If you could reflect on one thing, it’s this:

How do you communicate with your family versus in the workplace?

This letter is for anyone who grew up in a home where tsismis (a.k.a. gossip) was connection, love, and entertainment, only to discover how it lands differently in the workplace.

The writer examines the differences between indirect communication at home and direct communication at work, and how a well-meaning effort to bond with colleagues nearly cost her her job.

If you ever felt torn between how you communicate at home versus at work, this one’s for you.

If you could reflect on one thing, it’s this:

Are you going home for the holidays—or are you already home?

This letter is for anyone tired of being asked if they’re going home to their blood family and relatives for the holidays.

Through faith, conviction, and clarity, the writer shares why she’s choosing not to return to her family this year. She reflects on how familial and cultural expectations justified years of abuse, how she made an idol out of family, and what ‘going home’ means to her today.

If you’ve ever said, “But they’re family…” just to survive the holidays—this letter is for you.

Welcome to TFAW Letters — The Holiday Edition by the Filipino American Woman Project 🎁

I’m your host, Jen Amos.

Just like the FAHM edition, I will read fictionalized letters — my creative interpretation of real conversations with you!

These letters have been woven with heart, reflection, and truth to honor your stories while protecting your privacy.

It all begins with one line, “If I could say one thing.”

RSVP for the Upcoming Family Potluck — NOV 21st! Click HERE.