Kuwentong Pamamahay

Transcript in progress

KZ

Thank you. And with that, we will begin. So this very first question is: tell me a little bit about you and your background. Where did you grow up? Where do you live now? Yeah, let’s start there.

DG

So my name is Derick Gonzales. I’m 24. And I was born and raised here in Vancouver, specifically the Mount Pleasant area. I was raised here, like I said, and I’ve lived here ever since so, um, I’ve been really immersed in the community. And yeah, I mean, do you want me to go into […] where I went to school and stuff, or?

KZ

Yeah, sure. Go ahead.

DG

Yeah, so growing up in the Mount Pleasant area, I went to school about a block away, just like yourself, St. Patrick’s. And that’s where I kind of made my living and took the chance that immersing myself in the community. Whether it was through church, through sport, or even just connecting with people like myself, young Filipinos. Yeah.

KZ

Yeah, I like what you said about taking a chance at immersing yourself in community. Do you feel like… I mean, because– Context, we grew up together. And being at St. Pat’s is such a particular, I think, um, not just Vancouver experience, but also Filipino experience, I find. Because it’s exactly that, you’re so immersed in, just what you imagine– It just feels like peak Filipino in some cases.

DG

Yeah, yeah.

KZ

Because there’s no question about it. You know? So it’s interesting how you phrase it, where you’re like, “Oh, yeah, I took a chance at immersing.” Do you ever feel like there wasn’t a chance at that at any point? Because there was no question about being in community there?

DG

I don’t know. I feel like the reason I was able to be so involved was well, also, just because my family was always so involved. So I say I took a chance on it because I know growing up, they were always like, “One day, you’ll be doing this, and you could help out here, do this.” And I was around it so much that I felt like… It was almost just an opportunity to just give back and just provide what was given to me when I was growing up and, I guess, looking for that sense of community.

KZ

Totally, totally. There’s something really special about– especially seeing generations of families and of the community itself. And for being around this much time, and then for us as well to kind of be born into community […] We, I think we get gifted, almost with […] the sense of knowing, you know? So I know exactly, that really resonates, what you say about like giving back and, […] It’s almost like reciprocal, you know, it’s like they gave to me so in turn, I get to give back, you know. That’s amazing. Yeah, and you also mentioned…

Actually, wait. Maybe I’ll take a step back first and maybe ask a bit more about your family. I’m curious about maybe what you know about your family’s immigration story. Like, why did they end up in Vancouver?

DG

From what I know, it was my dad’s sister that started here, and my dad’s mom wanted to come and visit my dad’s sister and kind of see what the Western world was like. So, my dad was the one that ended up bringing her over. And when he got here, he just really fell in love with it. Soon enough, he decided to move over here, and I think ‘92, in 1992. And during that time, my dad’s sister was pregnant with my cousin. So I guess my dad was just around, helping out and just being around with his mom as well. So that was his story, and then…

My grandma started getting a little bit old. So she was kind of going back and forth between here and the Philippines a couple years. And because my dad would spend longer, he’d spend more time here in Canada, so my mom and my dad were already dating and stuff and I guess she wanted to be with him. So he brought her over in ‘98, I believe, shortly after they got married in ‘96. And yeah, I guess that’s their immigration story. I think it just rooted from my grandma, influencing my dad to come live here and kind of see a better life, if anything.

KZ

I think that’s interesting, too, where it’s like… It’s not an uncommon story, I’ll say, when I hear there’s already some family member that’s already there. So then you kind of just slowl,y through the years, kind of reunite in that sense in the Western world, as you put it. Yeah, that’s interesting that it was your Lola, that– Was it convincing? Or was it just like, they kind of saw it for themselves to some degree?

DG

I think it was little bit of both. I think my dad had kind of had an idea of wanting to move. And I guess my grandma, my Lola being here, she kind of just put the cherry on top and convinced my dad to come over and stay.

KZ

Yeah. That’s great. And so you said that your parents were already dating by the time that your dad was starting to immigrate. And then I’m assuming that your dad sponsored your mom to come through? And then that was, they were already married at that time, you said?

DG

Yeah.

KZ

Awesome. Yeah, sounds pretty much like my parents, they got married around ‘92, actually, and then they moved in 1997.

DG

The classic Filipino love story, man.

KZ

Classic, like, the ’90s, you know, living up in Vancouver type of pipeline. Yeah, and were they always living in Mount Pleasant?

DG

Uh, no. So when my dad got here, he was living… He moved around a bit. So he was on 70th and Oak area. When he first, one of those first apartments were there. And then, I think when my mom got here, they moved to my dad’s sister’s house, my Tita’s house, which was on Main and 28th. And then they ended up finding a spot here in Mount Pleasant, and funny enough, I’ve moved four times within the same block.

KZ

[laughs] That’s weird.

DG

I know. I lived in Joanne Caranto’s [another neighbourhood friend’s] building for a bit.

KZ

Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

DG

And then I moved across that and then now I’m here in this one so. Yeah, it was– Yeah, it was super weird.

KZ

That’s so funny. My Lolo and Lola used to live in the apartment block right next to Joanne’s. So I used to pass by her patio all the time.

