Holding up a photograph of my maternal grandfather "gong gong". I first saw this picture in my grandmother's home when I visited China as a student abroad in 2010.

A hand-inked sign to welcome our rooting.

Preparing incense to pay respect at the Huang village family temple.

Got my incense in hand, time to get #LIT!

My aunt Ling Yi guides me as I place the incense.

My aunt Ling Yi guides me as I place the incense.

Rosa being the fearless leader and translator as my aunt walks us through the village.

Standing inside my ancestral home with an aunt, who I met for the first time.

Meeting another aunt for the first time.

A moment with my adorable 103 year old great aunt.

I never got the chance to meet my gong gongso it was nice to meet a relative who knew him. Her memories of him was enough for me to feel connected to him.

In the moment.

Outside the Huang village family temple.

Visiting the courtyard and three 200-year old banyan trees that my mother had climbed on as a child.

classic low-rise brick and mortar architecture

Letting loose with an aunt and a village official.

Press Conference

"1, 2, 3, qiézi!"

Grateful to have my aunt Ling Yi come from Hong Kong to attend my rooting.

Enjoying a lunch with local officials after rooting.

Here we go (cue tunnel song, "No Scrubs")!

Outside are badminton courts and playground space

Beautiful Lantana camara flowers around the village.

Rooting gave me a deeper sense of self and family. I am grateful to my #RootsOhana for laying that bridge to my materal relatives in China. It is a place I plan to revisit again and again.