When you think of home, a rush of emotions and memories flood to your head. Whether that be hanging out with your best friends at your favorite restaurant, or relaxing at home spending quality time with your family. Whatever the scenario may be, home is ultimately where the heart is. With all of the historical landmarks and staple sites that make Memphis a place on your bucket list, I'm proud to be from the 901. I never feel ashamed when people ask me where I'm from and I'm never bored when I come down to visit for a weekend. Especially now that I am almost an adult, Memphis has increasingly grown more fun as the multitude of activities to do expand by the day.
These are some of the things that make me feel like I am a Memphian when I'm home in Bluff City.
Any person from Memphis will immediately tell you we have the best food. Don't @ me on this. From Gus's Fried Chicken to the famous Rendevouz, there is no doubt you will stay hungry. What I appreciate the most about the food here is the number of local restaurants available. Coming from working in privately owned restaurants, I believe local restaurants provide some of the freshest and most delicious foods you could think of. Oh, and we can't forget about Gibson's Donuts.
Second, have you ever been to the Memphis Zoo? If you haven't even heard of it, I recommend checking it out ASAP. When the zoo is free on Tuesday, the city of Memphis gathers around 2 p.m. and observes all the different kinds of animals and exhibits you can view. My personal favorite is the panda exhibit, but unfortunately, that is the only part of the zoo you have to pay for on a free day.
What I appreciate most about this city is that everything comes full circle. Not kidding. I'm talking about the streets, places, and people. For example, I'm from East Memphis, so the main roads I take are Poplar Avenue, Park Avenue, and Walnut Grove Road. These streets can take you to every neighborhood you can think of without taking the interstate. Given, the interstate is always an efficient way of commute, but it's nice to know that if the interstate is backed up, I can take one of these streets without a problem. Places and people go together because although Memphis has a population of over one million people, it is an extremely small world and you will find yourself running into either the same group of people or someone you might not have seen in over a decade. There is no in-between. You create so many connections through the city and meet some unforgettable people. I'm still meeting new people and learning about places.
Overall, I'm pretty grateful to be where I'm from. I have lived in different cities (and countries), but I always find myself going back to Tennessee at the end of the day. This may not be my home five years from now, but I can always call this place "home".
