Interview with Clary Johnston
Introduction
Upon taking this class, I really had no prior knowledge on immigration, but had an interest in learning more about it. From learning about the integration of immigrants, about concepts such as “Latinization” and “Daughter Communities,” and about different processes and challenges faced by immigrants, this class introduced me to new information that can be applied multiple ways in my life. Learning about immigration enhances cultural understanding, fostering a more inclusive community and encourages empathy for those individuals who had to face the challenges of migrating. For example, I can now further appreciate the town of Harrisonburg and how welcoming and open it is to all immigrants. When first introduced to this project, I had a hard time thinking of someone to interview, because I have not current family members or even recent relatives who immigrated to the U.S. So, I began thinking beyond family and Clary Johnston immediately came to mind as the ideal subject for this interview. As the mother of a good friend of mine, I felt comfortable approaching her for this purpose. Fueled by curiosity stemming from my unfamiliarity with her life narrative, I was intrigued to know more about her life story. My knowledge barely extended beyond her Philippine origin and her marriage with Ron Johnston, a native of the United States. This interview not only afforded me a more profound understanding of Clary, but also served as a way for me to link her narrative to a broader spectrum of experiences and connect those concepts and ideas to those explored in the interesting topics we have discussed in class.
Summary and Analysis
As stated previously, Clary was born and raised in the Philippines. She met Ron, her current husband, in the Philippines despite his being from PA. He served in the United States military and was stationed there. She briefly mentioned how they met, dated and got married. Ron traveled back and forth between the U.S. and Philippines to be with Clary, which was extremely difficult and expensive. They would constantly keep in touch via email and phone, but that too was expensive. About a year later, after the grueling process of preparing all of the necessary documents had been processed, Clary migrated to the United States, leaving much of her family behind. This was a very challenging time for her. She had already built and established her life there, with long-time friends, a good job and a safe home. It is hard for me to imagine how difficult it must have been for her to pick up and leave the life she knew. However, Clary had been to the United States before using a tourist visa for work-related purposes. This established a comfortable segue for her and allowed her to have a glimmer into what it was going to look like living here.
Clary and Ron
After moving to the United States in August of 2001, Clary mentioned how much of an adjustment it was for her to grow accustomed to living in such a different environment. She said that she was extremely homesick for about the first six months. With the limited means of communication in the early 2000’s, it was very expensive to call overseas, so she struggled and felt alone most of the time. Ron recommended that she not work for those first few months to help with the adjustment period, which also contributed to her feeling isolated. Eventually, she got a job at Giant as a temporary employee and worked in that position while she continued to acclimate herself to the area. Another adjustment she had to make was learning new things, such as cooking and driving a vehicle. She said that in the Philippines, her family had maids and drivers that would do all of that for her and her family. Although these were all challenges for her, she faced them and learned how to do everything with Ron by her side. Another obstacle she faced was acclimating to American cuisine, which was unlike anything she was used to. Because she migrated in 2001, she immediately experienced the tragedy of 9/11 within her first month of living here. This really impacted her thoughts and feelings as to what it was going to be like living in America. This was also very scary for her with Ron being in the Navy. Clary said in the interview, “it was to the extent that I wanted to go home.” Overall, moving to the United States was a huge adjustment and challenge for her to face. But about a year later, Ron and Clary had the pleasure of welcoming a baby daughter, Clarissa, into their lives. She was Clary’s pride and joy. By then, Clary also had a few family members move to the U.S. as well. After all those events, she was now fully settled in and content in living here. In the interview, I asked Clary if she goes back and visits her family in the Philippines often. She said she tries but it is hard with the cost and length of the flight, but she manages to make it back every so often. She said that she brought Clarissa back with her several time, which is really interesting to me. She also said that when returning home, it is a tradition to bring all your relatives gifts. This is an expense on top of the cost of the travel itself. With that said, Clary still holds all her customs and traditions true and is often in touch with her family back in the Philippines.
