As an immigrant, feeling displaced goes hand in hand with longing for home. Similar climates and languages are not enough to replace far away family. Like deep digging roots, gripping heavily to their nurturing soil below, there is an intimate drive to hold on to that which is precious, to keep memories of home alive, a mother tongue fluent and family members as close as possible. Without a steady connection to the far away home, identity will wither. This drive pushes me to look to the natural world as both an inspiration to recreate a connection to my culture, and as a teacher; verdure does not doubt its roots, nor its mother land. It knows exactly where it came from. In this same way, the natural world collides and merges with the human experience.

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