Most meaningful retreat interview question:

     What did your parents teach you about being a member of your race / ethnicity?

     My parents mainly taught me to respect whoever was around me; whether they were older, younger, related to me or not, a different race / ethnicity, if they were a higher authority or not, and so on. My parents taught my siblings and I many ways to show respect. For example, when first entering someone's home we would remove our shoes outside or right by the front door before walking around the entire house. When entering the house, we say "hello" to everyone and give them a friendly hug. For the elders, we would mano (or bless) them. To do this, you would slightly bow infront of the elder(s), offer them your right hand, and say, "Mano po." They will reach out their hand into yours, and you would gently press it against your forehead. Another way my parents taught me to show respect towards others is by calling everyone Tita (Auntie), Tito (Uncle), Ate (Big Sister), or Kuya (Big brother) even if they aren't related to our family. We do this to show respect for those who are older and higher authority.

     This question was the most meaningful to me during the interview because I felt that my answer was the most significant out of the rest. I mean, I understand that everyone was raised differently. Some were taught respect and some weren't. Some individuals were taught respect, but did not carry on the ways. I believe respect is a huge thing to teach people, and the fact that my parents taught me at such a young age, and until now, makes me proud of who I am and where I come from.