DG

Right. Yeah, oh no, yeah.

KZ

Oh, my God.

DG

That’s funny.

KZ

Yeah, a whole bunch of just young Filipino families. I think, just around for those specific parts of Mount Pleasant, I’d say. I mean, coincidentally near the hospital, so it kind of makes sense.

DG

Yeah, I think I get it. And it’s like, obviously, you know Mount Pleasant, it’s just super central. My parents don’t drive so it’s super easy for them to get anywhere because literally all the bus routes pass through Mount Pleasant.

KZ

Yeah. Oh, that’s an interesting observation. Like, yeah, I never found the need necessarily to drive, partly because my parents are fine, but also because it’s just like, it’s so like, the 3 [bus line] is so easy to get to.

DG

Yeah.

KZ

The Skytrain is so easy to get to.

DG

Yeah, the 99, the 19’s not too far.

KZ

Yeah, yeah, even just the 99. If you get lazy to walk to Cambie to get to the other line. It’s so accessible.

DG

Exactly.

KZ

Totally. Yeah, that’s, the part about moving four times in the same block– I moved in the same apartment complex and that’s the only time I remember moving.

DG

Ahh!

KZ

But yeah, all to say that, what, kind of if you grow up in Mount Pleasant, it almost seems like you kind of just stay in place.

DG

Yeah, I don’t know, something about it.

KZ

Yeah. Yeah. I’m curious. This question just popped up into my head, because I’m curious about maybe what both of our responses will be. I don’t have really a huge answer on this yet. But what is the experience like to get to school? You know?

Because you’re just walking, you’re so close. And just like that convenience? Maybe the question is more so: How does your sense of home or your sense of place feel when you live so close to community? When you live so close to not just the church, but also because you went to school from K-12 at St. Pat’s. What does that proximity feel like for you?

DG

You know what? I actually always thought of as growing up. I don’t mean to make it sound super deep or depends on how you take it, but I really enjoyed walking to school. I know, typically, you’re either bussing to school, or you’re getting a ride from your parents. And I really liked the fact that I was just able to kind of be on my own time, and it was really up to me, when I’d go to school, or how long it was gonna take, like, that was all up to me, I had the independence.

And I really valued it because, some mornings, or even just going home after school, that was almost like my alone time. I’d say, especially being in an apartment where you get super hectic at home sometimes. Or if you’re taking the bus, it’s like, you might miss it, or you have to depend on the driver, or there’s a crazy person on the bus. But it’s like, when I get to walk to school, like… Super weird too, I’d actually never listen to music on the way to school because, straight up, I’d just be like, in my head. I’m just like, really enjoying my peace, walking to school by myself. So… yeah, that’s what […] living close to school was for me.

KZ

That’s definitely a huge perk. I think, and there’s a difference, too, I find in maybe our responses, because for me to live directly across the street is almost a different story. Almost like, I don’t want to say too close, but it was kind of like, because I share the street with the thing, it almost felt like it was just the extension of my house.

DG

Mmm.

KZ

So not quite what you get what you were talking about in like, alone time. And getting that space. It was kind of just like, because it was so close… I never quite escaped it. Like from K to 7 at least. So…

DG 14:13

Yeah, I guess a block does make a difference then because I actually do get a nice 5, sometimes 8-10 minute walk going to school. Whereas I feel like you’re 20 seconds and you’re at the door.

KZ

Yeah, trudging across 13th [laughs] with a roller bag.

DG

Yeah. [laughs]

KZ

That’s my life. Yeah, that’s so real. That’s nice, I’m glad you got peace of mind from that.

DG

[laughs] again

KZ

I feel like I have a lot of questions about maybe what it’s like– And maybe I’m coming from a comparison point, too, because we do have our differences. Because I moved out and didn’t go to high school at St. Pat’s, I’m always so fascinated to hear what the perception is like from the inside. Because I get the sense that it’s so tight knit because so many people are coming from the elementary school as well. But then there’s also such a tight knit Filipino, like, distinctly Filipino aspect that I get from the high school especially. I would find that so many of what makes St. Pat’s special is just the cultural markers and the way that people really find greatness in certain aspects, like what you’re saying about connecting through sport and connecting through– I mean, the choir program is huge, and sometimes, dance and Shamrock [high school dance competition] comes to mind as well. Right? So there’s a huge thing about the arts and sports that comes to mind.

But yeah, I’m curious about any insights that you might have about community connection through that.

DG

Sorry, can you rephrase that? Like, what about St. Pat’s… Are you asking what about St. Pat’s made that connection feel so strong?

KZ

Yeah, I think we could phrase it like that. And then it’s also just any… What did that feel like specifically for you?

DG

Okay. Yeah, ‘cause when I when I do think about that sense of community, and like you said, we were kind of able to channel our greatness in so many different ways in that high school. I personally felt that so much more in high school than I did an elementary, maybe because I did so much more in high school. And it’s obviously more recent. But I feel like at St. Pat’s at the high school, um… Huh. It’s hard, this is hard to answer. I mean… I just felt like because like at high school, you’re looking at specializing in things a little bit more than you are in elementary. I really just felt like things were taken seriously in high school.