Migration
We can relate Clary’s story of migration to the War Brides Act of 1945. This Act was a legislation put into place for a few months after WWIIs official end. This act made it so that “alien spouses” and their children, if they had any, could come to the United States with their husbands who were members of the United States military. Although immigration policies have changed over the years, this Act is a great connection and introduction to Clary’s reasoning to move to the United States. The reunification of husbands and wives is important to note in both the War Brides Act and Clary’s story.
As mentioned before, Clary had said that the actual process and paperwork was extremely difficult and challenging. She said that it took about a year for all of her
documents to get approved for a Visa. Interestingly, when her cousins decided to move to the United States, it took him about twenty years for his documents to be approved. Clary said that if you have parents already here in the U.S. and have children that are over 21 years of age, “they will not allow them to immediately come to the U.S.” She also mentioned how expensive it is to process the necessary documents for migration. In class, we discussed the world of borders and regulations and how the government shapes who is able to migrate, from where people migrate, and how. When interviewing Clary, I immediately thought of the cartoon shown in class, where an immigrant is standing at the beginning of a confusing maze and reads a sign that said “Welcome to America, this was for green cards,” pointing to the maze, representing the migration process. This cartoon depicts how complex and difficult the migration process is and that navigating it successfully is nearly impossible without the help. Fortunately, Clary had Ron to help her with the paperwork, but still she found it confusing and difficult. This connection explains the complex process that immigrants face before making it to America. Also, it helped me understand how each process looks different for each individual, like how it took Clary a year but it took her cousin twenty years.
Also, the idea of social ties and resources definitely comes to play with Clary’s story. She said that, through her job, she was afforded the opportunity to come to the United States before actually living here. Through the pharmaceutical company she worked for, she was able to accompany doctors who would attend conferences in the U.S. This gave her prior experience with the ways in which to maneuver U.S. customs, the travel process, cultural and communication differences and even the variances in American food. It also enabled her a way to meet people in the United States. It was interesting to be able to connect that. Also, she already had a few relatives here in the U.S., so having that connection also helped with the adjustment. She could use those family ties as a way to either help with the migration process itself or ask questions about what it was like living here.
Integration
Immigrants are also faced with the challenges of integration, which is their ability to adapt and learn traditions and build new communities. Clary, once again, moved to Pennsylvania because that is where Ron had been living. Luckily, with the help of Ron, she was quickly able to find a job within the first six months of arriving. Giant was a big employer in Carlisle, PA at the time, so she was able to get a decent job there. She said that she did not necessarily want a job for the money, but because she wanted to have something to do or else it would have drove her “crazy.” She was used to living in a metropolitan area when in the Philippines, but if you know anything about Carlisle, PA, you know it is far from big city living. She eventually earned her masters degree at Lebanon Valley College. This degree led her to her current job working as a global indirect tax manager at Dentsply Sirona. All of this leads me to believe that Clary had successfully overcome the challenges of integration, as she was able to further her education, get a job, and build connections with locals around Carlisle. However, like many others, Clary experienced discrimination in the workplace and still has to overcome such hardships.
Clary’s family Tinikling
It appears that Clary was able to culturally integrate, meaning she adopted the essence of new, American cultures, while also maintaining her own traditional cultures. In the Philippines, life generally revolves around extended family and relatives. Clary continues to make sure to keep such traditions alive, while also teaching Clarissa the importance of family and those traditions. As mentioned before, Clary does travel home when possible, always bringing gifts to her relatives. Around the holidays, Clary makes sure to spend time with her extended family who are here in the U.S. Another interesting thing to note is that, while attending Clarissa’s 16th birthday party, I recall meeting her extended family as they too attended the celebration. They also performed a traditional Filipino dance called “Tinikling”. It was very cool to see how Clary kept her own cultures alive while also teaching her daughter, who was born in the United States and basically grew up in a completely different culture than that of her mother. This also segues into the importance of understanding second generations as well.
