Good_Life

Brian M. Malabanan Prof. Kirin Farquar ENG 098 February 23, 2009 Welcome to the Good Life “Welcome to the good life…welcome to the good liiifeee…,” this song by Kanye West featuring T-Pain always hits me hard and makes me smile. It reminds of the character Ruth McBride from the New York Times best seller list called The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to his White Mother. She is a character that is unbelievable and undeniable that it impresses me in a way that I can relate through her life experiences. Although, to be honest, I did not even experience half of what she has been through, but coming here to America, we both somehow have a connection and connected. It was a life changing experience for me and was tough leaving all my relatives, friends, and especially my girlfriend at that time to come here and restart my new life with my family. It took me years to finally cope up with the situation and adjust to how to live here in America. It all started when my father, Gerry O. Malabanan, met my mother, Benilda Maneja, in their native home in the province of Cavite, Philippines. They got married and quickly moved to Metro Manila to start their family. I was born November 23, 1980 with my twin sister Dina. I do not remember the time and where was I born, because back in the Philippines, being born in to this world was enough. No details on what time, the place of birth, finger prints, foot prints, SSN, insurance, etc. all that is important is that we were both born healthy - at least my twin sister Dina was healthy first, and they finally cured me, but that is another story - and everybody is happy, that simple. My family and I moved a lot when we were young. We moved to places where it was safer for all of us even if going to school and my parents traveling to work took two hours everyday, five times a week. Safety is very important for our family, especially for my father. I remember living at 931 Sampaloc St. Manila, Philippines, (Manila being the capital of our country) for a few years and then we moved to 1123 Roosevelt Ave, Quezon City, Philippines, when my father found a safer location and suitable for the four of us. Not content in the place after two years, both my father and mother decided to move us again and finally bought a brand new house somewhere outside the city where it was much safer for us. The neighborhood was clean, nice, and quiet, so this time we stayed and lived our lives generously and comfortably for at least ten years before we moved to America. My twin sister and I became a little bit spoiled growing up in our new place. We have maids that clean and cook for us, a driver, a gardener, and all the best necessity in the world. All we have to do is go to school, come back home safe, and be the best students we can be. But, when we moved to America, September of 2001, everything changed. “The world is about to change, as of 8:46am (EST) on September 11, 2001: American Airlines Flight 11, laden with 20,000galloons of jet fuel has, crashed into the World Trade Center,” (LIFE 149). This phrase always reminds me of the time we came to America. A phrase and an event that to some people changed their lives drastically in both a good and bad way. For me, I am certainly sure that this event changed my life positively and made me realize that I was not merely close to living my life. Of course, I was sad leaving some of my family and friends back home, especially my girlfriend at that time, but let us face it, I was young, selfish, and naive. There are also two little quotes in the book that reminds me when I came here in America and makes me smile once in awhile: “I have a legal paper in the shoebox under my bed that says I arrived here on August 23, 1923, on a steamer called the Austergeist” and “She was terrified in Europe and happy to be in America” (McBride 16). These quotes when I read them, it somehow takes me back home mentally and gives those old feelings back to me, at least for awhile. Old feelings of being with all my friends just partying, drinking, having fun, and not worrying about tomorrow. I do not think about the good old times as much anymore because I have been busy living my new life with my family and new friends. I was very happy coming to America. Like Ruth form the book, it totally changed her life drastically. The adjusting and coping part was totally different and challenging at first, but it made me stronger. The lifestyle is very fast and busy here compared to the Philippines, but I love every single minute of it. Being here with my family made me complete, and I finally became a man in my own way. No more maids, cook, gardener, and driver that satisfies our basic needs, but more on living life independently. I learned how to control my life and with it are things I still need to be focused on. Finally, I became more responsible and it truly made me realize that family is important. It will always be my number one priority. Works Cited McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man's tribute to his White Mother. New York: The Berkley Publishing Book January 1996. Sullivan, Robert. “Stop Action.” LIFE: 100 Photographs that changed the World vol. 3 no. 5. Eds. Barbara Baker Burrows and Robert Andreas. London: LIFE and Time Inc. Home Entertainment, August 2003.