Iloilo calls me back—not with fanfare, but with whispers.
The scent of old wood, the hush of ancestral halls, the laughter tucked into alleyways.
This is not just a return—it is a remembering.
In this workshop, we gather stories like heirlooms—pressed between journal pages, folded into metaphors, stitched into the fabric of place.
Whether you are a wanderer, a keeper of tales, or someone tracing the lines of your own map—come.
Let us write what memory remembers, and what longing dares to imagine.
Coming Home Story: Why I’m Hosting a Workshop in Iloilo
I haven’t walked its streets in a while. But Iloilo lives in me—in the way I write, in the way I remember. I’ve read about places I’ve yet to visit. I’ve imagined their walls, their echoes, their quiet corners. And now, I’m coming home—not just to see, but to listen. This September, I’ll be hosting a workshop on memory-based storytelling and cultural writing. It’s called “Memory as Map: Storytelling Rooted in Place and Feeling” and it’s for anyone who believes that stories can PRESERVE, HEAL, and CONNECT. Whether you’re from Iloilo or simply drawn to its soul, I hope you’ll join me. Let’s write the stories that wait in silence—and give them voice.
What is it about?
It's a half-a-day creative workshop designed to explore the art of storytelling through the lens of personal and cultural memory.
Hosted in the heritage setting of Balay Sueño in Jaro, Iloilo City, the workshop invites participants to reflect, write, and share stories that honor their lived experiences and ancestral echoes.
This is not just a writing class—it’s a space for remembering.
What is “Memory as Map: Storytelling Rooted in Place and Feeling”?
Storytelling rooted in memory isn’t just meaningful—it’s backed by science. Writing and reflection have been shown to enhance memory function, reduce stress, and foster emotional well-being. This workshop nurtures not only creativity, but also connection and healing.
At its heart, the workshop is about reclaiming the stories that shape us. Participants will learn how to:
- Tap into memory as a source of narrative power
- Transform everyday experiences into compelling prose
- Explore cultural identity through place, ritual, and language
- Connect personal stories to broader historical and communal contexts
Whether you’re writing for a blog, a journal, or simply for yourself, this workshop offers tools to deepen your storytelling craft.
Who is it for?
This workshop welcomes anyone drawn to storytelling as a way of remembering. Through guided writing prompts, gentle discussion, and sensory exercises involving food, sound, and local imagery, participants will reflect on personal memories shaped by travel, culture, and ancestral flavors.
It is for:
- For anyone who believes that stories can PRESERVE, HEAL, and CONNECT
- Those seeking poetic ways to enhance memory, reduce stress, and foster emotional well-being
- Journal keepers and memory collectors
- Anyone who feels the pull of stories waiting to be told
- For educators who believe stories can deepen learning, that learning begins with lived experience.
You don’t need to be a professional writer—just someone with a story and the courage to tell it.
“This workshop was born from the same longing that led me to write from memory—to preserve, to understand, to feel.”
Why join?
Because memory is fragile, and stories preserve it.
Because writing can be a form of healing, honoring, and resistance.
Because in a house like Balay Sueño, surrounded by history and heart, your words will find a home.
Details:
🗓️ Date: September 16, 2025 Tuesday 1PM to 5PM 📍 Venue: Balay Sueño This post in Facebook is a visual feast on Balay Sueño Corner Benedicto-Washington Streets Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines (Beside Jaro Police Station) 🎟️ Slots: Limited; Confirmed reservation is required ✍️ Facilitator: Marie of Tita M Wanders
See you at Balay Sueño!
Warmly, Marie
🖋Note
Visuals in this page were designed using Canva’s AI image-generation tools to evoke scenes from memory and imagination.