The long and arduous journey to Varuna the Writers’ House was not easy. I endured the challenge of walking through a twenty-minute labyrinth of inclines and turns, all while carrying three loads of luggage and listening to the blinding chirps of cicadas - it was worth it.

Nicole takes a deep dive into the Asian-Australian diaspora, pulling from her own experience as a Filipino daughter in the Western suburbs.

The Western’s Nicole talks about being a proud Filipina woman!