How the nomadic life allowed me to reconcile with my past
For two weeks, I could live like a local in my hometown and see the life I might have had
Living a nomadic life always means thinking about the future. I'm constantly three to four months ahead. Therefore, I would never have imagined that the nomadic life could reconnect me with my past. But it happened.
This December, I spent two weeks in Avaré, my hometown. I hadn't spent such an amount of time there since my college vacations in 2010. Even during the pandemic, the most was 7 or 8 days —there's a limit to living with parents.
In the last 14 years, I have only gone to Avaré to visit my family. At most, I'd go out to a restaurant or bar with an ex-girlfriend from São Paulo, since I didn't keep in touch with many friends from my school days.
The nomadic life and remote work allowed me to spend more time in Avaré this time. I didn't have to choose between Christmas and New Year's, and after a year of travel, I thought it would be reasonable to break the barrier of living with my parents.
More time in Avaré allowed me to live like a local in my own city. I went to the gym during the week and shopped at the market. The gym teachers were friendly, and I liked their accents. Of course, it's the same as mine. Fascinating.
So, I found out what life is like in my own city. A life I experienced until I was 18, but in very different phases of life. When I was a teenager, all I wanted was to leave Avaré. Go to a less provincial city, make friends with similar interests. I kind of detested Avaré.
Everything changed on this visit. In two weeks, I had enough time even to meet some friends from my school days. When we arrived at the bar, at the table next to us were other people who had studied at that time. We joined tables and talked about each other's lives, where other people are now, reminiscing about past stories. It was an enjoyable night.
And then I realized that I had reconciled with the past. Adolescence will always be an ungrateful period of life, where we make choices that we judge incorrect. But it was great being able to realize, 15 years later, that I don't need to regret about it.
I kept thinking about how my life in Avaré would have been if I hadn't gone to college in São Paulo. I prefer everything I've done in these 15 years. But I like having the option now to be an avareense too. Maybe, as a friend said, I'm getting old.
A happy 2024 to all readers. In 2024, No Direction Home returns with more reflections on nomadic life. I thank everyone who read it in 2023.