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.