- Desert Hoya
How Georgetown Helped Me Reconnect With My Roots
Lovie Francia is a member of the Class of 2029 at GU-Q. She loves to travel the world and has been to 30+ countries.
“Aming ligaya na ’pag may mang-aapi / Ang mamatay nang dahil sa ’yo.”
In English: “But it is glory ever, when thou art wronged / For us, thy sons to suffer and die.” These are the last two lines of the Philippine National Anthem, “Lupang Hinirang (Chosen Land).”
As children, we were asked in our Araling Panlipunan class (Social Studies) whether we were ready to die for our country, as written in our national anthem. To be honest, I really wasn’t sure.
I used to be ashamed of being a Filipina. I used to put cultures and traditions that weren’t my own on a pedestal because foreign or Western standards were glorified in the Philippines. I took more pride in learning histories that weren’t the Philippines’ because I thought it made me smarter than others. I spoke more English than Filipino or Tagalog because it gave off the impression that I was more “international” than “Filipina.” Worst of all, I felt like a foreigner in my own country because I was neither raised there, nor do I live there.
So when I was asked if I was ready to die for the Philippines, my answer was a half-hearted “yes.” I reluctantly answered yes because I thought I would be shamed for saying no, yet in my heart. I did not know the Philippines well enough to fight for it wholeheartedly.
But coming to Georgetown helped me get to know my country better and, more importantly, reconnect with my roots. Through the various classes and events that I attended in my first semester at Georgetown, I was able to tune in to the true Filipina inside me. Georgetown values diversity in all aspects, so being in such an environment allowed me to put into perspective how I actually love and appreciate my motherland.
For example, through my Proseminar class, wherein we studied anthropology, I came to understand that Philippine culture is truly rich.
From our festivals and food to our indigenous and colonial history, our culture is both tragic and beautiful. I also had plenty of conversations with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who work at Georgetown, and I was in awe of their strength and humility. Going to a foreign country that has an extremely different culture from yours and moving away from your family is not easy at all.
It takes a certain level of courage and perseverance to do so – and perseverance is one of the best traits of a Filipino. The same problem also extends to children of OFWs who grew up in foreign countries, like me. Our struggle is rooted in the fact that we were raised between two countries, never knowing what true home feels like. In time, we would come to experience the alienation common among many third-culture kids, never feeling fully Filipino nor completely at home in the country we live in.
By conversing with the Filipino diaspora at Georgetown (students, faculty, staff, and service workers), one thing became clear to me: Filipinos fuel the world, and it would be a shame if I was not proud of my country and my people.
We are found across the full spectrum of global life: in classrooms, hospitals, laboratories, boardrooms, homes, construction sites, universities, ships, businesses, and public institutions. We contribute to nearly every sector and region of the world, not only in service-oriented roles, but also as professionals, specialists, entrepreneurs, artists, leaders, and builders of communities.
But we are more than that: we are resilient, hard-working, and immensely humble. I began to understand and appreciate how Filipinos always choose groundedness and being “people for others,” which is a Georgetown value.
Being at Georgetown, a multicultural, encouraged me to wave the the Philippine flag with pride – even when I am far from home. I came to see that it is a privilege to be where I am right now, attaining a high-quality education with people who are proud of their own heritage. Thus, the least I can do is give back to my country in any way I can.
My time at Georgetown has helped me reconnect with my roots. Today, If you ask me what I think about the last two lines in the Philippine national anthem, I can proudly say that I am willing to do what I can for my people and my country – whether it’s through education, advocacy, charity, or simply by making an effort to know my country like the back of my hand.
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