STUDENTS OF LIVING

The date is June 22, 2017. I'm in Himachal Pradesh, the northern tip of India, near Pakistan's border. It's about 6 a.m., and I'm getting into a local taxi, heading to a small town called Saloh, which I recently found out was where my dad was born. I just finished spending ten weeks in Nepal trekking and volunteering. India was my last stop before heading back home to Los Angeles. I have a few days left to soak in the mountains. This particular road trip began in Leh, Ladakh.

Where do immigrants belong? This is a question that has been in the news for the past several months, and one that has plagued me throughout my entire life. Being born to immigrant parents is a challenge many may not understand, but I do. Inclusion is an important part of our lives and it’s human nature to want to feel a sense of comfort, a sense of home, a sense of belonging. Growing up in America, people looked at my skin and features and said I wasn’t American. When I visi