When I go back to my early years, I get nostalgic but also joyful memories of my time spent living in Mexico. I miss the people there, the food, and the fairs where a lot of stalls offering crafts, food, and sweets were set up. I vividly recall that the bobble-head turtle was always the focal point of my attention when I walked by the stalls. The little turtle-shaped figures were painted in a vibrant array of colors, and were carved from the pits of tropical fruits. The way it works is by just touching the figure's head, after which it will bounce and move back when you pick it up. I believe that another major reason I think of them is that I can still clearly recall that whenever people danced at fairs, a huge puppet of a turtle would always dance; this was the "bobble head turtle" and that's why I've always wanted one of those figures, and my sister knew it. It was quite difficult for me to leave behind my life in Mexico when I moved to the United States; I missed everything, but those turtles were something I never forgot. After telling my sister about it, I said I had no idea where to find them, but three years had gone by and one day my sister gifted me three bobble head turtles for my 13th birthday, which made me very emotional to hold in my hands. Ever since then, those figures have grown to be among my most treasured possessions because they symbolize my sister, my culture, and the rare coincidence that I have three turtles, which makes them even more special.

– D.S

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child