Tales from the Archipelago

Tales from the Archipelago is a print publication that aims to bring together the narratives and experiences of young Filipinos as they try to navigate through a new environment and culture in the United States. In light of this, one can say that finding a community is not always easy — with the thousands of other Filipinos who move to the US each year for various purposes, how are they able to foster their own communities?

For this publication, I drew heavily from my lived experiences as a Filipina who moved to a new and foreign city. I gathered narratives from people who have similar experiences and shared in the struggles and triumphs that comes with moving the the US — the homesickness, the feeling of displacement, and the newfound sense of independence. These people are those I am close to, those I have just met here in the US, and even those whom I’ve never met but answered my questions because a friend of mine sent it to them. All together, these people who come from different backgrounds form this archipelago of stories all housed within this publication.

I hope that with Tales from the Archipelago, readers will be able to identify with the different narratives, and know that there will always be a Filipino community out there, and home is never too far away.