The City That Felt Like Home: My Journey With Asheville, Berlin, and the Rainforest
Traveling to a new city or country can be an exciting yet nerve-wracking experience, but sometimes, you find a place that feels just right. This is the story of three such places: Asheville, North Carolina, Berlin, Germany, and a stunning temperate rainforest.
Asheville, North Carolina
Living in a city often requires you to be a part of its vibrant community. Asheville, North Carolina, offers just that with its vibrant downtown arts scene. The city felt like a perfect fit for someone who creates art. Walking through the galleries and experiencing the artistic energy of Asheville is reminiscent of the feeling I get from creating art myself. While I fantasize about moving there and living within that community, Asheville continues to be a place I dream about visiting and reconnecting with regularly.
Berlin, Germany
My connection with Berlin started unexpectedly. Traveling by train from Freiburg, Germany to Berlin, I arrived at Bahnhof Zoo. Staring at the area from the train platform, I felt like I had come home. This feeling of familiarity, comfort, and relief was unlike anything I had experienced in a city before. I felt that Berlin was my adopted home even though I am typically not a city person at all. These spontaneous and profound feelings are often the markers of a genuine connection with a place.
Years later, in 1999, my company based on my mobile payment invention needed a home. Germany was chosen not just because of Berlin, but because the US was lagging in mobile technology. My old colleague in Berlin helped me find a place to stay, setting the stage for a four-year residency. The city's familiar yet unique charm was a perfect blend of the unexpected and the comfortable, making it a place I still consider my adopted home, even after moving away for work.
The Rainforest
Coming from the lush and humid environment of a rainforest, my expectations for another such place were high. However, even the most enchanting place can have its drawbacks. Sumatra was one such place; it almost stole my heart, but the sheer number of people made it impossible to fall in love with it. The journey to the Alaskan Brooks Range, however, brought me closer to a place that is truly dear to my heart.
A little valley in the Brooks Range, filled with all the elements I love—river, caribou, willow, glaciers, and more—offers an idyllic setting for someone who appreciates nature's wonders. Even if the state closed the sale on the area, the place has a permanent residence in my heart. Its natural beauty and the sense of peace it provides are unmatched, making me return to it in my thoughts whenever I need a break from the hustle of daily life.
From the art-infused streets of Asheville to the comfort of Berlin, and back to the wild beauty of the rainforest, each place left an indelible mark on my travels, reminding me that home is not just a place but a feeling, an experience, and a memory.