I finally hit my 6-month mark in Medellin and a local cafe owner asked me a simple question

He saw me working every day and asked, 'Are you a tourist or a resident?' It made me realize I've been living here but still acting like a visitor, never putting down any roots. How do you guys balance feeling settled with knowing you'll probably move on again?

3 comments

3 Comments

victor_jones9925d ago

You said you've been "acting like a visitor." That's the part I don't fully agree with. Putting down roots doesn't always mean buying a house or staying forever. It can just be about the small routines, like that cafe owner knowing your face. That's a real connection. You can feel settled in the moment while knowing it might not last. The balance is in letting yourself care about the place and people right now, even if you leave later.

nathan_shah25d ago

Three years in this city and my barista still spells my name "Natan" on the cup. That's my level of putting down roots, Victor. You're right about the small stuff mattering, but I think I've mastered the art of temporary belonging. I get invested in the local diner's pie selection, then get sad when they change bakers. It's a whole cycle. Maybe the trick is caring without the future paperwork. What's the longest you've stayed somewhere and still felt like a visitor?

brian32824d ago

Man, you're overthinking the whole "visitor" thing. Roots are just habits that stuck around long enough to feel normal. My longest stretch was six years in a town where I still used GPS to find the grocery store. The trick isn't about feeling like you belong, it's about stopping the check for an exit sign every five minutes. Let the barista spell it wrong, just enjoy the coffee.