20 yr. old Joan grew up in Italy where due to her brown skin, she was the easy target for racial slurs. Currently a law student, Joan had a hard time making friends with not just the locals but with fellow Filipinos as well. She had a hard time relating to other Filipinos in Rome because even though she can understand Tagalog, she still has difficulty talking in her native tongue. She says it is through her beautiful voice that people begin to notice her.