It's funny how I never planned on going to college yet here I am, applying for scholarships. While a scholarship concerning my race would not normally catch my eye, this one did because my Filipino roots are ultimately what made me reconsider attending college. My Lola has Alzheimer's disease, and I whenever I visit, I am always trying to do my best to help her and take some of the burden off my Lolo. My Lolo is nearly 90 years old, and a few months ago, it occurred to my family that he is getting far too old to care for someone who is so dependent on others. My desire, as a Filipino American, is to show others what my Filipino culture has taught me, and how it has influenced the person I have become, and I thought about how family-oriented Filipino culture is, compared to the individualistic culture in America. If we were in the Philippines, it is likely that we all would have taken responsibility to help care for my Lola in her final days. A few weeks later, I finally decided that I would move out to live with my grandparents to be my Lola's caretaker, and attend school while I was there. I think a lot of Filipino Americans forget that being Filipino is not just about loving lumpia or being good at karaoke. While those are both amazing things about our culture, I would like to believe that our culture goes far deeper. My Filipino identity has helped me with my purpose because I believe that our strong family values are what makes us stand out compared to the majority of the world. If it weren't for the unfailing kindness and willingness for my Filipino relatives and friends to inconvenience themselves to help me, I never would have made the decision to help my grandparents.