Author: Lucy Garberg
Instagram: @lucygarberg
She's only known the rough stone floors and the calm white walls of the orphanage. She only knows the sound of the soft Hunan dialect and the endless love she gets from her Aiyi. Those simplicities have brought her comfort in her 10 months in the world. Presently, she sits in her blue plastic play chair. Her legs swing to and fro, occasionally glancing the floor below. Noticing the camera that's held up to her Aiyi's face, she pauses her play and stares into the lens intensely. When the camera lowers and she can see her Aiyi yet again, she hears, "我门会给你的新家 (We're going to give you a new family)." She's never heard such vibrancy in her Aiyi's voice. Her brows furrow, and her eyes fill with wonder. Eventually, a smile breaks through the layer of seriousness. This will be the first photo her new family will see. Later, on a chilly winter day in Gloucester they'll sit by the fireplace and look at the photo together. The walls are a light yellow instead of white, and the floors a wooden instead of stone. She likes it this way. She'll notice that the letters on the chair are so worn that "hello" now spells "hell" and she'll share a laugh with her parents.