Motherland

In memory, the family trip to China was one remembered with fondness and excitement. It’s a story of fantastic food, family reunions and immersing one’s self in the rich “exotic” sights and the humdrum of every day life in a country far across the other side of the world. However, after having not returned in nearly a decade, the trip to my country of origin brought severe bouts of anxiety and apprehension. This time around, the journey back to China would have a somber objective – to visit the graves of my maternal grandparents and to visit the the last remaining grandparent on my father's side.