AmericaNovember 5, 2026
I Published a Multilingual Children’s Book!
It’s official — my first children’s book is now on Amazon! I’m a Filipino mom raising my daughter, Mari, here in Japan. At home, our languages mix every day — English, Tagalog, Bisaya, and Japanese all live under...
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Proud Bisdak (Bisayang Dako)
Sa una kay maulaw ko mag bisaya inig naay mga kaila nga Tagalog or mudayo sa dili Bisaya nga lugar kay di ba sa ato sa Pinas murag naay discrimination nga pag...
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My Journey from Language Insecurity to Language Pride
When I was younger, I used to feel embarrassed speaking Bisaya whenever there were Tagalog speakers around or whenever I traveled to places where people didn’t speak Bisaya. Back home in the...
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How Garbage Is Collected in the USA 🇺🇸 Compared to Japan 🇯🇵
In the USA, most homes have large trash bins that people roll out to the curb on collection day. The garbage truck uses a mechanical arm to grab the bin, lift it,...
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Sometimes, Children Give Us the Answers We’ve Been Searching For
Sometimes, children unexpectedly give us the answers to the questions we’ve been asking ourselves as adults. My six-year-old daughter has done that for me—not just once, but many times. As I was...
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09277 views169 readers
Becoming Japanese Part 5: After the Test Support and a Small Celebration
After I handed the lady the copies she asked me to make that very day, I couldn’t help but think that I could have simply done them later and submitted them during...
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Becoming Japanese Part 4: The Long Road Ahead
Even now, I keep thinking about what I wrote on that test paper. Was it enough? Did I pass? Or did I fail again? I honestly don’t know. When I finished the...
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Two homes. One unfolding story.
Stories to Tell is a personal journal about life, love, family, culture, and the everyday discoveries that connect the Philippines and Japan.