Skyline
College/North San Mateo County Oral History Archives, Skyline
College Library
Student
project for LSCI 110
– Digital Oral Research Project, Skyline College
Immigrant by
Accident: Robert Talens
Click here to read the research essay,
“Daly City: The Gateway to Filipino Dreams”, by Jodie Marcaida
Click on the links below to hear audio segments from an
April 2011 interview by Jodie Marcaida
with Robert “Bobby” Talens who
is now retired and has spent more than
10 years of his life in the US.
Bobby at his RV home in Treasure
Island
1. Life in the Philippines
2. Immigrant by Accident
3. Expectations and Anticipations
6. Being a Filipino in America
7. Differences
10. Advice to Fellow Filipinos
Segment 1
Life in the Philippines (3:52)
Bobby Talens, who grew up without a father
figure, discusses his life in the Philippines - how he was fortunate to have
finished college leading him to get good jobs.
Bobby graduated with a degree in
Business Management, major in Accounting in 1968.
He worked as an Accounting Clerk in
the Audit Department of Banco Filipino for two years.
Segment 2
Immigrant by Accident (4:41)
Bobby talks about how he became an immigrant
and his reasons for leaving the Philippines.
(L-R:
Norma, his sister; Carol, sister-in-law; daughter Weelowie
and son, Walter)
After a year, he
came back to the Philippines to get his two children.
Video Segment 2
Segment 3
Expectations and
Anticipations (5:19)
Bobby talks about his concerns going to the
US and already anticipated struggles living there like not getting a good job
to support his family. But, thankfully, he was able to apply his skills and
education as an Accountant.
Before he came to the
US, he was also a Money Market
He
also worked as an Operations Financial Officer in
specialist for Bancom Development Corporation for 10
years. other companies.
Video Segment 3
Segment 4
Living the American
Dream (3:16)
Bobby shares his initial
reactions and recalls he had to report the following day he arrived for work so
he wasn't able to go sightseeing.
After several accounting-related jobs,
he got to experience working in the hotel industry
as the Night Time Auditor at Holiday Inn
in San Francisco.
Video Segment 4
Segment
5
Fast Paced Life (9:01)
Bobby shares the busy lifestyle he had,
working double jobs.
His co-workers at
Holiday Inn.
Video Segment 5
Segment 6
Being a Filipino in
America (5:59)
Bobby talks about how he maintains his
Filipino identity while living in America.
He makes it a point to meet and catch
up with his friends in Daly City and also
from the Philippines.
Video Segment 6
Segment 7
Differences (4:51)
Bobby discusses the differences of Filipino
immigrants with Americans in personalities and lifestyle.
Bobby and his ex-girlfriend
Video Segment 7
Segment 8
No
Place Like Home (2:12)
In the end, Bobby prefers to live in the
Philippines. Although he doesn't know what to do yet, he considers going back
to Manila to enjoy his dollar pension.
Bobby with his granddaughter
Although his family is here, he
considers going back to the Philippines.
Video Segment 8
Segment 9
On Citizenship (1:50)
Bobby claims he doesn't regret migrating nor
hesitated to apply for citizenship for practical reasons.
During the graduation of his son,
Walter at San Jose State University
Video
Segment 9
Segment 10
Advice
to Fellow Filipinos (2:25)
Bobby gives an advice to aspiring immigrants not to go, especially
those who are affluent back in the Philippines.
He wouldn’t say he has
completely lived the American dream because he wasn’t able to buy a house for
himself.
Although at present, he
bought an RV home in Treasure Island and Mobile Home in South San Francisco
where
he
now resides.
Image
sources: from Mr. Bobby Talens
last revised: 5-13-11
by
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