Home for the Holidays

My Sister's Way of Welcoming Me Home

For Christmas break I went home. Originally, I planned to stay in Europe during the break and travel to Belgium and some other cities within Spain; However, a couple of weeks before the break, I got really sick and I knew that it wasn’t best for me to do a lot of travelling. I really wanted to be home with my family for the holidays where I could get better physically and mentally; so I decided to book my plane ticket to the U.S.

My trip to the U.S. took about 16 hours. I had to take a bus from Jávea to the Valencian airport and then from Valencia I went to Paris and from Paris to Atlanta. Words cannot describe how I felt once I got on the Delta plane in Paris. Although I was still far away from home, once I got on the plane I heard people speaking English with such warm faces and genuine smiles, and I also saw several African Americans. I saw a southern man wearing a sports jersey and talking about how he hoped he got back in time to watch the game and I couldn’t help but smile. It was such a beautiful feeling knowing that I was going to mi pais… my country.

Oh Atlanta, How I've Missed Thee

The flight from Paris to Atlanta was over 9 hours. To make matters worse, I could not sleep at all during the flight; I’m sure it was a combination of nerves, of being sick, and of the sleeping that I’d done on the flight before. Once the plane landed in Atlanta, I was so anxious to get out and see my city. When I got off of the plane, I was surrounded by Atlanta airport workers welcoming me and telling me Merry Christmas. I had never been so happy to hear a country accent. I wanted to run up to each one of them and give them a hug and a kiss. As soon as I landed, I turned on my iPhone to call my mom and see if she was there. I wasn’t sure if my phone would work, but it did. As soon as I heard my mom’s sweet voice I became even more anxious. I tried as quickly as I could to go through customs and pick up my luggage, which isn’t so easy to do at the world’s busiest airport.



This is Called "Soul Food"



When I finally walked out of the doors of the airport, I saw my mom waiting for me, in my car. I ran up to her and gave her a big hug and lots of kisses. I also kissed my car, I missed it. I put my luggage in the car and we headed home. As soon as I got home, I took the longest, hottest, most wasteful American shower.



Mom's Sweet Potato Pie



My entire Christmas break was wonderful, I only stayed in Atlanta for a week, but I wish I had been there longer. I ate a lot of my favorite Southern American foods. I told my mom I wanted some macaroni and cheese, collard greens and roast and rice, and she cooked it all, along with corn bread and a sweet potato pie. And I had some sweet tea, grits, fried chicken, and everything else that’s really Southern.

I also got a lot accomplished when I went home. I finally went to see my doctor, who gave me the strongest antibiotics that he had and I got my hair done by someone who knows how to do African American hair!  

While at home, I spent a lot of time with my closest friends and family members. That was the most important part of the trip.

A trip to Atlanta was definitely what I needed to lift my spirits up; not that I was sad, but I did miss my love ones. I am so happy that I was able to reunite with my friends, my family, my city and my country.