Let people know where you come from and what it means to you

The lights, the people, the food, the culture make living on the border a magical place of living between two worlds.

Anytime you tell someone where you are from, an immediate impression is formed about you. People always want to know who they are speaking to on a basic level, and part of that discovery is learning where someone comes from. His roots. Her beginnings.

When someone says, “I’m from the South,” I start to think of accents and mannerisms. I can’t help it. The first time I went to New Orleans, I listened and watched, and learned that my ideas of a Southern person was a little on point, and a lot off point.

Other people say they are from the city. They mostly say that when they are in places far away from the city. What do they mean when they say they are from the city? I don’t think it always refers to their physical residence but their way of life.

Sounds of cars honking, steam coming out of manholes, and people walking like they are always late for something. Coffee shops on every corner to help those late people get to where they are going. That’s what I think about people when they say they are from the city.

Other people say that they are from out-of-town. They say that to tell you that they are not from your neck of the woods, that they are there for a short time, just visitors. They give you permission to open up and share about your town with someone new.

Out-of-town people are loved and hated. Sometimes they are welcome with open arms. Other times, an instant skepticism is shaped about them. Why are they here? What do they want?

Then there are people that say they are from a specific place like California or Texas. When they say that, they don’t mention their hometowns. They mention a state. That’s for a reason. They want others to understand them on a basic level. Most of us, being basic people, can understand what California or Texas means to us. Those words mean something to all of us.

I tell people that I live on the border. It’s easier than saying the name of my small hometown, which people don’t recognize. It’s easier than describing how far it is from the nearest big city, describing its population size, or sharing…