"Welcome home"
If D.C. was about art and history, Atlanta was about family. I spent Easter weekend in Atlanta with my good friend, Shauntea. I met Shauntea in Ghana in 2010 doing study abroad. She has since been a very close friend, though its been three years since I last saw her.
When we went to a family cookout on Easter Sunday, Shauntea's dad greeted me by saying, "Welcome home," something I find very precious. It means that I am more than a guest, but received like family. It means belonging and acceptance. And it means a lot to me. I have been welcomed home by a number of families in a number of places, and it's wonderful how many homes and families I have all over the world.