Dear Owosso Filipino resident,
I am so happy you are here in Owosso. And I am so sorry to hear of the hurt caused by your neighbors. I’m sorry they don’t appreciate and respect you and your culture.
I hope you and your family find strength, honor and courage in the notes you get from residents. I love to share in the cultures of other countries: in their customs, their languages, their food and more. I find it such a learning experience to hear how others grew up, where they lived, their lives as children, what brought them to this country, etc. And I like to share back as it’s always better when both share about themselves.
I lived in Ohio in the 1990s and worked with a woman from the Phillipines. Her name is Didi Ballesteros. She played MahJong with her friends and offered to teach me, but I was young and so busy with life. How I wish now that I had taken her up on that offer.
I hope you find comfort in knowing that there are many Owosso residents who welcome you and want you to be happy living here.
One of your friends in Owosso, Dianne King