Membership
Connecting to integration and based on the interview, I would say that overall, Clary has positive attitudes towards moving to the U.S. Clary has made lots of connections and friendships living in Carlisle, which ties into the idea of her feeling “American,” and not out of place. However, she, like many foreigners, still face discrimination. Clary feels that some of her fellow coworkers treat her differently because she states, “I am not an American citizen.” She is also struggling to process some of the current U.S. policies and practices regarding immigration. She feels strongly that much of what is happening is unfair, due to the fact that she and her family members experienced many hurdles and great hardship when trying to obtain visas to migrate legally. Although we did not go into much detail about this topic during the interview.
Clary is very involved with her life here in the U.S. yet she continuously stays in touch with her Filipino relatives, background and culture. She cooks
traditional Filipino food, practices Catholicism (the largest religious denomination of the Philippines), and does what she can to keep her heritage alive, while also continuing to teach her daughter about her culture (i.e. the traditional birthday celebration). As stated before, as difficult as it is, she still travels home as much as she can, and keeps in contact with her family, especially her mom. She even stays in contact with the maids and drivers she had in the Philippines, as they were an integral part of her childhood. Clary has done her best to immerse Clarissa into her culture and traditions by taking Clarissa to the Philippines to visit family. Clarissa has expressed how much this means to her as well – to know exactly where and how her mom grew up. This highlights what we discussed in class relating to second generation experiences. We discussed the divide some second generation individuals feel when growing up in one culture, but also having to learn and understand a different set of beliefs based on a parent who was not raised in the same culture. While I cannot speak for Clarissa, I am sure she struggles with such things. I have witnessed myself some tensions between Clarissa and Clary based on a misunderstanding of what Clary believes should be the standards and what societal norms Clarissa is used to. However, Clary has given Clarissa the opportunity to be involved in both cultures, which is something many of us will never experience.
Conclusion
Clary and her daughter, Clarissa
In the interview, Clary shared some advice that I think is important to highlight. She stated, “Share your blessings all the time. You don’t need to be a millionaire. You need to share and help out all the time.” This is a simple reminder for everyone – to be grateful for what you have and make the most out of what you got. Even though Clary struggled the first few months after moving to the U.S., she tried her best and overcame these challenges. She has no regrets. She lives a very happy and comfortable life with a loving husband and daughter, a stable job, and strong family ties. She is fortunate to experience living in a life split between two very different countries all the while trying to balance the delicate co-mingling of cultures. She is blessed with a humble heart, a grateful spirit and much more. She is a reminder to myself to never give up, no matter how hard things can get and how much is thrown at you and there is a lot to be said for being a good and kind person. All of this can get you far in life. I am happy that I had the chance to do this interview with Clary and learn more about her and her life story, because before this class, I never really would have thought to ask her. In conclusion, this project and this course have been a positive, eye-opening experience and have taught me much about immigration, in ways I never would have thought before.
Hannah Goodwin 0:00
That’s why this call is now being recorded.
Okay, did you hear that?
Clary Johnston 0:04
Yes, I did.
Hannah Goodwin 0:05
Okay, perfect. So, I’ll start with like a little introduction. So you can like, hear, I’ll say, I’m here with Clary Johnson. She’s one of my good friends, moms. And so I want you to tell a little bit about yourself, like where you’re from where you live now.
Clary Johnston 0:28
Okay, I’ll start it now. Yeah. Okay, I’m Clary Johnston. And I was born in the Philippines. And now I am here in the US for almost like 25 years. And before we live in Pennsylvania, and now we’re moved to Florida, and I’m working as a global indirect tax manager of Densply Sirona, and my specialty is in direct fax for almost like 25 years.
Hannah Goodwin 0:59
All right, awesome. Um, so could you like, tell us your story about like, moving to the Philippines, to the US, like how that all like went out.
