I wouldn’t say I hated my small town growing up; I just didn’t know what I was missing. After college, something in me lit up and said, “Go see the world.” I was craving the big-city energy, so I packed up and moved to LA. And LA taught me a lot about myself, more than I expected, honestly. But after a while, that same restlessness crept back in, and I found myself growing tired of it. So I moved home to figure things out. And somewhere in that figuring-out process, it hit me: why not Spain?
Here’s the funny thing about all that moving. When I lived in LA, it made me appreciate Tennessee in a way I never had before. Then when I moved to Spain, it made me appreciate the US as a whole. I can’t fully explain it; maybe living abroad just amplifies everything. Emotions feel bigger, even over the littlest things. One thing I can say for certain: I’ve never been more appreciative of my small town. And no, I don’t think I’ll ever move back for good. But if there’s one thing it keeps reminding me, it’s that there’s no place like home.
I remember driving down the highway back home one day, and a cop was escorting a long line of cars. I’m not sure how it works where you’re from, but where I’m from, everybody pulls over for a funeral procession; it’s a sign of respect. That line just kept going, and out of nowhere, I started crying. I don’t think I’ve ever been that moved by a funeral escort before. But that’s the thing about being away from your small town for years at a time: it’s the little things that hit you hardest.
I still love Spain, and everything it’s taught me and everything it’s still teaching me. But I’ll admit it: I’m starting to love my small town USA a little bit more too. A lot of people reach a point where they’re craving a big change, and for some, that means moving to a whole new country, like Spain, hoping it’ll solve everything. But the truth is, it won’t. If anything, living abroad has a way of showing you that your problems don’t just disappear because you’ve crossed an ocean; they come with you.
But here’s the flip side: being in a completely new environment is exactly what makes you realize what you had all along. You don’t always notice how you grew up, or what your home gave you, until you’re far enough away to actually see it.
So I fully support your move, whether it’s Spain or anywhere else in the world. Go. See it, learn from it, let it stretch you. But I’ll leave you with this: the greatest souvenir you’ll ever bring back isn’t a magnet or a postcard. It’s the experience and the new appreciation for home that comes with it.
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