If I talk about like myself, personally, like I, like I’m not super. I am super close with my friends that went to elementary with me, but… Oh my gosh, I don’t really know how I’m phrasing this. Can you kind of help me reroute where I’m going? And specify the question a little bit?

KZ

Okay, yeah. Um, I guess we could narrow the focus a little bit to: What do you think is Filipino about St. Pat’s?

DG

Okay… [laughing] I think everything’s Filipino about, at St. Pat’s, bro. Um… I think one thing is that the teachers, really support the Filipino culture as well. I know when I was in high school, there was very few Filipino teachers, but even the ones that weren’t Filipino, they really stood by us and really supported our norms and our traditions and our views on things.

And I think that really helped with just feeling super comfortable in school and just knowing that whatever we choose, we chose to do, it wasn’t, we weren’t being judged, or we were kind of able to add our own twist on things or like, we wouldn’t have to feel bad about like… Like, obviously, like, you want a group of people that look like you and live like you. So I think what St. Pat’s did a good job of was that, whatever it was that you wanted to do, whether it was because you’re good at it, or just because you wanted to be around people that look like you, like really, it wasn’t a problem, and we would find a way to make it work regardless. So yeah, I think if that is your question, if that answers your question.

KZ

No, it definitely does. Um, it does make me curious as well, though, are there any specific stories that come up about, what you mentioned of teachers supporting culture and teachers supporting traditions? What does that look like?

DG

I don’t know, I always just remember, at lunch, because I would never buy lunch, I would really just, bring lunch from home, so whatever my mom cooked. And whichever teacher was supervising, they’d be asking me about it, what it is. And then maybe a couple of weeks later, I hear them telling me that they tried it, and they really enjoyed it. Just stuff like that. They’re just super supportive of the culture. And, yeah, I mean, I feel like it’s so easy to kind of judge, especially for my lunch, the smell of it, or the looks of it. But the teachers at St. Pat’s… I suppose it is, I just really appreciated when, when they would kind of share the curiosity on all my food, just little things like that.

KZ 21:12

Yeah, I think that’s beautiful. Especially when you kind of step outside St. Pat’s. And maybe you might hear other stories that the exact opposite happening, it’s so nice to hear that it’s not just an appreciation, there’s a real initiative to kind of want to get to know the culture and see what that’s about, because so many of the students, that’s our reality. So, yeah, no, thank you for sharing that. That’s really nice.

Let’s see. Other than St. Pat’s, what might you say, like, where else might you locate Filipino community in the city?

DG

Are we talking about just Mount Pleasant, or just Greater Vancouver?

KZ

We can talk about Mount Pleasant, and then you can also branch out from there.

DG

Okay. Well, I know we were talking about St. Patrick’s, the school a lot. But where you and I grew up, the parish, that’s where I, that’s where I immediately think of locating Filipinos. Especially knowing our belief in Christ, and just how strongly Filipinos believe in the church– that’s what I first think of when I think of where you can locate Filipinos.

Based on my experience, and what I like to do, obviously, if you go to some sort of gym with a basketball court, there’s indoor/outdoor, you’re bound to see a lot of Filipinos there. Um… Yeah, at the top of my head, that’s where that’s where I think I see Filipinos the most. Church and basketball.

KZ

Sounds like a ’90s hip-hop movie. [laughs] It’s not “Love and Basketball,” it’s “Church and Basketball,” and that’s peak St. Pat’s.

DG

Christ and ball, man.

KZ

[laughs]

DG

Yeah, that’s where, that’s where I think I see them the most, obviously. Last night I was at Pampanga’s Cuisine, Filipino restaurant. There’s a couple of popular ones around the city, now, so I see Filipinos there a lot. Um… I don’t know. I feel like being a Filipino, obviously you have an eye for Filipinos, so. It might not even be that there’s a lot of Filipinos around, even though there are, it might just be that I am looking for Filipinos when I’m going somewhere. You know?

KZ

Totally. Totally. So it’s not like you have specific places– I mean, beyond the ones that you’ve named, and especially around our neighborhood. Like, there aren’t specific places that you’d go to to access it. You kind of just see it wherever you go.

DG

Yeah. Like, for instance, you go to Tim Hortons or Church’s, it’s a Filipino cashier. Or the cooks are Filipino. And it’s not like, I wouldn’t consider that spot a super Filipino-dense spot. It’s just, there’s a Filipino there. I don’t know.

KZ

No, that’s actually really insightful because that’s also the way that I see it. It’s not like, you can go to a Chinatown or it’s not like you can go to a Punjabi Market and be expectant of running into people that you know. It’s kind of just like, when you see them, you know them.

DG

Yeah, yeah.

KZ

Even if you don’t know them like that, like you, you can, like, understand– Like, that’s what I, that’s what I understand the word like kababayan. Like, especially when our parents say like, “Oh, kababayan!” and like, “Oh, you’re from the Philippines, I’m from the Philippines.” And that acknowledgement.

Even being in a city, being in a new city, I mean, like, every time I’m on the streetcar, and then I recognize either the language or whether I recognize younger Filipinos around, I’m just like, “Oh, yeah, I see you.”

