My brother was born December 6, 1986 in Siberia, Soviet Union. At the time, my parents had been relocated by the government from Kiev, Ukraine to Siberia. My father had business connections in Siberia because my uncle was a main engineer to a project building underground tunnels there.  At this point, my older brother was about 5 years old. In Siberia, my middle brother was born and my parents received a gift of a steamer from one of their friends. Now over 30 years old, the steamer sits in the cupboard like a fossil. It’s taken out only once a year. Blue paint is peeling off the dish, revealing a white background. In Siberia, the steamer had been used to make Central Asian dishes, usually dumplings that my mother learned how to cook. During this time in my family’s migration story, a specific Central Asian pork dish that was easy to make and easy to store became a staple in our household. We still eat it here in America.  I called the dumplings “roses” as a kid. Making these roses connected me, the American-born daughter, to my parents but also to my brothers. This 30-year-old pot has seen the Ryndych family move three times. We still bring it out once a year to have some dumplings.

– Darya Ryndych

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