My grandmother passed away several days ago. Since she lived in Korea, I was never too close to her. I only saw her every couple of years, but she was the only grandmother I knew. I remember there was a time when she visited America, and stayed with us for a couple of months. The two most important things she made sure she taught me during that time was 1) to always hand over a pair of scissors handle-side first and 2) that I am from the "mi-ryang" Park tribe. There are apparently three major kinds of Parks, and she really wanted me to know which one I belonged to. Perhaps she contributed to my sense of identity. Some Korean-Americans never know what kind of Kim or Lee or Choi they are, and it's not that important to them. But because my grandmother taught me, I remember and feel like I know who I am and where I come from.