“Why the Bay Area feels like home” By Sarah Kamin
photo by Chingwell Mutombu
Why the Bay Area Feels Like Home
By Sarah Kamin
I don’t know much about the Bay Area. I have only lived here for 6 years. Although, the three years of the pandemic don’t really count, since we could not be in the community together or go outside to explore.
I love that the Bay Area makes me feel at home. To start with, the Bay Area is a stunning place with so much natural beauty. As a child, I grew up in a place with a rainforest—full of trees and beauty. When I am in nature, I feel at home. Nature to me is a happy loving place where I can be exactly as I am, with no need to be anything else. This is the feeling I get when surrounded by all the natural beauty in the Bay Area. The breathtaking views of the mountains and hills, the amazing height and beauty of the redwood trees in the forests, and the vastness of the Pacific Ocean with all of its powerful waves, all of this makes me feel at home.
I love that the Bay Area is so diverse. Many people speak more than one language, and our accents do not matter. The Bay Area has so much to offer, from vibrant arts, and cultural scenes, to a lot of great food. I love the people in the Bay Area. I love learning the history of this place and especially the history from the original people (indigenous people) of this place. I also enjoy learning about the history of Black people in the Bay Area. Last summer I participated in a youth program that helped me learn about the history of the indigenous people of this land. Learning about the history of this land has helped me appreciate the Bay Area and its people even more. It opened my eyes to things I never noticed before. The reason the Bay Area feels like home to me is because I have made a lot of memories living in this area and a part of me feels like I belong here.