Clary Johnston 1:16
I married my husband, who is a caucasian that he’s from Pennsylvania, and it took us like a year of processing the papers. So I can move here, or leave here in the US. And every time the immigration will do the processing, it takes time, because it’s always like, there’s like, they will check my background record in the Philippines. And you have to pay something like $3,000 for processing that. And it was hard. I mean, emotionally, you know, we were already married. But it took a year for me to come to the US. And it will have a lot of process. You know, Ron always flies there every three months just to see us. And then we normally call and then do emails. And after that when the INS approved that they have to do some medical tests for me, and some interview in the US Embassy. And then after that US Embassy, your visa is approved. That’s the time that you can travel here in the US.
Hannah Goodwin 2:31
Okay, that’s Yeah. So you would say like the process was pretty difficult.
Clary Johnston 2:37
Oh, yes. emotionally and financially. It’s hard. Yeah. It’s not easy. You know, right. Now, let’s go even myself with what’s going on with the border right now that people can just come in and be permanent residents. For us. It’s unfair. Really? Yeah. I mean, I want to speak up about that. But it just so hard, you know, it’s politics and everything. But people, even my cousin’s, because their parents are already here. And they’re waiting for the besides my brothers and the wife because the mother was here. It took them 20 years to go for a visa as well. Wow. And personally, eventually, it’s paid. You know, it’s not free. They will pay all the processing fee. And ins.
Hannah Goodwin 3:26
Yeah. Wow. 20 years.
Clary Johnston 3:30
Yep. If you have like, if you have a parents that here in the US, and you have children above 21 years old, they will not allow them to immediately come to the US. It will wait for a visa, US visa. It will approve for how many it will like 10 to 20 years at most.
Hannah Goodwin 3:52
Wow. That’s crazy.
Clary Johnston 3:55
Yep. It’s hard for me.
Hannah Goodwin 3:57
Yeah. Did you know anyone in the US before like coming?
Clary Johnston 4:05
What do you mean like the same? The same scenario as me or?
Hannah Goodwin 4:11
Yeah, like, obviously, you knew Ron. But like, did you have any like, I don’t know prior connection like or was it? Just like Ron?
Clary Johnston 4:23
Oh, no. Before that. I’ve been traveling because I was with with the pharmaceutical big pharmaceutical company. And we normally I would assume a manager that in the Philippines, we normally sponsored doctors, because in the Philippines, we normally ask doctors to prescribe our medicines, you know, yeah. And then some doctors usually we gave them conferences here in the US. Okay. So that was my first trips. When we sponsor doctors to New York City. I have like 10 doctors that I have to assess traveling from the Philippines going to New York to attend conferences, because we we normally sponsored doctors to attend like a convenient education for them to attend conferences here in the US. And we manage that to ensure that they’re pretty good with with the traveling that they’re pretty good with their hotel and going to the conference site. So that was my first travel in the US even though even though that I was struggling, and then I try when one was we were already dating and get married. I tried to get up because you can get a tourist visa, the tourist visa in other countries, you have to pay $150 Okay, just to visit the US. Sometimes people will be denied with that. Also, imagine how many people that sometimes they will be denied that they will not give them a tourist visa and they will pay $150 for that.
Hannah Goodwin 6:08
Okay, wow I didn’t know that.
Clary Johnston 6:11
Yep, that’s the US Embassy it’s hard sometimes it’s like they will just stare at you. And then the will give the passport and if they pass the passer will give it back to you that makes you denied. If the passer will not give to you that means you are you will be given a tourist visa and used to be sites only like a year. Sometimes. You will be lucky to get a 10 years multiple US visa.
Hannah Goodwin 6:40
Okay. Wow. So you did you ever get a tourist visa?
Clary Johnston 6:45
Yes, I was able to get a US tourist visa when I was doing the sponsorship of the doctor because it’s it’s a work related. Okay. Yeah, I was able to but that time that Ron wanted me when we already married and Ron wanted me to visit the US. Yeah, I was denied to get a tourist visa even if you’re already married. Oh, because they said you have you know, the visa that your husband is petitioning you.
Hannah Goodwin 7:17
Wow. Okay. That’s so interesting.
