the author not being able to speak Filipino.

As a Filipino who was made to live in a foreign country at such a young age, foreshadowing could already be seen as early as when he started comparing Jollibee to its American competitors--- denoting that the prided fast-food chain of the Philippines, had an unpolished an element of unpolished eccentricity.

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The author seems to be an outcast in his own race, community, culture, and identity. He isn't necessarily unaware of who he is and which community he is a part of in terms of his race, he just isn't able to resonate and relate to them--- his fellow Filipinos--- with their culture and language.

In this way, as he mentions that he felt at ease in America, he never really felt the need to delve into such topics when he was young. As such, it is only when he got older that he started pondering the Filipino way and identity.

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Where you are born and where you are raised may affect one's cultural identity. That said, it is difficult to maintain one's culture in a foreign country, let alone familiarize oneself with it.
The essay just goes to show that the sense of belonging to one's community and getting to know their identity is an important aspect of our lives in spite of the circumstances we are in. After all, our common experiences and similarities as humans are what bind us all together.