To Those Who Leave

“To Those Who Leave” is dedicated to the memory of my grandfather, Jorge Stark. My grandfather’s family fled Budapest at the onset of World War II, and immigrated to Chile as Jewish refugees after the war. He spoke vividly of those early days of arriving to Valparaiso, learning Spanish, and dreaming of the days to come in this new place. He told me often that he wished he could have become a professor at a university, not because he was particularly passionate about any subject of study but because he had a sense of reverence for teaching as the highest form of public service. In the end he was never able to finish middle school or continue his studies. Instead, he imparted his teachings to me. He taught me to be kind, to be thoughtful, to pursue my dreams, and to value people for who they are, not for what they have. I started my graduate studies in the U.S. after he had already passed, but as I reflect on the last few years, I think of how, in many ways, his dream became my dream. I wish I could share with him everything I have experienced here. I dedicate this to my most beloved teacher, my grandfather.