DG

Yeah, you’re one of us!

KZ

Yeah, so it’s just like that mutual kind of, like awareness of like, “we out here,” you know?

DG

Yeah, straight up.

KZ

Yeah, and that’s super insightful, too. Yeah, I think that’s a definitely valid answer.

Maybe a question here is… What do you enjoy about being Filipino Canadian in Greater Vancouver?

DG

Ooh. Uh, am I allowed to answer typically? Like, ‘cuz…

KZ

No, totally.

DG

It’s so easy for me to say just a sense of community, you know, that sense of belonging. Like, growing up, especially the first 10 years of my life, when I was an only child, I was kind of looking for that connection outside of the home. Especially ‘cause, at the time, I didn’t have a sibling, so. Now that I do have my younger brother, it’s easy for me to connect and just do whatever with them. But growing up, I, I really needed that. And I think that’s what, going off of what I said earlier, there’s… What pushed me to kind of involve myself with the community was […] looking for that sense of belonging and, and connection and community.

And I feel like being Filipino, and being able to connect with the people at school, at church, it made it so much easier to do that, and achieve that. And yeah, I think that’s what I value the most in being Filipino, just… like we’ve been talking about, wherever I go, if I see a Filipino, I immediately feel some sort of connection to them. And yeah, I’m a super extroverted guy. So I really depend on other people’s energy and just connecting with other people. So it really helps that Filipino people are super friendly and super outgoing. And I know that, like I said, when I’m around Filipinos, I know that I’m going to feel some sort of connection or some sort of belonging with those people.

KZ

And to counter that real quick, are there any challenges that you think are associated with being Filipino Canadian?

DG

Uh, yeah.

KZ

Maybe specifically in Vancouver, too, but either is fine.

DG

I personally don’t know if this is… Maybe I do know it’s a Filipino thing. But when you’re Filipino, word gets around fast. I don’t mean to bash on, on our people, but I feel like one of the traditional ways of, I guess I don’t want to call it traditional ways. But one thing Filipinos are known for is, we call it tsismis, right. And I really try my best not to get involved with that stuff. But when you do get involved, it can get really tough. And when you’re Filipino, you know a lot of Filipinos, and when that word gets around, it might not come back to you in the best way. But yeah, that’s definitely one of the challenges for me is sometimes stories or things get passed around and then they kind of, they lose their actual meaning or the truth behind that, I guess I’d say.

KZ

You know it’s just a Tita at the corner of the church is talking tsismis.

DG

[laughing] Straight up!

KZ

You just see, hear their voice echoing across the hall and you’re like, “What are you saying?” [laughs]

Yeah, but that’s definitely– I, I would call that a Filipino thing. I think it’s, and such a trait, especially of being in, being immersed in community. I think that goes hand in hand, right? Exactly what you’re saying about, you get the belonging and connection. But because you’re so belonged and because you’re so connected. It’s also, it gives people fodder. Like, I’m just so hyper aware, I think, of–

DG

Yeah, agreed.

KZ

Yeah. Just, not just of how they perceive me, how people perceive me, but also how people understand my context. Like, oh, I’m my mom’s daughter, like, I’m my brother’s sister, you know, like, I’m my Lola’s grandkid. You know? So like, people understand me in relation to other people, then sometimes that just fuels the fire, especially when certain stories might come around. So there’s definitely… I would say, even just for me, there’s almost like a mental component to navigating it sometimes, because sometimes words– and then especially growing up, too, words can just get to you.

DG

Of course.

KZ

Yeah. Yeah, definitely a Filipino thing.

DG

Yeah.

KZ

And definitely a challenge that, that I’ve seen.

DG

We literally have a word for it, so.

KZ

Yeah, yeah, straight up. And you literally have an identity an identity marker, almost, of calling someone by the action. Like, you can tsismosa, you can tsismoso, because you do it. Because you engage in it. So it’s a whole thing.

DG

Wow, man.

KZ

Just hearing the echoes in the basement, the church basement…

DG

[laughs]

KZ

So, it’s so distinct. Um, yeah, even speaking back to maybe church or otherwise. And maybe it might bring back some stuff from earlier in our conversation. But are there any particular practices, customs, traditions that you associate with being Filipino Canadian?

DG

Hmm. Like being Catholic, is that one? Could you give me some examples? Like, I know being Catholic is one norm that I practice, or one tradition that I practice…

KZ

Sure, um, I think there’s a common thread that I’ve noticed so far about people’s traditions around food. Sometimes even people’s traditions, I mean, I, I would say this as a suggestion almost, but what are things around sport that you see are distinctly Filipino behavior?

DG

Around sport? Like playing basketball and […] I don’t know if this fits in, but I know Filipinos, when we play ball, we’re super itty-gritty. I’m willing to fight you to play basketball type thing. That demeanor. In terms of food, I don’t know, I eat with a spoon and fork. I can eat with a spoon fork. I pray before I eat, all that stuff.

KZ

Or even if there are particular things within being Catholic.

