LoveJY

我姓游

All silliness from my last post aside, I wish I had more family around while growing up. I don’t have a picture to post today, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget the mental picture I have of yesterday. I spent the whole day with my cousin’s family, from about 11 in the morning to 9 at night. She is my cousin by relation of her father being my dad’s much much older brother. Her brother’s family was there too (his son totally reminds me of my brother at 10 years old), as were her own parents. On top of that, I had another cousin there, but he was probably the same age as my dad. He’s my dad’s dad’s brother’s nephew… or something like that. Anyway, my girl cousin’s a lot older than I am, and she’s married with a two-year-old who has more energy than a puppy with ADD– in an absolutely adorable way.

I hear lots of Chinese Americans talk about getting back to their roots in China or Taiwan, where I’ve been to more than a couple times now, and I’ve spent time with extended family before, but this it the first time that I actually felt linked to the people and to the land. I never really had a closeness to anyone in the family outside of my parents and brother, since the rest of the family was so dispersed across the globe, and family reunions were few and far in between.  Ever since I was small, I was made fun of to no end because my last name in English is “You”. But yesterday it was no laughing matter. 游 meant I was family. 游 meant we were from the same place. 游 meant that I could depend on them for whatever I needed. We had met not more than twice, but I was welcome in their house as much as if I were their own daughter. They were telling me that  our/my 老家 (lit. “old home”) is at Mount Tai, in Shandong Province.

This is definitely a new experience that I’m glad to be in Shanghai for. They are wonderful people; I’m glad to be related to them. And on top of everything, I love their sense of humor, and my 二大爷 and 二大娘 are AMAZING cooks.

–painting of Mount Tai, courtesy of www.taishanren.net

Comment from Johnny - November 23, 2009 at 12:41 pm

beautibelongingful. ^^

Comment from mattchin - November 25, 2009 at 8:08 pm

so THAT’S what your last name is… i was totally BSing when i spoke to you in Chinese over the phone hahaha.

that’s a pretty cool last name though… the TRAVELER!

Comment from Chester - November 26, 2009 at 1:20 am

or you can be a swimmer.

Comment from Becca - November 26, 2009 at 7:30 pm

yes. family. Happy Thanksgiving! =)

Comment from Helen Wang - December 1, 2009 at 10:24 pm

wow! my lao jia is shandong, too!