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Identity and Ron Darvin

This short play explores the impact of long-term family separation on migrant families through the stories of Isabel, a 41-year-old Filipino woman, and her 15-year-old son Miguel. Isabel has lived in Vancouver for 8 years working as a caregiver and now at Tim Hortons, sending money home to support her family in the Philippines. Though she misses her family, Isabel perseveres to give her son opportunities for education abroad that they did not have. The play serves as a springboard for discussing these challenges faced by transnational families.

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Amelito Gonzales
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647 views2 pages

Identity and Ron Darvin

This short play explores the impact of long-term family separation on migrant families through the stories of Isabel, a 41-year-old Filipino woman, and her 15-year-old son Miguel. Isabel has lived in Vancouver for 8 years working as a caregiver and now at Tim Hortons, sending money home to support her family in the Philippines. Though she misses her family, Isabel perseveres to give her son opportunities for education abroad that they did not have. The play serves as a springboard for discussing these challenges faced by transnational families.

Uploaded by

Amelito Gonzales
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Waiting

By Ron Darvin

Written as a springboard for discussion of how long-term separation impacts the lives of migrant families,
this short play was first performed at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in November
20'1,4. No set is required to stage this-play. The two characters-Isabel, a Filipino woman in her early 40s,
and Miguel, her 1S-year old son-face the audience as they recite their monologues.

Isabel: Mabuhay! My name is Isabel and I'm from the archipelago of 7,107 islands, high tide-2108 low tide-
the Philippines! I'm 31. I’m just kidding! I'm 41. I just wanted to see if you'll believe me. Because you know,
my friends, they ask me "Isabel, what's your secret for looking so young?" And I tell them, "Hay naku, lnday,
it's all about moisturizing! That's why I use Dove. You know? 'Because you're more beautiful than you
think!"'

There are many Doves, but my favorite is Dove Pomegranate. Ay, it smells so good! You know in Manila I
didn't even know what a pomegranate was. The first time I saw one here in Canada I said, Oh my! All those
seeds! So hard to eat! That's why I just put it on my face.

So I've been living here in Vancouver for eight years now. First two years as live-in caregiver for the Choi
family. After staying with the Chois, I got an open work permit so I opened the door of my life. I told myself,
"This is it, Isabel! This is your chance to find new opportunities!" And you know, when I was young, I always
said "I want to be on Broadway!" $o I got a job here at Tim Horton's near the train station... on Broadway!

---------------------------------

THE WAITING by: Ron darvin


Reflect- It is so very touching and inspiring story because Isabela is a
hardworking mother and wife. All she wants is to give his son a better life and send
her son to the school or universities that he admires.

Connect- My mother is also a hardworking mother and wife. Even she is not so
kind but I really appreciate her handwork.
          And when my father and mother are talking about our future, my mother
always saying,” I want our children to study at school that they dreamed, in order to
them to achieve their dreams and stand in their own teeth.

Questions- I really wondered why Isabela worked at Canada as Live-in caregiver


even though she is a teacher here in the Philippines? Is it because of a small salary
of a teacher or it is her plan or strategy to easily find money and more money.
Predict- I think Isabela will come back here in the Philippines and have more time
to her family that he left from many years and to the pictures that she sends to her
family is already fade.                  

Ron Darvin is a doctoral candidate and Vanier scholar in the Department of Language and Literacy
Education.  His current research examines to what extent social class differences of immigrant learners
shape their language practices and digital literacies. Together with Bonny Norton, he published a 2015
model of investment in language learning in Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, and received the
2016 TESOL Award for Distinguished Research.

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