Thanks for the thoughtful comment @thenewgreen. I was trying to make a point in this piece, so I underscored my reluctance to embrace my heritage fully. But it was definitely the case that I felt strangely at home in Germany, even though I had never been there before. Sometimes the sensation unnerved me, as when I was unable to press that doorbell. Looking back on my year abroad, though, I'd have to say that feeling that connection to my family's past did have a positive effect on my sense of self, even if I'm wary of the idea that one can return to one's old homeland.

Thanks so much for your comment. It's always nice to have readers, but especially ones who have such a thoughtful response to one's work. I suspect that Watts Towers looks considerably nicer than when you went as a kid, since it's now an arts center with non--profit funding, though the fence may come as a shock at first. I had spent a lot of time driving around South Central before arriving at the towers, so I had a good sense of how many yards were filled with excess stuff, often sorted by type, when not simply filled with vehicles. I just learned that the TV show <em>Sanford and Son</em>, about the junk collectors, was set there.