I grew up in Monterey, Louisiana. It's a small town that no one's ever heard of, but it has a special place in my heart. No place is absolutely perfect, but I think Monterey is pretty close.
I didn't always love Monterey. Growing up, I hated being at least 30 minutes from pretty much everything and having to explain where Monterey was to everyone I met. I thought I would move to the city and love it, but I ended up wishing I could be back home.
I was one of the people who thought I would leave and never come back, but I realized how much I really loved Monterey during my senior year of high school. I had about 30 people in my class and we spent most of our lives together. Adjusting to college without the same people I grew up with was hard, but I am thankful to have been able to make friendships that will last for the rest of our lives.
My high school experience was probably the best I could have asked for. Our school went from pre-k to 12th grade, so I knew every teacher and student at the school. It was great not having to worry about going to different schools from my friends after elementary or middle school.
One of my favorite things about being from a small town is how much everyone cares about each other. My mom and I have so many people that will do anything to help us, and that's just how it is living in such a small town. You grow up knowing everyone and eventually they become like family and you always have people there for you.
When I moved to Baton Rouge, I realized how much I really don't like the city. I miss going to the store and always seeing people I know and talking to them. I also miss being able to drive everywhere without having to worry about traffic. I'd take getting stuck behind a tractor over getting stuck in traffic any day.
I thought I would love living in the city, but it just has made me miss living in a small town even more. I miss seeing fields and lakes on my daily drives and taking the back roads wherever I go. Living in the middle of nowhere may be inconvenient sometimes, but it is peaceful compared to the city. There's something about small towns that have a warm, home feeling that I can't get from the city.
I am always so happy to go back home, and I never thought I would be that way. I now realize how lucky I was to grow up in a place where I could make lifelong friends and have people I know will always be there for me. When I graduate from college I might not move back to Monterey, but I honestly wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
