Somewhere Along the Way, It Became Home

There is something special about showing someone around your hometown. You know where to take them for coffee, which restaurants to recommend, and maybe even a few of the people walking down the street. I was lucky enough to experience this while showing friends around Nashville during my time at Belmont University. But what happens when you find yourself doing the same thing in a country you only recently moved to?

This past week, I had the opportunity to host one of my best friends from high school, Lena, here in Antigua, Guatemala. For the first time since arriving, I wasn’t the one being introduced to a new place. I was the one doing the introducing. And there’s something about hosting your best friend in a place that really makes it start to feel like home.

Until this point, I think I had been so focused on all the ways I was still an outsider that I hadn’t stopped to recognize how much I had actually settled in. I noticed the times I had to double-check directions to get to the clinic or stumbled through ordering a gluten-free dinner at my favorite restaurant. I was constantly reminded of the things I didn’t know or couldn’t quite do yet. But during the five days Lena spent with me, I began to realize just how familiar this once-unfamiliar place had become.

All of a sudden, I was explaining things that someone else had once explained to me. I was sharing pieces of a culture that others had so generously taken the time to share with me. And, most importantly, I was introducing her to the people who have become like family here.

It was such a special feeling to realize that I had learned enough about this place to begin sharing it with someone else.

Of course, I am nowhere near an expert on Guatemala. I still stumble over Spanish words, get confused by things that everyone else seems to understand, and learn something new almost every day. But that’s part of what I love about being here! Just when I think I’m getting the hang of things, I’m reminded that there’s so much more to discover.

One of my favorite parts of Lena’s visit was getting to experience Antigua through her eyes. She was constantly pointing out the flowers growing along the streets, admiring the beautiful murals, and making friends with just about everyone she met, despite the language barrier. She has always had a way of finding something positive in every situation, and spending the week with her reminded me to appreciate the little things I walk past every day.

It brought me back to how I felt when I first arrived, when everything seemed so new and exciting. Somewhere along the way, the extraordinary had become part of my ordinary life. Not because it had become any less beautiful, but because I had grown so accustomed to being surrounded by it. Lena reminded me to slow down and notice those things again.

Since arriving in August, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I hope to accomplish during my Lumos experience. Between learning Spanish, building relationships in the community, and helping develop the medical clinic at ProChapina, there always seems to be something new to work toward. And I love that! But this week reminded me that growth doesn’t always have to look like accomplishing something big.

Sometimes, it’s realizing you know your way around a city that once felt completely unfamiliar. Sometimes, it’s noticing that conversations in another language have become a little less intimidating. And sometimes, it’s getting to show your best friend around a place that, without you even realizing it, has slowly become home.

When I first came to Guatemala, I was so excited to experience a new country and learn about a different culture. I knew I would leave with an amazing experience (and hopefully a much better understanding of Spanish), but what I didn’t anticipate was just how connected I would begin to feel to this place and the people who have welcomed me into their lives.

I’m so grateful Lena got to experience a little piece of this chapter with me. Having someone who has known me since high school get to see the life I’m building here was so special. She reminded me to appreciate the flowers, the hidden gardens, the friendships I’ve made, and all the little things that make this place so wonderful.

And maybe most importantly, she helped me realize that somewhere along the way, without even noticing, I stopped feeling quite so much like a visitor and started feeling at home.

Bi-Weekly Guatemalan Spanish Lesson: colocho = a person with curly hair!