JP Lawrence starts off the essay by introducing that on that day he wanted to go eat at the Jollibee that had just opened in Queens. Alongside stating his mission, the author shares how “Jollibee is like the Mcdonald’s of the Philippines with its 1,804 branches worldwide and the profit it brings in” which he then tries to label the restaurant as theirs (he and his mother, & Filipinos). The author continues to share facts while narrating his life as a Filipino American starting from how he and his mother migrated to Minnesota to live with his stepfather to what he is now. Over the course of Lawrence’s story,  the author starts to describe himself, which can be seen in his unique Jollibee experience, as a Filipino who all his life didn’t get in touch with his Filipino side/identity and who has stories such as being not taught Tagalog, even mispronouncing Filipino words “Oh! Gusta ko to! Sarap! Sarap!” even calling himself an adolescent brat for not enjoying his trip to the Philippines as a kid and lastly being judged by a Navy Veteran’s Filipino wife for not speaking even a hint of Tagalog. He just doesn't know anything about his culture overall. The author’s description of himself was evident in the Jollibee experience because even though he is a Filipino in a Filipino environment, he felt like a stranger as he didn’t understand the Tagalog that the Filipinos around him were talking in.Throughout the author’s essay, he was able to describe how he avoided getting to know his Filipino roots which led him to conclude how his recognition of his own culture was exchanged for a better life, and to question if this really is the life that his immigrant mother visualized it to be. JP Lawrence’s problem may be a common dilemma faced by many Fil-Foreign people, being a tourist in one’s culture. Most immigrants move to another country so that they and their family can experience a better life their old country can’t offer. This brings up the question: Should immigrant children trade off their own heritage, in exchange for a life in their new home? Obviously, immigrants and their children should not forget their own culture, but they are just set up to naturally do so just like how JP Lawrence lived his life in a mostly American environment, from hating his trip to the Philippines and wanting to go back home to America, to treating Tagalog as this “secret language” amongst his mother's friends,  which led him to not delve into Filipino culture or even learn to speak the language.

  For Filipino-Foreigners, this essay may symbolize their personal experience as a Filipino who doesn't feel like a Filipino. They were raised in an environment where their knowledge on their culture is not being taught or seen since they grew up in a whole other country, which by technicality is their home. This brings up the dilemma on should immigrant children become obliged to learn about their heritage or ignore it completely and live the life as a citizen of the country they're in. Although going back to JP Lawrence’s story, he was not completely deprived of his Filipino side; in fact there were multiple instances showing that he was around Filipinos and even visited the Philippines at one point of his life. With the neglection of his Filipino side, Lawrence felt uncomfortable and guilty in the situations such as when the Jollibee employee and the people in the restaurant were speaking in Tagalog or when the Filipina wife was disappointed in him for not speaking in Filipino,  wherein knowing the language or being Filipino was necessary. I see this type of narrative in both Filipinos who are immigrants and even here in the Philippines which is why the text resonated with me. Starting off with my personal experience with Filipino immigrants, I have relatives who reside in different parts of the world and I can put them in categories. These are 1) Barely any clue on their Filipino side 2) Just like the author, understands some tagalog/Filipino but can’t speak the language 3) Proficient in Filipino and acknowledges their heritage like they never left the Philippines, take note all of them spent most if not all their life in their migrated country. JP Lawrence falls in between the first and second category wherein they chose (consciously or unconsciously) to become a person in the country they live in, or in his case being an American whilst the third category are immigrant children who despite living in another country still manage to learn the language, maintainthe culture and even continuously learn about their home country. The third category contradicts the question/dilemma mentioned earlier since it shows that immigrants/immigrant children don’t have to choose between extremes. Here at home it’s no different, there are some locals mostly kids who barely have any idea on how to speak Filipino and/or neglect Filipino culture just like immigrant children which just proves the message the essay is trying to communicate. Spread through the essay, the author wished that he chose to learn about his Filipino side more than he did and still live the life that his mother wanted to give him, which is being an American. JP Lawrence tries to tell people who feel like a stranger to their culture that choosing/having a certain lifestyle doesn’t mean trading away one’s heritage by completely ignoring it instead they could always learn about their roots and live the life they are in so that they won’t end up like Lawrence who has lost touch with his Filipino side.