My name is Agnes Jiang and I came to NYC 4.5 years ago. I was born and raised in Lithuania, a tiny country in Northern Europe with a total population of less than 3 million people. In this picture, you can see my parents and me, before my younger brother was born. My parents divorced when I was 4, so for the most part, it was my mother, my brother and me. I was the last one to come to the U.S. because I chose to study in Europe first, before coming here. I think migration is a very complex experience because it affects a number of people. When parents emigrate seeking a better life for their children, it is usually the grandparents who take care of the children until the parents are able to make a steady living abroad. This was the case for my family, too. I lived with my grandparents for a while, until I finally decided to move to NYC. I consider myself lucky because although my parents divorced early, I am extremely close to my grandparents and also to my step-dad, so I have a lot of people who love me and care about me. I still talk to my grandparents every single day, and I although some of my family members are across the globe, I'm closer to them than some people living in the same household, all thanks to technology!

– Agnes Jiang

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant