A variety of people have asked me since I have been home,
“why did you come back?” Implying that I was abroad doing
nothing but enjoying the good life. Or that some how coming back here is a giant
let down. I think the question implies more of those who asked it than myself.
An exotic local is only exotic because you’ve either never been there or you’re
not there right now, in both scenarios it allows ample fodder for the
imagination. How is it strange to want to be Home, in all it’s ‘lack’ of
splendor?
What I mean by Home, is to be close to friends and family in
a country, despite it's problems, is mine. I don’t have
enough of a personal beef with the US to stay away for the rest of my natural
born life, there is so much left to do and explore here. The US isn’t perfect,
but I’m up at least for trying to make it better, not just leaving it behind.
I see no personal reason to stay away either emotionally or morally.
Economically, it takes a lot for someone to pack up their
belongings and leave the place of their birth. Most of the people do it to find
better opportunities for themselves and for their children, which is
commendable. Or in a modern context someone in their home country is
threatening them and their family, so of course they want to get out! I have
ancestors that came to the US simply for economic opportunity, some more recent
than others. I don’t see it being an advantage to emigrate anywhere, at least
with my current education level. The unemployment rate is decently high here,
but it’s nothing compared with Spain which has been hovering between 15 to 20
percent for quite some time (and it is twice as bad at my age). There
is definitely other countries out there that would provide more opportunities
then Spain would, but I saw no reason to keep wandering if the place of my
birth was full of opportunity.
I also feel like I lack the emotional fortitude it takes to
live away from your country for your entire life. The people I know who have
chosen to live abroad most often have chosen it for the sake of a singular
person: a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife. Those kind of attachments didn't happen for me and maybe if they had, I had I would still be there. It takes a lot to stay away even the
happy couples I’ve met, it was still rough not to see family for years or to have to worry about calculating the time change for it to be ok to Skype
someone. It’s trying and that is the
sacrifice people make when they decide to be the ‘new’ people in a new place. I personally wouldn't
wish that heartache on anyone, but opportunity is worth following.
As much as I’m writing a treatise, what I’m trying to say is
that always at the back of my mind I have always seen myself coming back to the
US. It’s a land where I understand things more or less, where my great
grandfathers are buried. My grandfathers fought in WWII for this country,
one of whom, who was greatly wounded never to be the same again. He bled for this
country maybe someday I’ll have to do the same. I love the US, where the people
are a quilt of colors, where we don’t always agree but somehow we always seem to get
along. This place isn't perfect, but I have yet to encounter a place that is.
