The Polyphony
By Trung Manh Quoc Nguyen Sometimes I found myself perplexed between the movies of Pixar and Ghibli Studio. Both are equally important parts of my childhood and their impacts are still felt by me even now. Although I must admit that I like Pixar movies better (perhaps because I started watching them way earlier), the […]
Culture shock is a fear that everyone seems to have, but many also wish to experience it firsthand through travel. I was one of those people. When I first arrived in Japan, I was a babe lost in the woods of language barriers and cultural differences. I was wandering around Haneda Airport for most of my 2-hour layover, second-guessing the directions that were given to me. When I arrived at Okayama Airport, I spent 5 minutes trying to translate the name of my hotel to the cab driver. The first day of the Discovery Program’s orientation was spent doing mountains of paperwork that felt so unnecessary at the time.
By Kayla Guevara
It is September 23, 1972.
My family members rustle around the house, the neighborhood dogs are making their presence known, and the rhythmic static of the radio plays its tune. I greet the breeze knocking against my window, the sun peeking through the dancing linen curtains, and the thin layer of sweat on my forehead. I say hello to the aroma of my parents’ freshly brewed barako coffee and the all-too-familiar scent of our favorite snack[1] , turon. It is just another day in September, but it was a day like no other.
Untitled essay written by Kayla Guevara
Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng, is powerful novel that examines family dynamic, adolescence, and the making of hard choices. Chige examines a profound quote found in the novel, and reflects on her own opinions about mistakes, choices, and regret.
The Polyphony