GOING BACK

by Nadia Marie Perez


I am an endless wanderer but there is definitely one place that tugs at my heart strings every so often; it beckons me return to it, to know it once again. The feeling is mutual, of course, and my pulse quickens at the thought of boarding a plane again; engines roaring, speeding down the runway and then the lift off. There is no way to describe the rush of emotion that courses through my veins when a plane lifts off and I'm up in the air again gazing at the beautiful clouds that I often stare at from below.

Being there, in the stratosphere flying and looking down at the earth below eagerly awaiting the place which calls me back to it time and time again. Going over the blue water that is the Caribbean Sea, checking out the islands below and then getting closer and closer to that coast, my beautiful coast. The mountains come into view and I know I am back, back in my gorgeous and wild Venezuela. We touch down and taxi for a few minutes and then it's off to immigration and customs, gathering my cumbersome luggage once again making my way out to meet whomever has come to greet me and driving away down that old renovated highway toward the city which has become my home...Caracas. 

I get to La Candelaria and am greeted by the old familiar noise, faces and scents. The music from Pablo Electronica blaring out onto the street as I make my way to my grandmother's building to open the heavy iron door, I'm back home and ready for a brand new start...again. Until I board that jet plane once again for another destination yet unknown. 

BIO: NADIA MARIE PEREZ;...