My mom, Ying Huang, has had this toy for over 40 years. Her parents (my grandparents) bought it for her in 1977 when she was 5. Throughout her childhood, it was pretty much her only toy, so she treated it well. Although the toy is over 40 years old, the only damage it has sustained is some chipped paint on its yellow jacket and red pants. The toy was a rocking toy if you hit it down, it always came back upright. The toy itself doesn’t relate to my culture that much, but the fact that it was my mom's only toy does. My family is entirely Chinese, and being Chinese means that we focus on academics more than anything else. Ying said, “That toy was pretty much my only toy throughout my entire childhood.” So she focused on her grades and school. Soon after graduating from college, she came to America in search of greater opportunity. While she studied for her Ph.D., my mom would often think of her childhood toy. And it reminded her that even if she was knocked down, she could come back. This allowed her to earn her Ph.D. and find her job. This object is important to me because the toy was passed on to me as a kid, and it also helped my mom be able to support our family by helping her get her Ph.D.
  

– William

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