The essay explores the author's journey to their ancestral village in Greece, reflecting on the complexities of identity and belonging. A pivotal moment occurs when the author's mother is labeled 'xenis', a foreigner, by a restaurant server, prompting her to assert her long-standing connection to the region. As they navigate their family's history in the southern Peloponnese, the trip becomes a significant pilgrimage, revealing how travel can facilitate rediscovery and deeper connections to one's roots and cultural legacy.
"After several seconds of silence, I goaded her for a translation. 'Did you tell him we're not xenis?' My mother summed up her response coolly without looking up from her menu: 'I said, 'Me sir? I'm not a foreigner. I grew up coming here.'"
"Had the man referred to my mother and me as xenis on the first day of our trip, she might not have protested at all. But this was the tail end of our long-awaited pilgrimage to her ancestral home."
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