Clary Johnston 7:21
Yep. They are really really strict about that. I mean, it should be I mean, we’re already married I mean, Ron is someone that needs to come here and visit like for two weeks. So from that on, he was distancing me every three months imagine that it’s so expensive to just to visit me every three months. Yeah, because it took a year for my papers to be approved in the US Embassy.
Hannah Goodwin 7:48
Wow, okay. So what would you say like whenever you first arrived like not when you first because you obviously came to us before like living here. What would you say? Like it was like after moving in everything.
Clary Johnston 8:07
It was a little bit challenged to me because I’m used to maids we have maids in the Philippines that does your laundry cook for you do everything and coming here to the US is a big adjustment for me. Yeah. And especially I’m not used to driving as well because we have drivers also you know very in the buildings we have drivers also and the maids. That’s my main concern that’s going to the US and I have to do everything with a child. It’s not a challenge for me. And one thing Hannah that might I don’t know how to use the washing machines and dryers it was my first disaster Ron has like a white shirt. Yeah, I combine it with the my pink jammies everything I just went with into like a pink clothes. This is where the challenge that I have when I started painting the US and the driving also of course. I have to learn how to drive you know I did not drive in the Philippines. So Ron let me do the driving school I’d like I was already 30 years old.
Hannah Goodwin 8:28
Yeah, how was that?
Clary Johnston 9:31
It was a challenge for me driving you know, it was hard but in Carlisle it was easy to drive you know, but of course if you’re not used to driving, I’ll get nervous. And any you know, I was used to metropolitan area, you know the big malls. You can easily if you want to go out You can go with your friends. The challenge for me is like we were in the countryside, you know, we were in New Ville area, right that that is that there’s no neighbors or something like that it’s you don’t know anybody that was I was really homesick. I know the food also, you know, you’re used to the food that now it’s like an American food that you’re not used to that there was a lot of challenges for me.
Hannah Goodwin 10:29
Yeah.
Clary Johnston 10:30
In my like six months. And then I Ron was working. And I’m used to working as told me not to work for six months. It’s driving me crazy every day that I don’t do anything. Right. It’s like you’re in the you’re in the countryside that you don’t hear anybody, you know, all those things.
Hannah Goodwin 10:54
Nothing to do around here. So
Clary Johnston 10:56
yeah, I was crying. I’ve been crying so much. And of course, the the means of communication is by overseas call, and it’s so expensive, unlike now that you can call through Facebook you can call to buy for this for free. But calling my friends. It’s just so expensive to call them by overseas call, you know,
Hannah Goodwin 11:18
yeah.
Clary Johnston 11:20
Especially you don’t have friends that was driving me crazy. And I think I arrived August. And I told Ron, and that’s the time that that was the 911 happened also.
Hannah Goodwin 11:34
Oh, right. Oh, my gosh.
Clary Johnston 11:36
Oh, I was crying. Oh, it was really devastating for me, you know, to to experience that, you know, in spite of the Ron was in the Navy, and then you know, it was hard. And then they told RON and RON said, don’t work. I said, No, I’ll be crazy. If I will. Just let me work like a Sear’s. I don’t know. I don’t know about being a waitress or something. It will be fine with me. So Giant was the big employer in Carlisle. So I was offered. I started working there as a temp. So it helped me out. But I cannot drive because I don’t have license yet. Right? in the US. So Ron will bring me to the office and pick me up all the time. Because I was trying to learn how to drive you know, it’s hard to drive in here in the in the US. So I was working and he was helping me how to drive how to learn to drive, you know. So it was a big adjustment. You know, you get homesick, you don’t have friends, the food and everything. You’re by yourself. You don’t know how to do all the house chores, all those things?
Hannah Goodwin 12:53
Yeah. Wow.
Clary Johnston 12:55
I don’t know how to cook all those things. But right now, I’m exported out all the things that right now, but my six months was really the extent that I wanted to go home.
Hannah Goodwin 13:07
Yeah gosh, I can’t imagine.
