The heart of swans was a gift from my father to my mother when she arrived in the US. My parents met when they were in their young teens at party of friends and family. My mother was crying because of a comment made by her relative and ran inside the house where my father saw her. My father just stared at her and it was, as quoted by him, “Love at first sight.” A couple years later, they met again because she moved to a place near my father’s city for her studies. He pursued her by showering her with gifts, even her parents. Her parents loved him, but she was not too fond of him yet. Of course, relatives from her side were encouraging her to date my father. He eventually took a break from his courting and immigrated to the US. The money he was making in the Philippines was not enough (despite his family owning a cab business) and the living environment was not so great. In the year of 1988, he arrived in the US following right after his other family members because they had immigrated as well. My mother has plans of going to Italy, but that did not push through. My father still had his crush and his relative offered to bring my mother to the US. During the time of preparation, my father started courting my mother again. They sent love letters and gifts to each other. He worked more to pay for the process of bringing my mother to the US, until the year of 1994, when she finally arrived. They had a civil wedding a few years after, and the heart of swans was shared.

– Maricel

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant