When people hear the word “Venezuela”, it is often the case that many negative connotations come along with it.

The political perspective of the word definitely comes to play as it is what is generally covered by international news, making it the only view of Venezuela many possess.

Despite the myriad disadvantages that have arose these past years, being Venezuelan and living in the US makes the experience of coming back home an inexplicably emotional one.

Apart from recently being named the lightning capital of the world by NASA, Maracaibo, the city I can call home, located in the northwest of Venezuela, has many other wonderful things to offer that make it worthwhile to come back to.

Here’s a concise and to-the-point list of why coming home to Maracaibo is one of the best things ever.

1. Local Food

Oh, the many flavors that the food here has!

Cuisine here is so diverse, that I often find myself having a hard time choosing what to eat next because of the many options (having a nearly gastronomist mom in regards to Venezuelan food doesn’t help either).

From Tequeños (no, they’re not mozzarella sticks) and Pastelitos to Cachapas, Patacones and Mandocas, food from Maracaibo is exceedingly mouthwatering and rich in taste.

I'm getting hungry just writing this atm, so let’s move on.

2. El Puente

"Cuando voy a Maracaibo y empiezo pasar el Puente”.

That’s the lyrics of a song that will always be in my mind when coming back home as it perfectly describes what it feels like to get back home and connect back to your roots.

The Rafael Urdaneta Bridge connects Maracaibo with the rest of the country and is truly a symbol of my state, Zulia.

Passing through the bridge brings back many memories. It has always been a reason of pride and never fails to cause a flow of emotions to uncontrollably explode in my chest.

Also, I love that passing through the bridge means I get to visit my family on the other side.

3. La Basilica

Being raised Catholic, a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá is mandatory when back home.

her, with tons of processions around the city in her honor and in proof of our devotion to her.

Having this common interest with most of the people here is a way to connect with them and feel as a part of the community, which, in addition to many other things, makes me feel home.

4. The people (and their slang)

Anyone who knows a person from Maracaibo, will know that we have a “peculiar” way of expressing ourselves, to say the least.

Many try to imitate us, our accent and vocabulary, but it’ll never be like the real thing.

We often spend our time making a joke about everything, especially the people from other parts of the country, but hate when they make jokes about Maracaibo.

We can make fun of you, but don’t even dare talk about our state. It doesn’t work that way! What are you doing? Are you lost?

Another thing that differentiates us from the rest of the country is the strong regionalism present in Zulia.

It creates a sense of brotherhood among everyone from this state, which I personally love and miss when I’m abroad. People from Zulia are strong and independent (hint hint) and I love my state for that.