The Path Untold

It is tradition and imagination.

It is struggle and survival.

It is hope and strength.

It is walking for miles,

across wild jungles, mountains, and deserts,

headed towards a waiting place— camp.

It is waiting around for years,

waiting for a food truck to come,

for a bus to go,

for a pass to resettle,

for a yes to repatriate,

or a no to

stay

…

It is a journey from there to here, from past to present.

It is

dangerous and

dependent and

heartbreaking and

inspirational and

miserable and

remarkable

stressful and

storyful ….

It is the path untold,

now shared.

It is an exploration

of identity, culture, language, and literacy.

It is a celebration of community, connection, and integration.

Xia Chao, Ph.D

ethnographer, educator, and community collaborator

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, USA

May 2nd, 2019