At 2 a.m., the phone that connects directly to my family in the Dominican Republic rings. I hear it in my dream. It rings again, and I hear the others in the house stir. My mother rushes into my room -- my grandfather has passed away with Alzheimer’s. I went to my parents’ room and I see my dad sitting on the bed in shock. I’d never seen my father like that before. That night, he booked his flight to Dominican Republic. The following morning, my parents went to the Dominican Republic to see his father one last time.
Every summer, my dad would travel to visit his family and my grandfather, Pito. He would take every chance he had just to sit down with him, and spend the time simply appreciating his presence. My dad knew that leaving to the United States would better his family’s future but also knew that he would have to sacrifice his relationship with his family in the Dominican Republic.
When my father returned, I felt as though it was my mission to spend more time with him. I want to appreciate all the sacrifices he made in order to support our family. My time is limited due to the amount of work I’m occupied with. As a result, I created a project that will help me connect with him. To full fill that connection, I, Guary, and my father, Guario, collaborate to create images to better understand each other.
