Finding a Home in Montreal: Meet Joanne Chio, First Year Rep of McGill’s Filipino Association

Coming to a new school in a new country is always be difficult. However, with 53 different cultural organizations, McGill’s international students can experience a little home away from home that, hopefully, help make the transition a little bit easier. Today, Her Campus sits down with Joanne Chio, a first-year student and member of the McGill University Filipino Asian Students Association, better known as MUFASA, to discuss her involvement with the organization. 

Anna Qiu for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): Hi Joanne! Do you mind telling me a little about yourself? 

Joanne Chio (JC): I’m Filipino but I was born and raised in Kobe, Japan which is about 40 minutes away from Osaka. I am currently majoring in gender, sexuality, feminist, and social justice studies with a minor in psychology.

HC McGill: Can you elaborate on what you do with MUFASA?

JC: I’m actually a first-year representative! Basically, I and the other first-year rep try to spread awareness of our group among first-year students. Part of that responsibility includes spearheading two of our own events during our first year. The first event that we did was a spring roll sale, which we just finished up this week. 

HC McGill: Woah! So, the first year representatives led the event? That must have been difficult!

JC: Yeah! We came up with the idea, the name, planned when to buy ingredients, when all of us were going to cook and were responsible for getting in touch with the right people. We needed, for example, to go to the VP Finance to figure out the budget and to find people to help design posters. On the morning of the sale, the other first-year rep and I had to deep fry the spring rolls which was definitely an experience!

HC McGill: How would you explain Filipino culture to someone unfamiliar with it?

JC: This might sound cliché but I feel like the core of Filipino culture revolves around family and doing everything you can for them. My parents made a lot of sacrifices for me to study here and they put so many of my needs and my brother’s needs before their own. I think that’s something prevalent when you look at Filipino culture; you always put the kids first, you always put the family first, which is great. Coming to McGill and living away from my family for the first time has been really nerve-wracking, but being a part of MUFASA has been helpful for my transition because I’ve found a group of people who very much act as family and who make me feel at home.

HC McGill: That’s great that you’ve found a community of people you can really connect with! Is that “search for a community” what motivated you to join MUFASA?

JC: Yes, it is. I’ve always been very close to my parents. So, I knew that living outside of Asia for the first time would definitely be a struggle and that I would need some semblance of family here – and that definitely included getting back in touch with my culture.

HC McGill: Are there any upcoming events we should look out for?

JC: Next semester, we’re going to have another food sale. Nothing is set in stone yet; our next one might be a baked good or it might be something savoury again. You’ll have to find out! 

HC McGill: Lastly, what’s your favourite Filipino food that you think everyone should try?

JC: (laughs) You’re making me choose? Hmm, I’m going to go with adobo. It’s basically a stew – you can have a beef stew, a pork stew, or a chicken stew – that consists of soy sauce and vinegar. It’s super peppery and savoury and since there’s vinegar in it, it lasts for days!

For more information about MUFASA, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MufasaMcgill/

Images obtained from the interviewee.

• culture