When my mom was 15, she went on a trip to San Francisco’s Pier 39 with her cousins. On that summer trip, she bought a sterling silver necklace with a pendant of a turtle. The turtle is designed with the color of blue sapphire, the September birthstone. This then became the necklace she would wear for the rest of her teen years and kept it with her through her adulthood. years later, the chain of the necklace was passed down to me when I was about 15 years old. On Christmas night, I received her sterling silver chain now with my very own pendant. The pendant I received was a design inspired by the Harry Potter novel series. The pendant consists of a lightning bolt, broomstick, and circular glasses. My parents knew how much I loved the series so it was the perfect pendant for me. My mother still wears her turtle pendant on a new chain every once in a while, but I wear my chain every day like she once did many years ago. In my family, we really appreciate gifts, especially jewelry. Even if pieces of jewelry break, don’t fit anymore, or if it’s something I don’t wear anymore, we always keep the jewelry no matter what. I especially like keeping my jewelry because of what that piece of jewelry meant to me and the memories that it holds. If one day I decide not to wear this necklace anymore I wouldn’t sell or get rid of it no matter what. I would keep it in a small white box that I would then add to my collection of other jewelry.

– Nathalia O.

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