jayexiomo

We often see the "Victory Lap" of immigrants: the stability, the rootedness, and victory of having made it. But seeing my brother break down made me realize that his independence is bought with daily loneliness. I’m prouder of his tears than his diploma. They’re proof that even across oceans, he hasn’t lost the pieces of his heart he left behind.

In Vancouver, My Brother Carried What He Left Behind In “In Vancouver, My Brother Finally Found His Place,” I’ve written about the “Victory Lap”: the trips around the city, the graduation, and…

What is freedom? What does it mean to be truly independent?

Gapan, Nueva Ecija: Independence Reflections Through “Little Vigan” and Beyond A spontaneous day trip to Gapan, Nueva Ecija turns into a reflection on what freedom really means today. Through a photo walk in Casa Batik, Lumang Gapan, and the city center, we explore personal f…

Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi—dubbed the “Venice of the South”—offers more than postcard canals and stilt houses. This far-flung town of Sama-Bajau fishermen and seaweed farmers reveals a delicate balance between beauty and burden, tradition and modernity. We visit to discover life on the water’s edge and the resilience of the Philippines’ southernmost town.

Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi: Life in the “Venice of the South” Isn’t What You Might Imagine Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi—dubbed the “Venice of the South”—offers more than postcard canals and stilt houses. This far-flung town of Sama-Bajau fishermen and seaweed farmers reveals a delica…