The Immigrant Experience

Filipinos immigrating to the U.S. usually have expectations about what it will be like to live here. They have seen American movies and may have friends or relatives living in the U.S. Yet the reality of living in a new culture often differs from expectations.

In this issue, we inaugurate the first in a series of articles on the experience of new Filipino immigrants to the U.S. We hope that this will be informative both for those who have just arrived in the U.S. and those who work with new immigrants. And this series may also be helpful for those currently in the Philippines who plan to immigrate to the U.S.

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 New Immigrant Survival Guide: First Impressions
First in a Series of Articles

This month’s newsletter introduces the first in a series of articles intended to help new Philippine immigrants adjust to life in the United States. Future articles will provide additional perspectives and useful resources.

Philippine immigrants to the U.S. generally have a good sense of what it’s like here. From childhood, Filipinos are exposed to American movies, television, and other aspects of American culture. They may already have visited the U.S. and probably know people who have worked here.

But living and working in the U.S. is a very different experience than visiting relatives here or being a tourist. And one of the keys to rapid adjustment to a new culture is to have realistic expectations. With this in mind, we asked some recent and some not-so-recent Philippine immigrants about their first experiences in the U.S. What surprised them? Is there anything they wish they had known before they arrived? How did their experience differ from their expectations?

“In the Philippines, it became a practice to call your boss or the person who is working with you that is in a higher position Sir/Maam. We basically get used to saying that and for some reason even if we are just talking to anybody who is older than us, we automatically call them Sir/Maam.

When I moved here in the U.S, I noticed that at work, it is more casual. We call our bosses with their first names. At first it was a little awkward because I felt like I am disrespecting them, but in fact it actually doesn’t matter to them at all.

It takes a while for me to get used to it and even though I am already practicing this habit of calling them with their first names, a part of me still feels disrespectful.”

“I have never worked so hard in my life! In the Philippines, I was used to having family and helpers at home. Here in America, after working long hours, I still have to come home and cook, wash dishes, and do my own laundry. And it’s even harder if you have kids! I now appreciate what I had in the Philippines.”

“The customer has a lot of power in America! You can inspect items before buying them and return products you don’t like. Opening a bank account is difficult in the Philippines, but it is easy here. Banks are actively competing to get you to open an account with them.”

“Living and working here in the U.S. is difficult. I came from a well-off family, and I got my degree from a good school in the Philippines. However, here they haven’t even heard of my school, and I’m just the same as everyone else. It was humbling at first and I felt like a commoner, but now I’m more accepting.”

“I have noticed that here in the U.S., people seem friendlier. Even if they don’t know you, they would still greet you. They are definitely into small-talk. At first, I thought that greeting people and chit-chatting were just weird practices here in America. Now I know that it is considered rude not to return greetings and I no longer avoid casual conversations.”

“Renting an apartment is a little different in the U.S. There is generally more paperwork, along with credit checks, reference checks, payment of first and last month’s rent, and a security or cleaning deposit. Apartments here come with a fridge, stove, and oven, which is not true in the Philippines.”

In future newsletters we will continue to provide resources and advice for new immigrants. Do you have a story you would like to share? What advice do you have for new Philippine immigrants to the U.S.? Is there anything that would have made your life easier if you had known it before you came here? Please click here if you have a story, a key learning, or advice you would like to share.