One would never guess that I was Taiwanese and Russian. My father’s grandparents had emigrated from Russia but my mother had immigrated to the United States from Taiwan when she was only 18 years old. Growing up, I embraced my Taiwanese roots much more than my Russian because my father had decided to leave when I was very young.

I was lucky to have such a dedicated mother as well as such a wonderful sister. As twins, we have always shared everything. From toys to clothes to our birthday. Since we were always treated as a duo, we became inseparable. Although we still had many fights and times when we wanted to kill each other, we always came out of any situation stronger than the way we had gone in.

When I had gotten sick a few years ago, she had taken care of me better than my mother had. She helped me do my homework and would check on me during the night to make sure I was alright. My sister would even put socks on my feet when I was too sick to do it for myself. We might not have always been so close because of the different friends we made and the different personalities that we have but despite the arguments and rocky roads, I know I can always count on my sister for anything. This particular photograph was taken when I was only five years old and it portrays the sisterly love that we had for each other that has only grown as we have.