DG

See, that’s the thing, with being– Currently, right now, I’m not an avid churchgoer as of right now. So, I don’t like saying that I’m super Catholic right now. And I believe in God and I pray, and I still practice a lot of things within Catholicism, but in terms of going to church, that’s not me at the moment. Um…

KZ

I also think, just to jump in there, that’s also valid. I think that’s also very common. Especially around our age, and even just to give my slice for being in the 9am choir [Sunday choir at St Pat’s Parish] for as long as I did, that was half my life. And I’m only outside of it now, because I’m outside of the city. (Mm-hmm.) So I think it gave me a vantage point– quite literally, choir loft– but it gave me a vantage point on like, yeah, my peers aren’t coming around anymore. There’s only so many people, and usually it was kind of the people that live the closest that were sticking around. I think that’s also kind of insightful in its own way. But it’s just like, when you don’t have to question it, why would you? Why wouldn’t you? Like there’s no need to change something sometimes. But um, no, there’s definitely, I think it’s just part of growing up Filipino, but also growing up Catholic.

DG

That’s one thing I’ve been debating with myself recently, is the reasons why I kind of fell out of it. One thing, one side of me is like, well, because COVID, we figured out that online mass is available and blah, blah, blah. So I kind of built that habit of not going for one to two years and then kind of never just went back. But then, the other side of me is like, I don’t even watch online mass, first of all, and it might really just be because, growing up, I guess…

Well, obviously, at some points, I was willingly going to church because I wanted to and because that’s what I felt was where I was at, in my faith at the time. But then growing up, it kind of almost felt like it was forced. So I feel like that kind of made me grow apart from the church, almost. It wasn’t that I don’t believe in the church anymore. Just because someone just pushed it on me the whole time makes me kind of just want to release even more. And just, I guess, not really distance myself, but I don’t know.

KZ

Yeah. But I hear what you’re saying about like, there’s not quite a push. But then there is that sort of sense of like, when you do it for a huge chunk of your upbringing, especially, there maybe is a point in time where you’re kind of just like, “Why? Why do we do these things?” And also, yeah, there’s a sense of obligation, I think, that comes to like, do we have to?

A lot of that is also very similar, I think to my experiences, so I’m with you there. And, yeah, a lot of the same questions. I’m in that right now. And like relocating, it’s an interesting observation.

I mean, even just to share, because this makes me think so fondly of St. Pat’s. Like I went to a Filipino mass out here. I’ve been a couple of times, and Filipino mass as in– Actually, I don’t know if you know this, but St. Mary’s, because I went for Christmas. I understand that they do like mass in Tagalog.

DG

Tagalog, yeah yeah yeah.

KZ

And it’s not even like a Filipino priest, which is the most shocking part. (Oh, what?) So there’s a guy that knows how to speak Tagalog and does the whole mass in it. So like, the whole church on Christmas Day was full of Filipinos, it was Filipino choir, singing Tagalog songs.

DG

St. Mary’s here?

KZ

St. Mary’s in Vancouver.

DG

What? I did not hear of this.

KZ

Yeah, and I don’t know if they do it. I don’t know if it’s a frequent thing. I don’t know if they just bring it up like the same way that they do Misa de Gallo [at St. Patrick’s] but it was just so shocking. On Christmas to be like, there’s, this white guy is like speaking in Tagalog, and he sounds fluent, like, more than passable.

DG

That’d be so hype. I’d be so hype at that mass, bro, to be honest.

KZ

Truly. He said Merry Christmas in at least 10 different Philippine languages for his homily.

DG

That’s what I’m saying. That is, that is nice.

KZ

This is incredible. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And even just that quick shout out to like, there are other Filipino churches in Vancouver. And, yeah, even in Toronto, it’s kind of the same? The thing that I did want to share was that I went to this Tagalog mass by myself, like in Advent. So in the days leading up to me coming home, and I cried.

DG

Oh my god.

KZ

I was like, what is this feeling that I’m feeling? I’m biased in some sense to hearing Tagalog because I also study it. I’m immersed in Filipino language with what I do right now. But it’s also just like the sense of, why do the parishioners feel like St. Pat’s? Why does this feel like my family is here? Why does it sound like my family? Why does it just– Even just extending my family, why does it sound like my choir? You know, there was so much that was tied into what I was sensing, what it felt like in my body, just it was just like, it’s church. And maybe I’m having these debates about myself, but it still feels like home somehow.

So I think a lot of what you’re saying even though that these, even though these debates occur, and like you might have a head battle with it, there’s something about coming back to the space sometimes that’s just like, “Oh no, I know– Like, there’s no question about it.” Regardless of where you’re at in faith, there’s something about being in the space and then being literally immersed with the people that, that really brings true still, I find.

DG

Dang. I feel like if I was in, if I went to– If I was in your position, moving away from home and then do the exact same thing, to go to Tagalog mass. I feel I’d be bawling too, just thinking about it.

KZ

Yeah, and then I had to literally make peace– and I’m wearing a mask, making peace, tears, and this Tito next to me doesn’t say anything, but just looks concerned. [laughs] Like, oh, God, what am I doing? Just going through it. But yeah, I just feel like if I did that at St. Pat’s someone would clown me.

DG

Yeah. Nah, I mean. It’s just, I mean… I mean, it’s probably a whole different conversation for you to talk about, what it’s been like being away from home, but. I can’t even imagine, bro.

