Nostalgia for My Hometown

 Nostalgia for my Hometown

              I have been living in Chicago for two years. I have cousins and some Mexican friends who live in Chicago as well. In fact, some of them were born and grew up here. When they have celebrations, they invite me, and I attend the party thinking it is going tobe great like the unforgettable parties that I and my family  used to have in Mexico; however, everything is different. The food, music, social environment, jokes and language all have an American touch. Mexicans have variety of interesting customs and traditions, and it all depends on the region they come from. People prepare different Mexican typical food from their state, and play music of the region. In most of the areas, celebrations last until midnight depending on the social environment and security. My family is exceptional when they have parties or meetings in Mexico, and I have nostalgia for those meetings and celebrations. I never imagined I would miss those maybe insignificant but important events. People have celebrations around the world, around Chicago and around the neighborhood where I live, but nothing as those special celebrations  that we used to have in my town with my beautiful family.
       

         

         Especially on these cold and cloudy days, I feel nostalgia for having another unforgettable gathering with my sisters and my brother in my parents’ house to have a spontaneous dinner just with a simple excuse as good as the beautiful weather. I remember my mother relaxing in a rocking chair in the garden of  the house, and  talking to my sister about funny memories of me and my brother when we were infants  while my sibling was having fun playing board games with my nephews.  My 
father and my brother enjoyed the evening talking about the baseball games that they were used to play on Saturdays. Sometimes I dream about when I used to meet my cousins in the park of the mountain that is located in the south of the city. After walking kilometers and kilometers we stopped in front of the waterfall that has a shape like a pony tail, and  enjoyed hearing the water falling down from that amazing  waterfall. We really had fun, those were fantastic times that I would never forget.

            I will never forget the wonderful  celebrations with my aunts, uncles, grandparents and my cousins. We shared out hugs and kisses with everyone; my uncles made everybody laugh with their unique jokes; my cousins sang for everyone with their tuneful voice using real microphones on that incredible stage that my creative uncles built just for us. We could sing the whole wonderful night if we wanted and of course we wanted; my cousins sang like if they were famous artists of Hollywood. Everyone was happy to see each other after the last celebration a month ago, most of the time. New Year’sEve, baby showers, baptism, first communion, birthdays, and Mother's Days were important dates to organize big, amazing, and funny parties. The whole family had great moments sharing opinions, remembering previous parties, taking pictures, enjoying special moments; moments that I wish I could have here in Chicago, but is hard to imitate them.

  

           I treasure all those beautiful memories; however, I greatly miss the delicious food from my country especiallyfrom my city. Even though Chicago has many Mexican restaurants with excellent quality and distinguished attentions, I miss eating at hometown, and live those moments when I helped my mother preparing delicious gourmet recipes; likewise, my younger sister prepared a delightful dessert dish. In other occasions, my father and my brother enjoyed grilling a juicy and exquisite meat, and some fresh potatoes and onions. Sometimes, we decided to go to some of the restaurants that were close to the mountains; we could order variety food from the state and at the same time hear the musical group playing the accordion, piano or the guitar. It is wonderful how I can smell those weekends like if I were there in this perfect moment.

​In spite of the terrible circumstances that my wonderful city surrounded of mesmerizing mountains is living in these days, they don't stop having big celebrations showing up their happiness. Hopefully those circumstances have changed by the time we go back to Monterrey to visit our family and have a special celebration because they would be happy to hug us once. 

I should start making celebrations with some of my cousin and friends here in Chicago, and show them part of my culture.