not Home
Coming back to a country that never felt like home. Every time I come back to Chile at immigration, I watch as the officer speaks Spanish to the non-Asian person in front of me, then switches to English when he realizes that that person doesn’t understand Spanish. When it’s my turn, the officer immediately addresses me in English. I reply in Spanish, but he continues in broken English. This happens every single time, like a cheap sitcom sketch.
Despite living almost my entire life in Chile (21 of 23 years), I’m still treated as an outsider. No matter how much I act or speak like a local, it's always the same. Sadly, this happens to me in every country I visit (even if I have that countries passport or id)—none of them feel like home.
From another perspective, my home is a blend of all these places. I have the freedom to embrace new homes and always be open to new experiences. So let's see what's next :)