When I was a kid, I always dreamed of being somewhere far from where I was. Growing up in a small apartment with many siblings made me wonder about life beyond the gate. My father was a policeman, and my mother was a housewife. We rarely went outside and spent most of our time playing at home or on the balcony. During the school holidays, we would go to our grandparents’ house in the countryside instead of taking family vacations.

As I grew older, I noticed that the people I saw in movies on TV looked different from us. They had fair skin and big noses! I also saw people like them in my grandparents’ hometown. Over time, I learned that they came from different lands and countries, which sparked my curiosity about their people and homeland.

In the 1980s, it was common to have a yearly calendar hanging on the wall, a time when technology was unthinkable. My grandparents always had a calendar with beautiful scenery from around the world, and I loved flipping from month to month to see the photo for each one, especially October. Why October? Because I was born in October. Every time I saw the photo for that month, I was astounded by the beauty of autumn. The red, yellow, and orange leaves on the ground and trees left me in awe, as I had never seen such warm colors in my surroundings. From that moment on, I longed to experience autumn one day.

I turned 45 today, on October 18, 2024. I am writing this memoir far from my homeland, on the other side of the world, in the United States of America. I can see yellow, orange, and red leaves from my window. It’s a spooky and gloomy autumn season. This is my third year living in a country with four distinct seasons. My dream has come true…