KZ

Oh, yeah, but I’d be happy to share after.

The first question in this last batch here is about home and homemaking. So the first one being: How do you define home and what emotions do you associate with home?

DG

Hmm. Home is where the heart is– No, I’m just kidding, um… Home…

Well, when I think of home, I just think of family, I think of… Being comfortable, I think of… I don’t just think of my literal home as home. There are multiple places in the world where I can consider home. And those places that I consider home are the ones where I can kind of just be brainless, almost. I don’t want to do any thinking, any worrying. I may not always be at peace when I’m there, but I know that it is a place where I can be at complete peace.

One example I have is when I’m at the St. Pat’s high school gym. I feel like I’ve lived there for a third of my life. And I’ve been there with different people, I’ve been there by myself a lot of times, late nights, early mornings. And that’s just one of the examples of the places where I’m just super comfortable. Like, I literally feel like I could just escape my head sometimes and just, yeah, just be brainless, especially even here at home. Like, after a long day of work or a long day of school, really just get to unload everything that just went on through the day. I’m not too sure what emotions to describe with that aside from being at peace.

Yeah, I mean, like, I don’t want to say home is where I’m happiest. That’s not necessarily true. But I do feel like, when I’m at home, or the places that I call home, I can be at peace.

KZ

No, totally. I get the sense of like, two words: release and relief. Yeah, like, I think that’s how I would round up that experience that that I’m hearing from you. There’s a huge exhale, sort of.

DG

Mm-hmm, yeah.

KZ

And just like knowing and like in, honestly, in cultivating relationships with place, I think there’s a huge sense of just like yeah, similar to brainless, but like not having again to question being…

DG

Or maybe it’s because, maybe because I feel safe too. So it’s almost as if like, I don’t have to worry about anything or I don’t really have to, yeah, I don’t really got to use my brain like that or be on alert. Because when I’m home, I’m safe, and I’m at peace, so that’s why I said brainless, because when I’m those two things, […] my head’s really not racing anywhere.

KZ

Yes. Yeah, you can just turn off your guard.

DG

Yeah.

KZ

Hmm. Mm-hmm. Do you consider Greater Vancouver or Canada home? Why or why not?

DG

Yes, yes, I do. I consider Greater Vancouver, I consider Mount Pleasant as home. This is where I spent all my life. This is where I grew up, this is where I’ve learned everything I know. This is where I’ve met my family, my closest friends. This is where I discovered my passions. This is where I went through my struggles. And yeah, I think that’s why I consider it home because I’ve gone through everything here.

KZ

Maybe to add on to it, and this could be contrastive. Or yeah, trying to just see if there’s any relation. But is there anything about… Well, one, have you visited the Philippines? And two, how did those experiences compare? Versus being and living and knowing Vancouver as home?

DG

Yeah, so I have visited the Philippines three times now. The first two times, I really can’t recall at all because I was literally one and three years old. But the most recent one I was 19, which was around five years ago, four or five years ago.

I didn’t think of that earlier because even though I’ve been there prior to my last trip, it felt like my first trip there. As soon as I got, I immediately felt like I was at home there. I don’t even know how to describe it. Even just landing and just I see everyone’s Filipino. I know I see it a lot here at St. Pat’s, and in the Mount Pleasant community, but when I landed there, it was just like, wow, this is a whole world of people like me. What topped it off was just like meeting my family that I haven’t seen in forever or just, or even just meeting for the first time.

I personally had a different experience out in the Philippines because I was there for basketball. And I was with a lot of my half Filipino friends. And our coach had a lot of connections, so we were doing some pretty luxurious things out there. I know that may not be the typical trip to the Philippines, but… It was weird. It was like I was discovering a whole new world of Filipinos, but it also felt so much like home because I see it so much here in Vancouver already. And yeah. Wow, like, I didn’t even think of like– I know we’ve been talking about being Filipino and the community here the whole time. But I didn’t even bother to think about the Philippines itself, and when I do think about it… I was only there for three weeks, but like, part of my heart is still there kind of thing. Because I just, I just loved it there.

KZ

Yeah, that’s amazing. I think I had– not to keep drawing these similarities, but what you’re talking about in terms of, not the traditional sense of not actually visiting with family per se, but visiting with your peers. And visiting for a reason other than just visiting family. Yeah, one of the times, one of the last times that I’d gone before the– immediately before the pandemic was for school, I went for a music program of all things, it was my thing that I was doing at UBC. And going as maybe one of the only Filipino people in the traveling party was so interesting.

DG

Oh, wow. Wow.

KZ

It was so interesting to like, not just contrast but also be like cultural… Cultural translator, almost?

DG

Like a tour guide, almost.

KZ

Yeah, almost the tour guide of like, Oh, I know this because I experienced this in Vancouver so at least I get to bridge that gap a little bit. And yeah, there’s a lot of, there’s a lot of points to what you’re saying about like, Oh, I know this feeling already. So it’s so fascinating to now get to tap into that in a completely different place where you’ve never been before. You’re just like, Oh, I know. But I’m still, there still is a comfort to it.

