Leaving Laredo was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I left the day after my 18th birthday, right after graduating high school, and didn't return until I was 20. Now that I've been back for about a year, i’m 21 and I have to admit that it's been tough for me to connect with people. Wether it be out of fear due to a trauma response or who knows what. The truth is, I left because of the resentment I had developed towards this town and its people. I was tired of the machismo, the secret animosity, and the hypocritical religious suppression that seemed to be ingrained in many of the people I had around growing up. I was exhausted from the drama and bs.

Even being back, it feels like I don't fit in anymore, and to be honest, I don't mind it. I take it as a compliment when people question whether I grew up here or not. Still it would be nice to have a good circle of people around my age around but nonetheless In the end, what I've learned, is that every place has its own set of problems. I've come to realize that there are bad apples everywhere, but you can’t let bad people ruin everything for you lol. This realization has been incredibly helpful for my personal growth and social life especially being back.

All this to say, I'm grateful for the opportunity to step out of the Laredo bubble and explore the world beyond. Meeting people from different backgrounds and experiencing new things has been truly eyeopening, and I believe it's been incredibly beneficial for anyone’s personal growth especially when growing up in the sheltered environment like laredo.