China - 1940's

My grandmother grew up in China in the 1940s when the country was plagued with political conflict, communism, and inflation. She lived in the heart of Shanghai, in a dull apartment home that housed far too many people for its size.

Due to World War 2 and the Chinese Civil War that was happening at the time, her family's financial status as well was safety was compromised. She left the country in her late twenties with her husband after having her daughter, my mother, in order to secure a better life for her family.

My grandmother ended up getting an education in the United States, studying engineering and technology in a new country, while being able to speak only about a handful of English. Afterwards, she got multiple jobs and often worked long hours throughout the day in order to support her living expenses.

Once she had secured a steady income, my grandmother brought the rest of her family across the globe. She taught my mother, her only child, the importance of discipline, taking risks, and being unafraid to start afresh, even if it meant doing it alone.