DG

Yeah, feels like we already experience almost the full experience of being Filipino here in Vancouver, especially where we are. But when you go back to the Philippines, like– Nah, even I say “back home” now. Times 100. You think you’re living like a Filipino in Vancouver, when you’re actually in the Philippines being a Filipino? It’s like… It’s really hard to describe. I talked about that sense of community and that sense of belonging here. Like, that was 10x in the Philippines, easily.

KZ

Yeah, it’s just a lot more potent when it’s at the source, you know?

DG

Yeah.

KZ

Yeah, that’s amazing.

I think those might be all of our questions. Is there anything that we haven’t discussed yet that you’d like to cover? Is there anything that has come to mind? Maybe that I haven’t asked a question about yet. Or even anything that you’re curious about?

DG

I think one thing I’m curious about is– Are you allowed to share a general sense of what other people were saying about where they see Filipinos here in Vancouver?

KZ

Like, where in the city?

DG

Yeah.

KZ

Sure. Yeah. And I can give you some of what I know, as well.

I’ve come to realize– and this is the way that I interpret it– there’s a lot of small pockets of community in Vancouver. So, for instance, with the way that we talk about Mount Pleasant, I know a lot of other people might say the same for Fraser and St. Andrew’s, a lot of people might say the same for St. Mary’s and Joyce, especially Joyce being a huge thing with what you were saying about Pampanga’s but also just that whole block of food businesses out there. And because it’s by Joyce station, a lot of people all over Greater Vancouver, just come through for access to that part of community. Right? So those are I think, I would consider maybe the big three in Vancouver, in East Van. There’s parts of Burnaby, there’s parts of New West. I want to say South Burnaby and Edmonds is–

DG

Yeah, yeah.

KZ

There’s people there. Surrey is a big one, even Richmond. Yeah, so, but I think the ones that we might be most privy to are like Catholic churches, like, wherever there’s like a Catholic, kind of like, Filipino presence in church, there’s likely also bits of community that, that tend to populate around those areas. Yeah, we know it most potent because Mount Pleasant has kind of been built like that for the past few decades. But yeah, there’s similar energy.

I’m not as familiar but I’ve had people speak on Surrey, and Richmond and sometimes Burnaby and New West. Areas around there generally. Yeah, so we’re kind of all over. Little pockets all over.

DG

Yeah, no, we are. I was actually gonna say, I know we were talking about this earlier as like… When I was talking about when I see a Filipino, I immediately feel like a connection to them. Especially being around basketball, which is like, the sport in the Philippines… Like I was mentioning earlier, every time I, I’m going around and hooping, if I see a guy that even looks half Filipino… One, I already feel like I’m connected to him somehow, and two, it’s so much easi– I felt like in my experience, it’s been so much easier to befriend them, I guess.

Like when I go to my old gym in Richmond, a lot of my friends that I’ve met, I just met from basketball, and I think it just goes to show, when you’re… We’re talking about being kababayan earlier and all that. I don’t want to say it’s easy to make friends as a Filipino, but chuckles it’s easy to make friends as a Filipino. I don’t feel like I need to hold back and try to be friends with someone. If I see someone and, like I said, if they look Filipino, I’m just saying what’s up. Like, if they hoop, we’re hooping together. And yeah.

Filipino people are also just super people-people. If you see one, it’s not very hard to just kind of, I don’t say get them on your side, but he is on the same side or are already, almost.

KZ

Yeah, there’s almost like a solidarity piece to it, where it’s like, “I get you and your experiences. We’re homies now.” Yeah, the way that that rings true to me is actually transitioning from St. Pat’s to high school. Because I naturally just gravitated towards other people who were Filipino. I was just like, we’re friends now, there’s no question about it. And we’d all kind of just congregate together at lunch. You know what I mean?

DG

Were there a lot? Were there a lot at LFA [Little Flower Academy] or no?

KZ

Um, there’s a considerable amount. And then, like I was saying before, too, about Filipino Catholic presence, you kind of get a sense of that being at LFA, I find. Because like, I might have been one of the very few from St. Pat’s. But there’s also St. Andrews kids. There’s St. Joseph the Worker’s kids from Richmond. There’s St. Mary’s kids, you know? Francis de Sales in South Burnaby.

DG

Oh yeah, in Burnaby, yeah.

KZ

Yeah. That was my first understanding, I think, of small pockets everywhere. And you see all of them show up in choirs and stuff. You’ll see us, we’re out there! And I think that’s still kind of true. For the kids out there today.

Yeah, I think one last question, and this might be where we tail off. But I know that we never talked about Journey [DG’s youth basketball program], but I’m curious because of your, the amount of involvement that you have tapped into the community, the communities that we speak of, you’re still, I think you’re still going strong. And like, it’s so awesome to see your presence and what you’re saying about giving back, and the spirit of that.

I’m curious if you have, again, any insights towards culture now that you’re in these positions of more so, not just leadership, maybe like mentorship? Because you work with a younger demographic as well, and because you tap into like culture through basketball, and like, there’s a lot of community there.

How would you say that the Filipino community kind of shows up or intersects or connects with what you do with Journey?

