Scoliosis Doesn’t Make Me a Burden
The cold hand of my mom’s chiropractor tickled me as she followed my spine. Pointing at it, she told my mom that my spine was curving. I had been experiencing worsening back pain for a few weeks. At first I hadn’t told anyone, afraid to be told that I was making it up to get […]
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Alone With My English
As I walked into the kitchen, I sensed the chaos of my family—the clattering of pans, the screaming of aunt over aunt, the toddler running between rooms. I sat patiently, languages flying. “It’s time for dinner! Hurry up and eat!” I craved nothing more than fading away at family events. It was too much sometimes. […]
Read MoreDancing With the Bollywood Stars
In the 4th grade, I attended a Bollywood dance class for the first time. My mom had signed me up, and the goal was for me to do something outside of my school and home life. “Physical activity is good for you! It’s good to have outside activities,” she would say. To my surprise, class […]
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How My Aunt Became My Mother
My parents argued as I ran from room to room, entertaining myself. I was 6, my brother was 3 and we were living in South Korea. After each lap around the small apartment, I paused and took a look at the woman giving me a tight smile. The smile seemed genuine to me, and it […]
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