A Girl Named Tennessee - Laura Beth

I should preface this by saying I’ve never been the homesick type. After my work in Spain, my parents and friends at this point surely must be used to me being an ocean away. That being said, it’s amazing what feeling like I’m at home in Tennessee can do to my brighten my day.

Living in a big city can seem soul-sucking compared to the land of sweet tea and southern hospitality I come from. Typical of an urban atmosphere, London is in a hurry and signs of nature are few and far between. That’s why it was wonderful to travel to Scotland and after an all-night bus ride immediately hike up to King Arthur’s Seat, a hike that ends in a view of Edinburg on one side and a vast expanse of water on the other.

In my flat I have a calendar of Tennessee my roommate gave me before I left, and when I see it I am reminded of everything I love about Knoxville’s culture and natural beauty. I really only know the places I travel because I can compare them to Tennessee. London would be a big city, but the accents wouldn’t stand out as much and the pace of life wouldn’t seem as fast without Knoxville to compare it to. Likewise Scotland’s friendly citizens and beautiful overlooks wouldn’t have felt so wonderfully like home. I see some people shrink away from their small hometowns, but for me no matter where I go I’ll happily give in to finding all the reflections of Tennessee.