Visiting my Hometown as a Tourist

When you are away from your hometown for so long, you can feel like a tourist when you return. This is the town you were born and grew up in, but you feel like an out-of-towner now.

Born and raised in Michigan, I moved to Kentucky for college in 1990. Then in 1999, Pennsylvania became my new home. I had not seen my hometown since 1995. I knew there had to be a time when I should make a trip back there. The time came in 2015, when I traveled to Michigan for a class reunion. I looked forward to seeing what was new in my old hometown. Most of all, I was excited to see the two houses I lived in as a child and teenager.

I drove around the town and visited some shops, that were not there at the time. Seeing the changes in the town, I felt like I visited here for the first time, yet this is a town I had lived in.

When I arrived in Detroit and got my rental car, I drove towards the city of Troy, where I lived as a teenager. I drove by my old house. Some of the exterior and landscaping had changed, otherwise it was the same house as I remembered it when I lived there.

I drove around the town and visited some shops, that were not there at the time. Seeing the changes in the town, I felt like I visited here for the first time, yet this is a town I had lived in.

Staying at a hotel made me feel more like a tourist. I felt like an out-of-towner although I lived there many years ago.

In some ways, it does not seem like these are towns I grew up in. As we know, things change over time, and returning to your old home town after so many years can make you feel like a tourist.

The next day, I went to my old high school to attend the class reunion. I had not seen my high school since graduation. I wondered how much the school changed over the years.

Visiting Your Hometown as a Tourist

When I arrived, I saw the outside of the school looked the same, but the inside changed significantly. However, seeing the inside of the school brought back memories. I met up with some old classmates. I told them about how I moved on with my life and how good it feels to be back in my hometown.

The forest where I walked my dog is gone. The street extended and more houses were built where the forest stood. I remember the forest had a beautiful view in the summer. I saw my old house. The house was in good shape and I could tell the new owners maintain it well.

After the reunion ended, I went to Milford,  the town I lived in during childhood. The old route towards Milford looked the same, but the neighborhood changed significantly. The forest where I walked my dog is gone. The street extended and more houses were built where the forest stood. I remember the forest had a beautiful view in the summer. I saw my old house. The house was in good shape and I could tell the new owners maintain it well.

Seeing the changes over the years made my old childhood towns seem like places I never visited before. In some ways, it does not seem like these are towns I grew up in. As we know, things change over time, and returning to your old home town after so many years can make you feel like a tourist.

 

Have you traveled back to your hometown and felt like a tourist? We’d love to hear your about experience. Email us at [email protected] to share your experience with the Pink Pangea community we can’t wait to hear from you.

Photo credits for Visiting my Hometown as a Tourist by Unsplash.