Today I received a copy of my father's birth certificate. He was born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. At that time, the name of the city was Fernandina.
With that document, I was also able to find my grandfather's name. It is Chan Teh.
I feel that tracing the family root and writing a book is no different than fishing. It is a test of patience. You might sit for days without catching any, then suddenly there is a gush of information!
I have been to Vigan as a child. Honestly, I do not have any memory of it. For me, it was just another place. It is true that I have a godfather there. I do not know him. It is just a name that my father mentioned from time to time. It is also an information that I use when people say they are Ilokano, meaning people from the Ilocos province. I would say, "My dad is Ilokano too!"
People asked, " What do you want to know about Vigan?"
For me, it is the pivotal city in our family history. It is the city which attracted my grandfather to leave China. Without that move, there will be no Francisco Chan and Benjamin Chan. It is also a city that I need to give thanks to. It allowed my grandfather to survive outside of China. It provided a place for my father to be born.
The biggest question is, what is it like in those days?
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