Home Is Where Your Heart Is
The world is a book and those who don’t travel read only one page – Saint Augustine of Hippo
Being the person who’s read only one page from the book of life is a role I refuse to play. Some people are naturally open-minded while others have to have their minds opened with a crowbar. I come from the latter category. Before traveling abroad I was pretty sure my home was the center of the universe and everything happening outside of it didn’t matter or didn’t exist. Dumb, I know!
Traveling made me see how meaningless and unimportant I am compared to all the breathtaking places and cultures that exist on the globe. And even if every single place has its unique beauty, the city that inspires me the most is Málaga.
Many years ago I had a dream. I was walking down a beach with soft and sparkly sand, dressed in a grey blouse, with the wind tangling my hair. The sun was falling into the sea and the reddish-orange color stopped me from seeing afar. I was feeling so relaxed and peaceful. It was a feeling I haven’t experienced since I was little and had no care in the whole world. I was free of chores, drama, disappointment and hatred.
Since then I’ve looked for this place and this feeling whenever I traveled. I didn’t think I would find it until I settled in this magical place called Málaga. I was there for 3 months with a scholarship and at first I was terribly alone. I counted the days until I could finally return home.
It wasn’t love at first sight, but as they say: ‘it doesn’t matter who comes first, but who lasts the longest!’ I haven’t seen every part of this world yet, but I know Málaga is the place that calls me back over and over again. Why? The answer is so simple that it might seem silly.
Málaga is the place that taught me to be grateful for every morning when I was waken by the hum of the cars and people starting their day; for every time I saw the sun coming out of the sea announcing a new day to the smiling Spanish who took care of their little businesses; for every time I met new people and they all greeted me with kisses on my cheeks as if we would have known each other since kindergarten; for every muscle that twitched inside of me when I looked at the majestic cathedral; for every star I counted from the rooftop of the Molina Lario hotel; for every love that started and consumed itself in this vibrant city.
It’s a fantastic combination of love, traditional music, unique mixtures of Moorish architecture, delicious food and a welcoming culture. Here, people value every second they have and happiness is sealed into their hearts. And they teach you how to appreciate the little things, the groups of people that you happen to join and all the places that you see for the first time. You can’t be sad in Málaga!
Málaga is the place where you feel at home and where you are accepted regardless of race, age or religious views. It’s the place where you can be whoever you decide to be and where you have a big family that supports you from the shadow. The breeze of the sea fills the void that you get when you are not sure about the future, whispering calmly that ‘you are going to make it’. Málaga is your home when you’re abroad!
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