Assimilation versus Acculturation

We just spent a better part of the day watching the Fourth of July parade in Coronado since Jason took part in it. I remember celebrating this date as the "Filipino-American Friendship Day". The Philippines was a U.S. territory from 1898 to 1941, when it was occupied by Japanese forces, and again by Americans for a brief period after the war. The country gained complete independence on July 4, 1946. While I knew the significance of the day, the most important aspect was the fact that the Coney Island ice cream shop in front of Foodarama was offering ice cream at 50% off.

I started living on Guam in 1993, moved to Hawaii in 1996, and finally settled down in San Diego in 1999. All in all, it has been a long time, with my gaining U.S. citizenship along the way. Nowadays, the fourth of July means something else to me. It is Independence Day, a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. In other words, it is a day for fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies. This day showcases the history, government, and traditions of the United States.

It is but natural that most people try to blend in, or assimilate into any new background they find themselves in. Nobody likes to stick out like a sore thumb. However, I would like to think that I am only acculturized. Both assimilation and acculturation refer to the process by which individuals undergo changes in their way of life through adaptation to pressures to conform to the lifeways of a new society. However, while acculturation involves changes in the individual's pattern of living in adapting to the new society, under acculturation the person often maintains some aspects of his or her original cultural ways and identity.

I say I am only acculturized due to the following scales of measurement:
Proficiency in language - I think I am fairly adept with the English language, but my Bisaya accent still comes out occasionally, which my son makes fun of. It is amazing to me how some people who go back home speak with a "twang" after spending a few months living abroad.
Prior life experiences within his or her native country - I grew up in Cebu and I am a full-blooded Filipino. We love going back home every other year even though the cultural differences become more obvious each time.
Current preferences regarding friends - my closest friends are those whom I have shared life experiences with, regardless of race. I hate to say this but I normally avoid large groups of Filipinos due to the crab mentality or the "barrio-barrio" effect.
Preferences regarding television and radio programs - I don't care if they are broadcast in English or in Tagalog as long as they are captivating. I have not taken to Koreanovelas or Mexican soaps yet, but I never close my doors to new possibilities.

As noted previously, with full assimilation the individual blends entirely into the new society losing most or all aspects of his or her previous cultural identity. Through the years, I admit that while there have been changes in my beliefs and in my behavior that have occurred as I have adjusted to life in the United States, I also believe that I have developed a bilingual/bicultural identity, which involves the integration of the better parts of the two cultures.