@BoraMac Thank you so much!!
Yes, exactly. I’m sure my parents didn’t intentionally want to strip that possibility of me learning the language, and I think that when they immigrated here after my grandparents perhaps the stigma that existed during the cultural context of that time also came into play and caused them to prioritize English rather than finding a balance to teach me and younger sister both. I kind of resonate with them on that. The pressure to try to fit in and being condescended upon by other Americans was probably traumatizing to them and they probably didn’t want me to experience the same issue. But who knows.. there are so many factors that cause the watering down of our culture.
And right! That is the most frustrating part on my end. I do understand Tagalog when I hear it and I can almost translate what someone says to me word for word back to English, but when it comes to formulating a sentence in Tagalog, I’m truly lost. But hopefully if I dedicate myself to learning it and actively try to engage in the conversation with my parents and others more, I’ll see more growth!
What’s your perspective? If you have any tips on learning, my ears are definitely open! 😁