My Chinese heritage I wish I knew
By on February 6, 2020
I was raised in a very traditional Filipino family. What people don’t know is that I am part Chinese. The reason I don’t know much about being Chinese is because in the Philippines when my lola (grandmother) married my lolo (grandfather) her father did not approve. They were Chinese and my grandfather was Filipino. Unfortunately, my great-grandfather disowned my lola after that. I remember my dad telling me when he was a young boy he would shine shoes to earn money. While he was shining shoes on a street corner in Bicol, he saw someone that he thought could be his grand father and the man gave him money without getting his shoes shined. I believe he saw this man a few times.
That is the extent of what I know about my Chinese family. It’s very sad that that’s all I know but it is the reality. My dad did make a family tree and I saw that the family names on my dad’s side are Tan and Lim. I met my grandmother’s sisters but at the age of 10 I didn’t think to ask them if they new my great-grandfather.
I wouldn’t even know where to start to find out who my Chinese family is. I would love to meet them one day though and learn more about such a rich culture with so much history.
Gung Hay Fat Choy.