“You are always welcome in a gathering.”
What I love about returning to Taiwan is seeing older relatives and hearing all their stories. Every time I go back, I feel like more family members come out of the woodwork. One day, we even had 23 people crammed in a house talking together.
In honor of my first published book, THE 228 LEGACY, a lot of folks shared memories about The 228 Massacre (1947) and its aftermath. Here are a few interesting tidbits:
- An auntie remembered savoring the taste of a simple sugar cube, since after WWII food was rationed
- A KMT soldier bought two bags of rice but asked for a receipt for three bags; a few days later, he came back wanting a full refund for the “three bags” he had purchased
- Family members hid someone from the belligerent government in a closet (what an Anne Frank-like story!)
p.s. I also got to see a museum with a 228 exhibit, a memorial park, and the National Museum of Taiwan Literature (where I donated a copy of my book)
How fortunate you are to get to meet your large family. And elderly people hold important stories that I also feel are essential to younger folks. The sharing is beautiful and we have so much to learn from each other.
Yes, Evelyne, I’m glad I got a chance to talk to so many relatives!