CHEF VALLERIE: When I asked my mom where I was born, because I didn’t really know that I was born in a bakery until I was like 40 years old. Because I never really asked. Because all I knew was that when you’re in the province where we were, and when you give birth, you don’t go to the hospital you give birth at home. So, I asked my mom where was I born? She goes, you’re actually was born in your grandfather’s baker. I’m like what??? She goes, yeah! At three o’clock you know the bakery is open your grandfather’s making Pandesal and all that stuff. So, I’m like, are you kidding me? So, I was shocked! So, I was literally you can say I was literally born to bake.

I didn’t meet my parents until I was six years old. So, the parents that I knew that raised me were my Grandparents. So, I had two sets of grandparents. I would be shipped off to Laoag City where my father’s parents and then to Batac City, Philippines were my mom’s parents. So, to me that they were our parents. I didn’t know I had a mom and dad. I vividly remembered my mom the last memory I had of her was when I probably was four. I was playing hide and seek and I saw her face and that was it. And the only recollection I have with my dad was this guy in the uniform came to visit my mom and that was it.

Hi I’m Christopher Castellio and I’m Vallerie’s Father.

Hi I’m Elo Castellio and I’m Vallerie’s Mother.

ELO CASTELLIO-MOTHER: Back in the Philippines life was simple. My father owned a bakery that’s where Vallerie at an early age she used to stay with her grandpa father watching baking some pastries. That’s were probably she was so interested in baking because we own a bakery in the Philippines.

CHEF VALLERIE: The first time I was introduced to my dad was when we were six and my sister was five. I remember going to the airport and we were told to go with this guy who had a uniform on and leave my grandparents. It’s kind of hard to talk about because (sorry…) There they were my parents. And to be ripped away from them and go on a plane, it was it was hard! so it was difficult because I didn’t know where I was going. I’m like, you’re taking me away from my parents. And I don’t know who you are. And then later I found out that they were my parents. So, it was difficult because every day of my life that I remember was with my grandparents. And they raised us to know, everything. So, it was kind of hard to… At six you don’t understand what was going on. Why are they here or why I’m leaving? And it was difficult to transition from your life with your grandparents and moving to another country that only spoke English and I didn’t know how to speak English and I didn’t know how to communicate so it was it was difficult.

ELO CASTELLIO-MOTHER: It was so hard leaving the Philippines. Not only leaving the families but also living our life that we were able to build in the Philippines then in this stage we’re gonna start all over again. It was so hard in a new environment with new people around us and everything. But we knew that we’ll be able to make it.

CHRISTOPHER CASTELLIO-FATHER: Coming to the states is a good thing you know. Because in the Philippines you cannot advance or anything like that because there’s no jobs or anything.

CHEF VALLERIE: My father was in the Air Force. We had good medical; he was able to provide for us but on one salary as you know enlisted air force it was still not enough. You know we were lucky that we had base housing. But we still had to support you know his brother, his parents, and my mom’s parents, and you know my mom’s brother. So, I remember we would not have a nanny or a katulong back home because back home you had your sister, you had an auntie that took care of you. But my mom would go to work and my sister and I would walk to school which when it was safe to walk to school. We would come home with a little key around us and we’d go home and you know we would still be there by ourselves. So, it’s not Coming to America, or coming from the Philippines to America, it’s not like okay now we’re great now. No, it’s not that. You still have to work. You still have to put in your 12 hours. So, it was as a child watching my parents and not for them working that hard it’s like you know why do they have to work that hard when my grandparents would stay home with us, I’d see them every day. But my parents I didn’t see every day and I didn’t understand that until I was a teenager and I realized that oh you have to work. You have to have a job. Your ten dollar an hour doesn’t really last that long.

I don’t like to talk about my grandparents. Every time I talk about them, I cry because it’s difficult because they were my life, and then just to bring them up… That’s why I didn’t want to be a Chef for a long time, I didn’t want to bake for a long time, because every time I did that it just reminds me of them and I just… I don’t know. It’s just that I memory that… I just, I want to keep it to myself. It’s hard to talk about them. San Nicolas Ilocos Norte

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