As an international individual, I’ve lived in various countries, engaging with people from diverse backgrounds. This journey has made questions like "Where are you from?" and "What does home mean to you?" central themes in my life—especially poignant when I am away from my home country, Taiwan. While these questions were once simple to answer, they have grown increasingly complex with each relocation, leaving me feeling a deepening distance from my origins.
In response, I created 家 Home, a series of documentary portraits featuring families and individuals who, like me, have relocated to new environments. This project focuses on five families who have moved to Sarasota, Florida, regardless of their citizenship status. I am drawn to exploring how these families adapt to and find a sense of belonging in a place that was once foreign to them.
I reached out to four families—the Palombo family (Italian-American/German), Sae-Lee (Thai), Wachira (Kenyan), and Samberg (Mexican-American)—and conducted interviews to document their stories. Each interview, ranging from 30 to 60 minutes, delves into their journeys, challenges, and evolving understanding of "home" through approximately 6,000 words. The embedded quotes between each section on this page are directly taken from these transcribed conversations. The result is a blend of documentary photography and intimate storytelling, portraying not just where they are but who they are within these spaces.
Through 家 Home, I aim to present a visual and narrative tapestry of what home means to families from diverse cultural backgrounds, all of whom share a common experience: the decision to leave their original home to establish a new one.
Special thanks to the families who participated in 家 Home (2024): Palombo, Sae-Lee, Wachira, and Samberg. Your willingness to open your homes and share your stories has been deeply meaningful. Your generosity, kindness, and sincerity have inspired me to continue exploring the topic of migration.
Palombo
Joel Palombo (Italian American) & Anja Berg Palombo (German)
In 1988, Anja came to the USA for the first time in her 20s for education and met Joel, who was raised and born in Detroit. They have lived in Arizona, Turkey, and India, teaching and traveling with their two kids. In between, Anja went back a couple of times to her home country, Germany. Now, they reside in Sarasota and have lived in this house for more than 10 years.
Sae Lee
Thairat Sae-Lee, Thammarat Lee, Nopparat Sae-Lee, Boonyarat Sae-Lee (Thai)
Before moving to the USA in 2016 for better education for their kids, the Sae-Lee family ran a jeans factory in their neighborhood and all of the workers knew each other well, just like a big family. They have operated a restaurant called Hideko 2 since 2017 from scratch, learning from the first Thai family they met here who owned the first and original Hideko in Palmetto. They plan to move back to Thailand when their daughter graduates.
Wachira
Anthony Wachira, Jedida Wachira, Maxwell Wachira, Gabriel Wachira, Vince Too, Cecilia Ndungu (Kenyan)
Jedida (Jade) came to the USA by herself in 1997 for better education and life; her husband Anthony joined her two months later. Since then, they have supported each other and formed the Wachira family of five. They lived in Japan from 2016 to 2017 and are now settled in Sarasota, where Jade’s mom Cecilia lives out her retirement with Vince, her younger brother who came in 2015 for school and recently moved to Oklahoma for work.
Samberg
Liza Verdugo (Mexican), Christopher Samberg (American), Heaven Samberg (Mexican American)
Since Liza was a kid, her original family regularly visited the USA for vacations. She started to dream about Hollywood, Disney, and all types of American dreams. In search of work and to be with her family, who had moved to the States for a better life, she relocated herself. She met Christopher in Phoenix, and they had Heaven, who is 7 months old. They now reside in Sarasota since 2018.