DG

Cool. Oh, yeah. Okay. I mean, like I said, Filipinos, most of their first love is basketball, and it really shows. And I think one cool thing about Journey is when they find out that the owners and majority of the coaching staff is Filipino. We get families running in and, like I mentioned earlier, like one of the challenges being being tsismis, right? Sometimes that does have an advantage because, especially with Journey, the word got around really fast. And that only gave us the opportunity to kind of cater to more families.

And not just Filipinos, I think, because like I said earlier, Filipinos are such people-people that they’re able to, I don’t wanna say persuade, but they’re really good at sharing the word and. And just like I don’t think Filipinos are big-time gatekeepers, is what I’m trying to say. And like, because they’re not gatekeepers, they’re willing to just share all the experiences, especially because they want their kids to have a good time.

With Journey, it started with one of our first elite programs, we could call it. Most of them were St. Pat’s kids. And we asked them to share it with whoever they know, like, family, friends, whoever. And from that one program, now we’re at around… We run 15 regular programs right now, at once. And we’ve ran maybe 20 to 25 camps that have sold out.

I guess the way Filipinos are part of that are just… Because they love basketball so much and they’re just so willing to share the good stuff with everybody. We’ve been super grateful to have just families that are able to help us kind of just share the message and understand like, we’re really just trying to do good for everybody. I don’t know if I’ve told you, but I really don’t do Journey for money. Even though it does pay me and it takes care of me, I would be doing this stuff for free, but it’s really like going back to that sense of community, that sense of belonging. I feel that every time I’m in the gym running a program.

And Filipinos have a big part to do with that because, one, you see it in the kids, like super energetic. Most of the time, they’re also people-people. So really easy to talk to, but also like the families. I’ve met so many parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, lolas, lolos, through our program, and i t’s connected us in so many ways other than basketball, too. I’ll regularly go out for dinner with families of Journey. I get invited to cookouts, to birthday parties. I also think it just goes to show like what Filipinos are. One big family that just– We may not always be related by blood, but it certainly feels like you are when you’re around us. If you come to a function, you know that everyone may not be family or tied by blood, but they definitely act like they are. Yeah, I think that’s my piece on that.

KZ

That’s so sweet. That’s such a beautiful note to end off on. And, yeah, I just want to say how proud– Every time I see it, every time I see the presence and every time, like still being– I know I’m in Toronto right now, but like, I talk as if I’m always in Mount Pleasant, it always feels like my heart is there. And every time I see that presence, and every time I see, because we’ve known each other for so long, and we know what it’s like, oh my God, all the youth stories that we have.

DG

Yeah.

KZ

It taps back into that. And even though we have so many cringe kind of moments, going through it ourselves. It’s so beautiful to just witness like, ah, the cycle keeps going, and it goes good. And it’s so… Yeah, honestly, not just encouraging, but just like, I have so much belief, you know, in what you’re doing. Y’all deserve every success that you get, and it’s so good to see, to see it flourish in all the ways that it has and it will continue to and yeah. Yeah.

DG

Thanks, thanks so much. I appreciate that. I mean, like we were talking about earlier… We’re talking cycles and generations of immersing yourself in the community. And I definitely feel like it’s my turn right now, where it’s the giving back part. Like me and Nel, my partner, we always talk about like, aside from just continuing the cycle of giving back, we’re also trying to add the aspect of what we didn’t really have going up. Like I know earlier I mentioned being an only child needing. I always felt like I needed like an older sibling around, I feel like my brother’s super lucky to have one. And I think that’s kind of what we’re trying to do with Journey is kind of just give that sense of belonging to whoever. We have a lot of kids that are single child’s at home, and they come to our programs just to talk with their homies and kind of connect. And I think I’m in a super, super lucky position to just be able to give that to kids. So yeah, thank you.

KZ

Of course. That’s Kuya Derick mode.

DG

Straight up, bro. I am I am Kuya Derick now, bro.

KZ

Yeah, like, that’s just your title. [laughs]

DG

Not even “coach” anymore, it’s straight “kuya” now.

KZ

[laughs] And that’s, that speaks volume, you know? And like, I know that you’re saying the goal is to do good for everybody. But like it? i Yeah, not to say that. It’s like an exclusive thing. It’s not like you’re just catering to Filipinos. It just happens to be that way because the community is kind of built that way.

DG

I even got like, I even got, like, Indian kids calling me kuya and stuff. Like, it’s so fun. I love what I do.

KZ

Yeah, yeah. And it shows, and exactly what you’re talking about of like, it’s not just basketball, it’s community. And like for that, that means that you’re not coach, you’re kuya. Of course, that makes total sense. Of course! Yeah.

Again, thank you so much, Derick, for sharing in this space, for all of your insights.

DG

Thank you.

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Definitions

1. Kababayan

   In Philippine languages, kababayan means “fellow Filipino, countryman, or townmate”. It is used throughout the Philippines and throughout the various Philippine languages.

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Contexts

1. St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Parish

   (sometimes called “St. Pat’s”) inlcudes a church, elementary, and secondary school. Many Vancouver-based Filipinos attend church services and school in this parish.

2. Pampanga’s Cuisine

   is a local Filipino restaurant … (etc.)