T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
LAYLA HAZIN
RALPH GARLITOS
JOANNA GARLITOS
I am the first person from my family to come to the United States. I was born in Manila, Philippines, but spent my teenage years in Cebu, Philippines. When I was young, I saw America as the land of opportunity, wealth, and prosperity. Following my father’s advice, I became a physical therapist, and came to the United States with a work visa. My first year in the U.S. was hard. Imagine being 22 years old, fresh out of college, and living in a foreign country. I was lonely and culture shocked. I was unsure of the future and alone, but in the midst of it all, I knew God was in control!
I lived a simple, provincial life in Bacolod, Philippines, with my three older sisters and a younger brother. My goal was to study hard, be able to come to the United States, earn money, and eventually, as good Asian children do, send it back to bless my parents, as they have done for me. I became a physical therapist. I was the fourth in my family among the five siblings to come to the United States. Even though my siblings were in the U.S., they were in other states. I still felt lonely. However, my faith grew, and I learned that if you rely on God, He will direct your path. I also realized that if you work hard in the United States, you can be successful.
By origin I am a Palestinian, born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with no written constitution; everything is under complete and total control of the royal family. As all parents do, mine wanted their children to have the best education and future. So, they emigrated in the 1990s to Canada. I moved to New York and married the love of my life in 2006. New York taught me how important freedom of religion is to America. In my place of origin, Jerusalem, which is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, people slaughter each other and destroy each other’s homes in the name of their faith. In New York, communities of Jews, Palestinians and Christians live and work in total harmony because their government represents them all equally. My favorite memories in the U.S. include getting married, having each of my beautiful children, and becoming an American citizen in 2018. Learning about the Constitution, and all the rights and liberties it provides, makes me feel deep gratitude for the intelligent shaping of this country. Any person who can imagine the life they want and will work hard for it, can live their dream in America.
JOANNA AND RALPH GARLITOS
After both moving to the United States, somehow, God allowed our paths to cross again. We traveled together to different parts of Texas to work. We later settled in Texarkana, USA. We gained our citizenship status after completing all the legal requirements. We are thankful that we can enjoy the freedoms and opportunities available to us as U.S. citizens. Being able to vote and be heard, and the freedom to worship God and be with other believers, are opportunities to cherish. We have assimilated and mingled our own native Filipino heritage with the American culture. We are proud to have a daughter that is both American and Filipino at heart. We are proud to live in a country where the ideals are of Christian origin. We still believe in this country. God bless America!
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C OMM U N I T Y & C U L T U R E
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