Every day I come home from school, he watches me come off the bus. Every day, he’s there, sitting on his rocking chair with his feet up, drinking a diet pepsi. He would be wearing his glasses, lenses clean so he can see clearly. He watches me and my sister, who get off her bus the same time I do, as he makes sure we get home safe. When I get inside the house, he always asks me “How was school? Did you learn something?” He has a big, but short body, wearing clothes that comfort him. He was a middle aged man in his late 40s, with black hair that is starting to fade grey. He’s a bit weird, but in a good way. That man’s name is Mares, who happens to be my Dad. My Dad can do everything and he is always willing to explore new things. My Dad is the smartest, most caring, and the bravest person I’ve ever seen.

My dad was 11 years old when he came to the United States. Him, my Auntie, and my Grandparents were all immigrants from the Philippines. My Grandparents wanted to move to Chicago because they want to explore the American dream. They also had a lot of family in Chicago. My dad already knew the English language since in the Philippines’ two main languages are Tagalog and English. However, even though he spoke English fluently, my Dad had a hard time adjusting to the new American culture. Time was different, food was different, and the skin color of other people were also different. Throughout middle school and his years at Gordon Tech High School, my Dad a victim of bullying and racial discrimination. He was constantly made fun of by the other “white” kids. They would shout “VC! VC! Vietcong!”, which is irrelevant because he’s Filipino. Even with all the discrimination, my Dad stood up for himself. After constant school days full of bullying, my Dad decided to take tae kwon doe to protect himself. His days in the dojo gave him the confidence to stand up to his bullies. “After school” my dad would tell the bullies. Because of his bravery and for standing up for himself, my dad won all of his eight school fights. It didn’t matter how tall, how big, or how strong his opponents were, he wasn’t scared of anybody.  With his bravery and confidence, people stopped picking on him, which allowed him to finally enjoy high school career in peace.

Throughout his education up to this day, my Dad probably still the smartest guy I know. He can do everything. Math, English, Science, you name it. He has had a 4.0 GPA throughout his education. My Dad was always the smartest in his class, which got him a scholarship to Illinois University. “I always try to get on top of the summit,” Dad tells me. “I want to get all the way to the top. My dream was to be a lawyer.” Even though my dad graduated with masters from Illinois University later on, he eventually decided that he didn’t want to be lawyer. He felt that backing up the bad guys was something he wouldn’t want to do.  Instead, he wanted to become a nurse. He would then go back home to Chicago and attend a community college there. That was where he met my Mom, who too wanted to become a nurse. They both graduated there and now work in the same hospital called Vista.

Now as an adult with a family, my Dad is probably the most caring person I’ve ever seen. His number one priority is the family and he goes to work everyday. He works hard, 12 hour shifts and comes home at midnight just to provide the family. He loves us so much, it sometimes become annoying. Like the time my Mom went to California to attend a funeral. After he dropped her off at the airport, my Dad kept calling her nonstop. He kept calling her to the point my Mom said “Can you please stop calling me?.” He also annoys me as well. Everyday after school, he would always tells me “You have to go the summit and stay at the summit.” He got this idea from my Grandpa. He explained to me that the As look like mountains and the goal of a mountain climber is to get to the top. This is another way of saying you have to be on top of your grades consistently. He says this all the time, which motivates me to do better at school. Not only in school however, but In everything else. I gotta be on top of my basketball skills, my chores around the house, and my hygiene. This saying is what motivates me in everything, and I take it by heart. My Dad cares for me, and he just wants me to be successful in life.
My Dad amazes not only me, but everyone else. His story and his background completely makes who he is. He’s the light of life. As of today, he’s still showing his love for his family. He’s currently as of this day at Philippines, caring for my Grandpa. My Grandpa had two heart attacks recently, which pushed him to make the decision to go back home. It was a tough choice. Leaving us here will make it harder here in the states to make money because there is no one here providing the family other then my Mom. He’s been gone for a week and I already miss him. There are times we don’t get along, but we get over it. He can be strict and mean sometimes, but he’s really not that bad. He’s smart, caring, and brave man who I am proud to call my Dad.