When you meet someone for the first time you usually go through the formalities of self-introductions. You share your name, what you are currently doing in your life, and where you are from. I sometimes have difficulty telling someone where I am from. When I say that I am from Massachusetts, that doesn’t even come close to telling half of my story. Let me tell you where I am from.

I was born and raised for the first 21 years of my life in Massachusetts. My parents instilled love, respect, hard work and integrity in my life. Saint Paul A.M.E church became my second home before the day I took my first breath. My faith helped prepare me for experiences unseen. Gospel music would be my soul’s comfort food and prayer my rock in times of adversity.

Although I loved being an only child, my cousins were closer to me than most people’s own siblings. My aunts, uncles and Godparents often offered unconditional love and parental advice. My grandmother in Boston always knew what was happening in my life and cheered for me. My parent’s worked hard by giving me the love, support and what was needed to help shape the girl and woman I aspired to be. In school, they expected me to excel. In life, they believed in exposing me to art, music and different communities both globally and locally. Maintaining a balanced mind, spirit and body was always a priority. I was raised on the soccer field, the basketball court and the track. I found love for music by playing the piano, violin and clarinet. Dance always seemed to find me whether in a structured class or listening to beats in the street. I stayed humble and felt grateful that I was raised with everything that I needed to follow my dreams.

I am from the Garifuna community in Belize called Barranco Village. It is located one hour away from Punta Gorda in the Toledo District. Before I moved to Barranco, my Peace Corps supervisor told me that if the world were to end, the people in Barranco would be the last to know. Isolation did not deter me. On Fridays, I rode the village bus to town to buy groceries and email my friends and family for the week. Barranco welcomed me when I was a 22-year-old Community Development and Education Peace Corps Volunteer. The community members taught me how to live simply, peacefully and with humility. I gave my time, experience and self to what the community needed. The children showed me laughter and how not to take myself too seriously. My American English accent was not a majority, but a minority accent in a community that spoke Garifuna, Creole English and Spanish. I was a young adult, but learned from the independence of the children. They bravely taught me how to hand-wash my clothes, gut fish, catch crabs, use a machete and drink coconut water freshly picked from palm trees. Barranco Village was my home for two years. It was a home of coconut trees, sweet rice and sugar cane. It was identified by its juicy mangoes, exotic fruit, energetic Punta dancing, smooth Creole English, lush green lands and trusty kerosene lamps as a backup light to frequent blackouts. I got my water from a pipe in my front yard and cooked with a gas stove. It was a home of freshly caught fish every morning, homemade cassava bread, and literally a village that raises a child. The community communicated through stories, unscheduled porch visits and community store gatherings. It was a community of oneness. One Mayor, One school, one nurse, and one police officer. Barranco was peace and serenity. I found my passion for international education and my calling to be an educator there. Barranco taught the importance of community as family. When I left, the community said, “Chiara, you are one of us.”

One year later, Japan became my home for five years. In some environments English became my second language. My appetite had a healthy rotation of some of my favorite dishes. I loved white rice, tempura, ramen and sushi. Bowing became second nature and you couldn’t catch me taking a picture without putting up a peace sign. Kawai (cute) became part of my everyday speech and the onsen was my escape. In Japan, I learned to read Hiragana and Katakana because I wanted to eat and be able to independently get from point “a” to point “b.” The Shinkansen (bullet train) was my preferred mode of transportation, yet I can’t remember a day going by without riding my bike. Yonezawa City and Yamagata Prefecture were known for their beef, cherries and carp. The mountainous region fed my appetite for hiking. I definitely learned to step out of my comfort zones. Even though I was one of two black residents in a city of over 100,000 Japanese people, Daniel, Satoko, the Baikado family and a close knit of wonderful people became my extended family. I always felt respected and loved and worked hard to reciprocate it. I assisted Japanese English teachers by helping them to strengthen the English programs in our schools. I supervised international Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) and ran professional development English Language Educational conferences. I dedicated long hours to running English clubs, coaching English speech contest champions and teaching with love.

Japan opened my eyes to a world my heart yearned to know. When I found an opportunity to travel, I took it. Immersing myself in new non-Western cultures was my passion. I met wonderful people, saw amazing historical landmarks, ate delicious dishes and listened to fascinating languages. Traveling through Egypt, India, Nepal, Bali, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam created awesome experiences with invaluable memories. I stepped into new cultures, languages, traditions and norms. I learned how to confidently navigate the world as an independent woman traveler. People have asked, “Were you afraid of traveling on your own?” Who has time for fear when your travel buddies are God and ageless Huggy Bear? I never traveled in fear, only in hope and faith. When I left Japan, my family and friends said “Chiara, you are one of us.”

Esmeraldas, Ecuador was my home between 2011 and 2015. The beautiful Afro-Ecuadorian coastal community welcomed me with open arms. Esmeraldas was home to talented Salsa, Bachata and Reggaeton dancers. I am still convinced that having a huge stereo system was a requirement to living in the community. The coastal breeze danced to Latino music at all times of the day. People greeted each other with smiles and kisses on the cheek. Sundays were reserved for families. Girls looked cute, women looked gorgeous and guys looked handsome from head to toe every day. Children found joy in the simplest things. Make-shift soccer matches were played in the streets. Traditional dishes such as Ceviche, Encocados and Encebollados were made with love. Love spread in everything that was done. The Pontifica Universidad Catolica del Ecuador Sede Esmeraldas (PUCESE) community embraced me. I taught English courses and ran a Language Department, organized community events and worked with learners of all ages. I lived on the coast, and traveled to the Sierra, Galapagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest. International travel led me to Peru, Columbia and Argentina. Happiness made a place in my heart. When I left Esmeraldas, my students, friends and extended family said, “Chiara, you are one of us.”

I smile when someone asks, “Where are you from?” I was born in Massachusetts, but the essence of my spirit has been shaped through worldly experiences in different communities in South America, Central America and Asia. I am not simply from one geographical region of the world. I am from communities of people who have loved, taught, embraced and inspired me. I am from parents who believe in me and blessings that have guided me as I followed my dreams. I am from my destiny.