Every international student studying abroad feels isolated or alienated in foreign countries very often. Especially in the United States, for those who don’t have any family members settled, they feel the same or higher responsibility as their parents because of visa issues. Hence, if something improper happens to their siblings, they have to respond like their parents.

This happened not only to my Chinese classmates but also to me. As my elder brother studying in Oregon got seriously depressed, my parents in Korea asked me to go check out his status swiftly so I rushed to his home in the middle of the night and encountered a bunch of dramas for a while. However, in the meantime, we brothers felt more bond than before and my assistance led to his good news.

This episode inspired me to draw a continuous family love beyond any physical obstacles like alien spaces. Even though the family member was not with me, I felt like we were all hugging each other with the warmth still going on.