JR: I’m Josh Raymundo and i am interviewing my friend Adrienne who will be the first part of my interview, and Adrienne what’s your last name?.

AL: Lumain

JR: And you’re the daughter of?

AL: Josephine Lumain

JR: Who is from the Philippines, correct?

AL: Yes

JR: Where exactly?

AL: Dumaguete city

JR: And is that more northern or southern?

AL: It is southern

JR: Okay so for the first part of my interview, we are going to be interviewing Adrienne’s mom who is from the southern end of the Philippines while the second part of my interview will be my grandma who is more northern and from the capital called Manila. So Adrienne first question, how was the transition from the Philippines to the US as a working female?

AL: Well my mom worked side by side with male engineers and got promoted ahead of other male engineer colleagues before she came to the U.S.A. So the transition for her was not hard. But yes there is definitely a difference culturally and the U.S. has less gender bias.

JR: So your mom was able to make her way up to the top?

AL: Yes

JR: And on that topic were the jobs in the Philippines gender heavy?

AL: In the urban areas it would be more balanced, but in thr rural areas most women would stay home and take care of the families.

JR: What did the males do?

AL: Umm they would just work, make money for the family.

JR: How was the gender equality in the Philippines?

AL: She would say maybe in the 50s up until the 80s, 90s that the men played a bigger role in the gender equality i guess  you would say, while the women would be at home taking care of the families.

JR: So next question, was raising a kid easier or harder in the US?

AL: So my parents came here to the US and they didn’t have my brothers and i until 94, 97, so they would say raising a kid would be easier here because there is a better education here than the philippines.

JR: Yeah i understand that. How would you say the difference between you and your friends rooms were? How you were raised versus how your friends were?

AL: There was a difference

JR: Like how so, the cultural difference. Was your household very Filipino?

AL: Oh gosh it was so filipino in my household, my grandparents raised me and my brothers so of course they still wanted us to have our culture so with our house we would have some decorations and all this stuff from the philippines and our house would always smell like filipino food. There was always filipino culture around me.

JR: And you said your grandparents raised you? Why?

AL: Umm well when my parents finally had my brothers that is when my grandparents came to the US to take care of us while my parents were working.

JR: What made them want to come to the US?

AL: Most people outside of the U.S.A. have this vision of a country of great opportunities , freedom and fairness, melting pot.  The country represents something better and the RIGHT side and gives other people hope and if you work hard then you have a fair shot of being successful. which I think my mom is today.

JR: And what was your dad’s reason?

AL: He loved my mom so he just followed her.

JR: Aw its a romantic love story.  How did the role of your grandparents affect your mom during her childhood?

AL: So my grandpa worked for the government, so he was busy working all day while my grandma took care of my mom and her three siblings all day. So my grandma didn’t really have a job, her job was taking care of everyone.

JR: And did that carry over for you and your parents? Or are both your parents still working and motivating you at the same time?

AL: Both parents are still working and they motivate me and my brothers every single day.

JR: How were they treated when they came to the US?

AL: My dad expected there to be a lot of discrimination, so he said that when he actually came he didn’t notice any or he was just clueless and didn’t realize it. But my mom, she said because she was already working for an engineer company she didn’t really get discriminated against.

JR: So you said your mom is an engineer?

AL: Yes and my dad is an engineer as well.

JR: How was their schooling experience in the Philippines?

AL: They studied hard, worked a lot. The schooling is different growing up. There is no middle school. It’s just elementary school up until 6th grade then high school. And then you’re 16 and already in college.

JR: So they basically started everything earlier.

AL: Yes and then they went to grad school.

JR: Did they do any schooling in the US?

AL: No they finished in the Philippines. They came straight here and got a job in the workforce.         My dad definitely worked his way up.

JR: Did your mom have to as well?

AL: No not really.

JR: Hm interesting.  Were the economies different from the Philippines to the US?

AL: Huuuuge difference between the US and the Philippines. It’s a third world country so there is a huge gap between the poor class and rich class. There is barely any middle class.

JR: So the main difference is the gap between the poor class and the rich class.

AL: Yes

JR: Okay well i think that about wraps up the first part of the interview. Thank you Adrienne.

AL: You’re welcome

JR: And for the next part i will be interviewing my grandma, Rosalinda Raymundo.

 

JR: How was the transition from Philippines to the US as a working female?

GMA: It’s basically the same, because men are favored more than women for the same position.

JR: So basically the males were more dominant still?

GMA: Yes more chance for women here in America. You have to excel in every aspect.

JR: Were the jobs in the Philippines gender heavy?

GMA: Yes

JR: How so?

GMA: Men are hard work, there are 2 applicants, they will take the men over the women unless they have amazing application.

JR: How was the gender equality in the Philippines? Now it is better, but it is still not equal. GMA: Same thing here in America. Back then it was really worse, you get paid less and you don’t get accepted as easily as men.

JR: Was raising a kid easier or harder in the US? Why?

GMA: It’s harder in the US because you have no maids. (lol true) We have maids in the philippines it is cheaper and easier to hire a maid.

JR: What made you want to come to the US?  

GMA: To have more education and having a specialty because my father-in-law and uncle-in-law are all general practitioners.

JR: How did the role of your parents during your childhood differ from one another?

GMA: My mom is a stay home mom and she is not very encouraging, my dad wants me to pursue an education and be independent and earn my own money. He’s the one that told me to go to med school

JR: How were you treated when you came to the US?

GMA: Well there was some kind of discrimination. Female are less favored in all aspect.

JR: How was your schooling experience in the Philippines?

GMA: Good because I was a good student. It was challenging, of course it’s challenging, you’ve got to prove yourself.

JR: Were the economies different? If yes, how so?

GMA: Yes Philippines is a third world country. It’s a poor country. And like here in america you got to work hard and you get paid better but you could work hard in the Philippines and not get paid well.

JR: Okay i think that’s it. Thank you Grandma.

GMA: Okay.