Clary Johnston 13:10
Yeah, because you don’t have any friends there. Or your family is very far away from you, you know?
Hannah Goodwin 13:17
Yeah. So you wouldn’t like call often because it was expensive. You said?
Clary Johnston 13:22
Pardon?
Hannah Goodwin 13:24
You wouldn’t like call them often because it was like expensive.
Clary Johnston 13:27
Uh, yes. Yes. Yeah. It was hard. Yeah. Because the overseas call. I think, one time it’s like, I talked to my mom or my sister I paid $100 for it. Right now it’s always way you can call in Facebook, your I can call my mom. I mean, Facebook and see her you know, the maid usually because my main my mum was already old, and she has, like, maid there who gave her a phone. And so we I can talk to her every day. And like before that it’s so expensive.
Hannah Goodwin 14:07
That’s Wow, how the times have changed.
Clary Johnston 14:11
Yeah, Yep, so even right now, every other day, I’m talking to my mom. The maid was giving me updates with my mom, you know?
Hannah Goodwin 14:23
Yeah.
Clary Johnston 14:24
It’s hard. I mean, it’s hard not to talk to your parents, you know?
Hannah Goodwin 14:27
Right. And I know that you go back, like you’ve gone back a few times, because I’ve seen like, Clarissa
Clary Johnston 14:35
Oh, yeah, guys that were there when she was three years old, nine years old. And then they’re 12 years old. And then we went there 2019 Before the COVID. So, so Clarissa likes going to the places I mean, for me, I know it’s hard because it’s like, more or less the flight is like 24 to 30 hours flight going there.
Hannah Goodwin 14:58
Wow.
Clary Johnston 14:59
You Yeah, it’s a long haul going back home. So I went home last year to visit my mom. So, because she was so sick and everything my brother all different friends from San Francisco went home. So we’re able to see her. Yeah. So we’re planning. I’m planning to go home, hopefully next year. To visit her again.
Hannah Goodwin 15:21
Okay. That’s cool that you like, go back a lot.
Clary Johnston 15:26
Yeah, I mean, it’s costly. It’s not. You should have like, more or less $10-15,000 to go home.
Hannah Goodwin 15:35
Oh, my gosh.
Clary Johnston 15:36
Yeah, it’s not. It’s not cheap to go home also. Because, yeah, the tradition there in the Philippines. If you’d have, if you came from the US, you have to give gifts, you know, all of your relatives. There’s, you know, all those things. Oh, my gosh, that’s crazy. Yeah, the ticket alone is more or less roundtrip ticket is 2500 US dollars.
Hannah Goodwin 16:00
Okay. Geez.
Clary Johnston 16:02
For one person. It’s only one person.
Hannah Goodwin 16:04
Wow. That is crazy.
Clary Johnston 16:11
It’s not cheap to travel, going there. I might as well go to Europe. But I but I need to see my mom’s right.
Hannah Goodwin 16:18
Do you have any, like other family members have moved?
Clary Johnston 16:23
Yeah, my brother was telling you in San Francisco. Okay. Right. Yeah, he’s now in San Francisco with the family and with the mother in law, that the one that they waited for, like 20 years to come here. Yeah, yeah. And most of my cousins, and most of my cousins are here in
Hannah Goodwin 16:44
Oh, right.
Clary Johnston 16:45
Yeah. They are only they are only here for like an working visa in World Bank, but they get a permanent position of permanent residency as well.
Hannah Goodwin 16:59
Okay. Wow, very interesting. So you have a lot of family ties here now.
Clary Johnston 17:07
Yes, in here in Virginia. And I have one in San Diego. Okay. My brother and my brother is in San Francisco.
Hannah Goodwin 17:16
Okay. Do you visit them often? Like or is it just back and forth?
Clary Johnston 17:21
Yeah, we leave visit and we always talk on the phone, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Here in Virginia, we always see remember before I was telling you, it’s like three or four times because we are in Carlisle. We can just drive here. Right? We do Thanksgiving Christmas and then we do the yearly summer thing. Sometimes they will visit us right now in Florida also my cousin’s so they they visit us. We yearly right now. So we see each other? Yeah.
