Now, fifteen years later, we're plagued by the feeling that we may have given up something meaningful after all. But it's too late. The first half of our lives seems very far away. Even when we try, we can't remember much. Nothing is left of our childhood country—which is of course exactly what we wanted—and now that we're grown up, we suddenly miss all the lost memories. I'm worried that by always looking forward and never glancing back, we won't know where we stand. I wrote this book because I wanted to rediscover where I came from, to go off in search of lost memories. My only worry was whether I'd be able to find my way back.