Fullerton, CA • October 2022. 8:29 AM at Cal State Fullerton: My First Friendship Games. friendship games, cal state fullerton, csuf, pasa kaibigan, orange county, filipino american college, filipino american history month, fahm, kapamilyaduc, dominican university of california, filipino student organizations, 10/22.

Fullerton, CA • October 2022

8:29 AM at Cal State Fullerton: My First Friendship Games

I drove in from Pasadena to be early for my first Friendship Games, and to be there for my bunso.

Cal State Fullerton at 8:29 AM on October 22, 2022, just after I parked, before the Friendship Games began.

It is 8:29 AM and I just parked at Cal State Fullerton after the drive from Pasadena, in the LA area. The sign across the top of the building says it plainly: Cal State TITANS Fullerton. I wanted to get here early on purpose. This is my first Friendship Games, and I want to take in the whole day, starting before it starts.

I am not here only for the games. My bunso, Chesca, is a freshman at Dominican University of California, and she is here with her Kapamilya org, @kapamilyaduc. A dad who drives in from Pasadena to see his youngest at her first Friendship Games is not hard to explain.

📌 Did You Know? Friendship Games is hosted at Cal State Fullerton by PASA Kaibigan, and it is built on four words: spirit, pride, unity, and friendship, known as S.P.U.F. The school that shows the most S.P.U.F. takes home an eight-foot trophy.

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🇵🇭 Tagalog Word of the Day Bunso — BOON-so
The youngest child in the family, and the name that stays with them long after they are grown. Chesca is my bunso.

What I Know Before the Day Starts

Friendship Games is hosted by PASA Kaibigan, Cal State Fullerton's Pilipino American Student Association. Filipino American student organizations come to compete in picnic games and to perform, and in past years the schools have come from California, Nevada, and Arizona. The host's name says friend. The name of Chesca's org says family. Both words are on this campus today.

It is October, which makes it Filipino American History Month, and this is one more way the month shows up: students from different campuses, in one place in Orange County, keeping a tradition going for each other.

Why Early Matters to Me

I would rather watch a day like this begin than walk into the middle of it. Everything after 8:29 AM is still ahead of me, and Fullerton is where I plan to spend it.

If you have been to Friendship Games before, tell me in the comments which school you were with and what I should not miss. For another look at how a Kapamilya org shows up at this event, see Chapman University Kapamilya at the Friendship Games. Here is the roll call from the host, PASA Kaibigan.

Sources

• Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs: PHL Consulate General in Los Angeles Attends the 31st Annual Friendship Games
• Daily Titan: PASA Kaibigan Club Hosts Friendship Games to Bring Together Filipino Students

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