Hannah Goodwin 17:53
Yeah. Okay, that’s so cool.
Clary Johnston 17:56
Yeah.
Hannah Goodwin 17:58
Is there anything else you want to like, share?
Clary Johnston 18:00
Oh, my experiences. You mean, coming here or leaving here?
Hannah Goodwin 18:06
Yeah! Sure.
Clary Johnston 18:09
Yeah, I mean, having my daughter you know, Clarissa she’s our life and everything. You know, your mom also. So, for us, I mean, for me, that leaves are in Carlisle for like 20 years. And leaving all my friends there. Right. moving to Florida is hard for me even up to now. Because we don’t have friends there. You know, the only reason that we are there because Clarissa, Ron and Clarissa loves in Florida. Me? I don’t like Florida.
Hannah Goodwin 18:44
Really?
Clary Johnston 18:45
Yeah. I don’t like Florida at all. And I was telling them you know that we bought that beach house off in Ormond. I know they enjoy that. Yeah. And I was telling Clarissa I grew up because my parents and my grandparents have a beach resort in the Philippines and I grew up in the beach.
Hannah Goodwin 19:02
Okay.
Clary Johnston 19:03
So, for me, going to the beach is not very exciting for me because as I said, we have a beach resort in the building, so I’m used to that. And I know for you guys that you don’t have a beach that are close by. But I do understand. Right? They love it. They love the sun. I grew up in the Philippines and the heat bothers me so much. So in Florida, it’s the heat sometimes that really is not good. Yeah, for me. And especially I said, I love in Carlisle because it’s a small town that people know each other and they you have already established friendship there also, yeah. in Carlisle I get homesick I get sometimes I get some insight into depression because You know, you’re by yourself. I mean, Ron in Florida, it’s there. It’s nice. But sometimes you need some friends as well. Yeah, really? Yeah. But I sacrifice that because I wanted to give Clarissa a good life a good education, you know? Right. And Ron loves and Clarissa loves Florida. They love it. I know. We’re fortunate. I mean, we are so glad. Yeah. But sometimes I was thinking how can I development of a friendship in in Florida, that they have their own credit quality, they have their own friends there anymore. You can get barge to have find a friend especially we’re working from home. Right. It’s hard. It’s hard to find a true friend. I mean, it’s not that you need more friends. It’s just that you just have to have like two or three friends that are close by you know. I mean, it’s nice that we are together Ron and I, but sometimes you need some other diverse right that you can go somewhere with a friend.
Hannah Goodwin 21:03
Right, no yeah, I totally get that.
Clary Johnston 21:06
Yeah. Go ahead.
Hannah Goodwin 21:09
I was just gonna say even with like Clarissa in school, I’m sure it’s like, gets pretty lonely and stuff.
Clary Johnston 21:15
Yeah. And secondly, we’re getting empty nester, you are getting you and Clarissa are getting to that adulthood, you know? Yeah, I mean, for me, I guess, right to enter. It was for me, it wasn’t depressing when Florida went for college, that it’s only the two of us, you know, that you don’t see or you get worried, you know, as I said, you know, that we always text daily, or Nighttime. It’s all the time that we text each other. Because if you will realize when you will be a parent. Even if you’re grown up, you still worry with your children, you know? Yeah, where are they? What are they doing? Maybe protection, even telling Clarissa you need to pray. Even for me as nightly, I have to pray for Your protection for you, you will be successful. All those things don’t always do that. I mean, and the culture that I wanted to impart my culture with her also the closeness I know, in the US it’s the same thing. The closeness with the family, because we’re in the Philippines. We normally even if you’re in marriage, sometimes children often live in their parents house.
Hannah Goodwin 22:29
Really?
