Origami is one of Japanese traditional paper arts, you can make many shapes simply by folding a small square paper. Most Japanese kids are taught how to make origami from their parents or grand parents. Sometimes, they learn in kindergarten or preschool.   The day before I left my house to come to America, my mom gave me a lot of handmade earrings that made of origami to give it to my new friends and family as Japanese souvenirs. These shape of origami are cranes. The crane is symbolic of happiness and health. My mom made it for me, hoping that I could do my best in America with happiness and health. Sometimes, we make origami with wishes. When my grand mom was ill and stayed in hospital, I made senbazuru with my cousins. “senbazuru” is a string of a thousand paper cranes. It is usually sent to a person who is ill or injured as a prayer for recovery. One of reasons that I made it to her was she is the first person who taught me how to make origami cranes. She taught me many kind of origami. She seems suffer from sickness, because she is weak, but she looks happy, when she make origami.   So when I make origami it reminds me of my family and I believe that origami has power of making people happy.   

– Nao W

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant