Arturo L. Jusay: Sacrifices for the Love of Family
interview by Wilson Munar
For my Digital Oral History project I interviewed my father-in-law. His name is Arturo Jusay, he was born on March 24, 1942 and raised in the Philippines. Arturo worked as a public school teacher and head administrator for 29 years in order to support his wife and four daughters in the Philippines. After waiting 15 years for a U.S. petition to be process, Arturo and his family entered the United States in the early months of 1992. Arturo is a hardworking man, who loves and cares deeply about his family. In the years he had lived in the Philippines and in the United States, he has experienced hardship, sacrifice, and joy all of which factors that contributed and shaped him into the person he is today. Below are a series of videos that will provide a deeper insight into Arturo's life in regards to his life in both the Philippines and in the United States.
Table of Content
1. Introduction and early life in the Philippines (WWII)
2. Education, profession and life in the Philippines
3. Life and family in the United States
4. Meeting life goal in U.S.
5. Conclusion
Introduction and early life in the Philippines:
Education, profession and life in the Philippines:
Arturo received his technical education in furniture and garment making and later pursued and Bachelor's of Science in industrial education. Due to the economic poverty he was forced to work to support his family (he later mentioned in the interview that his father died and he had to set up and support the family) at the same time he wanted to earn his Bachelor's degree in order to move up in his teacher career. He was a public school teacher for 29 years, the last 10 years he was the head administrator. When he married and began a family life, he realized that life in the Philippines will be full of hardship for his children, like the life he experienced. Life in the Philippines was hard and unstable, Arturo was petitioned by his sister to enter the United States, sacrificing his career, his family, everything in the Philippines for a better life for his family.
Life and family in the United States:
Coming to the United States was a full of mixed emotions. He was excited to start a new life in a new place with new and better opportunities. But at the same time his native land was calling his heart. It took a year for Arturo to adjust to his life in the United States. He arrived with his wife and four daughters, without any big expectations of becoming rich like others who dreamed of having a better life in the United States. Instead Arturo emphasized that he's goal was to give and provide a better opportunity to live a good life, not through luxury. He believed that education can provide such opportunities for his children. Arturo and his wife (Teresita) worked average jobs, sometimes two jobs at a time to provide for his family. Living situations while first entering the U.S. was difficult sharing rooms with his sister-in-law and her family and as time progressed they were able to get their own apartment. Arturo was prepared for the life he was facing to live in the United States through the experiences of his sister and mother.He know it was going to be hard living in the United States but it was better then having to live a life in the poor economic status of the Philippines back then. He felt let down by other fellow Filipinos already living here, he didn't feel the compassion or brotherly love of fellow Filipinos natives. He's love for his native country will always remain in his heart, but his love for his family (to provide and support) them surpasses other needs.
According to Arturo the life he has lived in the U.S. has being difficult and challenging but in the end he is happy to know that he has met the goals he had come to the U.S. to accomplish: to provide a better education for his children so they will have better and more opportunities in life. Arturo is happy to know that his children didn't have to see or experience the hard life he had experienced in the Philippines.
Conclusion:
As I concluded this interview with Arturo, I realized how a person's hardships and challenges in life can shape and shift the way they live their life. Growing up Arturo struggled to support and provide for his family in the Philippines. He made sacrifice after sacrifice for the hope of others around him i.e. his mother and brothers and sisters as will as his wife and daughters. The poor economic status in the Philippines drove him and he was determined to better his children's lives unlike the one he lived. He didn't have a goal of wealth but made hard decisions and sacrifices for the benefit of his family when he entered the United States. He sacrificed even more in the U.S. Arturo is content with the ups and downs he experienced in his life both in the Philippines and in the United States. Arturo is clearly a man of his words, working hard to provide and support his family out of genuine love and care. He is a selfless man; selflessly is something that most first generation immigrants most possess in order to see pass the hardship that they had experienced to get to where they are as well as the hardships that they will and may face in the future. Arturo's joy and happiness comes from the inflatable hope of a better life for his family and their future to come.
