My mother immigrated to the United States from South Korea in 2002, mostly out of simple curiosity and a desire for something "more." In Korea, it's a common tradition to wear indoor slippers inside the house; our culture dictates that the "ground" of one's home should be kept as clean as possible, so it is extremely common to see a residential space with multiple pairs of indoor slippers lining the front of its door. Regardless of the number of people living in the house, Koreans often keep at least two or three additional pairs for guests. After my mother immigrated here, she brought this tradition with her, and we now have at least five different pairs of slippers in our closet.

– Joanne Ji

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant