This holiday season, I had the opportunity to travel to Indiana to visit family. Usually my immediate family spends the holidays at home, so it was different to travel for 10 hours to spend time with relatives I don't see very often. We had to miss a Christmas party that has become a tradition and that we haven't missed in years, so I wasn't exactly excited to be traveling. However, in the end, it was a rewarding experience that I can greatly appreciate.
My dad was working and couldn't join the adventure, so just my two sisters, my mother, our dog, and I traveled at my grandma's house, where we stayed for 4 days. That house has a lot of memories in it. It's where my mom spent her last few teenage years and where I lived as an infant and made so many memories as a child; it's the cozy house I always feel welcome in. Staying there is always a change of pace from the busyness of the east coast to the calm, milder small town feel.
After moving to the east coast, my mother made sure to bring me and my sisters at least once a year to visit our old family and friends. As we've gotten older, it's been a bit harder to make it out as often as we used to so it was great to have the opportunity to see my grandparents as well as great grandparents and other extended family.
During our visit, I saw places from my childhood. One day, I went on a run and couldn't believe how close everything was to each other. I ran from my Grandma's house and I was surprised to pass one of the elementary schools I attended less than a mile in and the entrance to my old neighborhood. Another day, we drove past the very first house that my parents owned in a different part of town. We pulled up in front and I was shocked that what had seemed like a mansion was literally just a 1000 square foot house I could probably fit 2 of the rooms in from my current home. The massive hill out front that I used to zoom down on my bike was so small that it could barely be considered a sloping line. It's crazy how things seem so different as a child!
Another day, I visited my great grandparents and their two adorable golden retrievers in their comfortable home with my grandparents, mom, and sisters. I am lucky enough to have a young family and have had the opportunity to grow up knowing my great grandparents. Even my great, great grandmother got to hold me as a baby and spend time as a young child. I talked to my great grandfather about his family and learned about his experiences in the military and the different places he's lived in around the world. His favorite stories are about Italy, and I got to see the model of the 1965 Fiat 500F they drove around Italy and artifacts he collected from historical sites around the country.
He and my great grandmother grew up in New York City, children of immigrants. They spent their lives investigating their genealogy and traveling to visit places where their family lived and meeting new relatives they'd never known of. I always knew about my ethnicity: I am a quarter Korean and Irish from my Dad's side and Italian and Irish from my mom's. However, after talking with my great grandpa I found out that he was half Russian, not full Italian, so I am part Russian too.
I have a small family, and don't see most of it very often, so it's enjoyable to make visits when it's possible. I learned more about my heritage and listened to neat stories from my great grandfather and connected with distant relatives. I am old enough now to appreciate what the visit meant and to appreciate that my family moving away from the small town as at the age of 8 infinitely changed my perspective on life and the possibilities for my future. The memories and new insights I gained this holiday season will last a lifetime.
