Meet Nesanne (who everyone calls “Nes”): a fourth year at Northeastern who has been an active part of the Filipino community in the Boston area and beyond. During the spring semester of my freshmen year, I was on District One eboard with her. District One, an organization that Nes has been a part of ever since, oversees and unifies the collegiate Filipino cultural club in the greater Boston area. Now she’s District One’s national director, essentially the liaison between District One and the other districts under the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND) throughout the east coast.
For today’s blog, I decided to get to know Nes better and learn more about the role culture plays in her life. So on a random Wednesday afternoon, I had the idea to interview her. Fun fact: she’s a regular reader of the AAC blogs!
Okay Nes, where are you from?
Saipan, It’s a U.S territory a part of the Northeastern Mariana Islands. It’s a 3 hour flight from the Philippines.
Wow, that’s so close to the Philippines. Did you visit often?
I’ve actually only gone once or twice. That’s why there are a lot of Filipinos there!
My parents moved to Saipan from the Philippines with a work visa. Since I was born there, I am an U.S citizen.
Did you grow up in a Filipino community?
Yeah, a lot of my family lives in Saipan. Also, one third of the population is Filipino. One third is other Asians. One third is the indigenous population called Chamorro.
Oh interesting. Now what does culture mean to you and how has it shaped your life?
I really didn’t think about culture that much until I moved to the states. I realized that I didn’t identify with Filipino-Americans as much as I thought I did. I didn’t identify with being American at all. I didn’t feel connected to American culture. I identified more with being from Saipan than being American. There is a big culture difference. I have a lot of other experiences that people from the mainland don’t relate to. Immigration was more of an issue at home– my parents, constantly shifted immigration statuses.
I just was Filipino. It wasn’t something I had to consciously think about. In college, I became more intentional about Filipino culture. It shapes everything I do. Since I don’t get to see my family much in college, I keep it close. Filipino music is the most consistent tie that I have to home because it’s what I heard growing up. Being surrounded by the culture felt familiar, reminded you of home.
I later learned that after being uninterested in joining a college cultural org in high school, Nes eventually checked out Barkada when she got homesick. During the spring semester of her freshman year, she became the national director for District One because she was interested in the Filipino community beyond Boston.
Thanks Nes for letting me interview you! Anything you would like to say to the blog?
Oh, I am a regular reader. I at least open all of them if I know you or if your title is interesting!