Clary Johnston 22:30
That’s Yes. Yes. That’s that’s our culture. Yeah. Yeah. That’s our culture even if, if, if they will say it’s okay, you can stay still stay in our house. Even you have already. If you’re married your children, it’s fine with us. There’s a lot of that in the Philippines that
Hannah Goodwin 22:51
I wish I would. I would live with my parents forever. If I could.
Clary Johnston 22:55
Yeah, even Clarissa. I was telling her. I know, she’s excited with the apartment and everything I said, and she said, yeah, if I have work, I said, it’s different. If you pay everything, you know, you have to pay your insurance, you pay your rent water, right now your parents are helping you and you want them to be independent, as long as you can. If your mom and dad wants a youth to stay in the house, take advantage of that. I always tell her about that.
Hannah Goodwin 23:26
Definitely.
Clary Johnston 23:28
Yeah. And save up, you know, save up money. And, and if you already have saved up money and everything, then and I was telling her make sure you finish college before thing to getting settle or whatever it is, you know, the thing. Those are the things that I wanted to share with her. It’s not that parents are just want the youth to not to grow up, but you know, it’s better that they’re always there all the time.
Hannah Goodwin 23:58
Yeah, definitely.
Clary Johnston 24:00
Yeah, because I even even I’m far away from my mom. We are so close. I mean, there’s sometimes you you don’t understand her or whatever, but your parents fail. So those are the things that I wanted to impart with my with Clarissa, you know, the closeness and being kind and have humility in life. That’s the one thing that I always share with her.
Hannah Goodwin 24:24
Yep, Oh, that’s awesome.
Clary Johnston 24:28
Yep and have share your blessings all the time so that’s the one thing little things help right. You don’t need to be a millionaire. You need to share and help out all the time. So those are the things that I wanted to share. I mean, for me being me sometimes it’s hard for me even the office. Yeah. I I’m not an American citizen and sometimes you get discrimination. Also, I have some experience this year olds in the US but I work hard to ensure If I’m a good employee, that I’m a good person, and you will be successful in life
Hannah Goodwin 25:08
and I’m sure that pays off being like a kind person to everyone.
Clary Johnston 25:13
Yep, that’s the one thing and sometimes I know when Clarissa grows up sometimes she doesn’t understand my guidance and strictness for her, fill it all up and understand that it’s not because there’s someone to meet to be mean. It just parents wanted it to be a good person. That’s the one thing and be careful and cautious in life, you know, all right.
Hannah Goodwin 25:38
Yeah. Well, thank you so much for doing this with me.
Clary Johnston 25:44
You’re welcome. Anytime if you need some help. As I said, sometimes they don’t understand me. But I said, I can help out and I’m a good person all the time. I knew of kindness and humility always. I always tell Clarissa about that. That’s the key because in the world with certain material things that you need to be concentrated, you know, all the time.
Hannah Goodwin 26:07
Yeah. Yeah, well, now that I have your number, I can text you.
Clary Johnston 26:13
Yeah, anytime. Just call me if you have problem, whatever, call me. I’ll be I’ll be helping, yep. All right, nice. I’m so happy that you two are so close to know, you know?
Hannah Goodwin 26:26
Yeah, me too. I’m so lucky to have her as a friend, she’s awesome.
Clary Johnston 26:32
Yeah, sometimes they’re struggling. Like I was telling her and she calls me every time she has a problem in school. But I said, we’re here to support you and help you.
Hannah Goodwin 26:43
Yep. Yeah, well, thank you so much again. I really appreciate it.
Clary Johnston 26:48
welcome You’re welcome. Do you have safe travels going back to school?
Hannah Goodwin 26:53
Yeah. You to up to Carlisle and then back down to Florida.
Clary Johnston 26:56
Okay, thank you so much and regards for your family.
Hannah Goodwin 27:00
All right. I’ll let them know you said hi.
Clary Johnston 27:02
Okay, thank you honey.
Hannah Goodwin 27:04
Ill see you so soon. Thank you.
Clary Johnston 27:06
Okay, bye.
Hannah Goodwin 27:07
Bye!
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