After graduating from college, I knew I wanted to emigrate to the US to pursue my career goals. Boston, ultimately, is the city where my career plans took me. Knowing that my return could take years and some beloved relatives might not be there anymore, I still felt compelled to chase my goals and embarked on this adventure.

I arrived in Boston on August 31^st 2016, after an almost 11-hour flight from my home country of Peru.

I didn’t know anybody here, but I was very fortunate from day one to find kind souls on my way. I never lived alone before and never spent more than a week away from my family so, as you can imagine, I was overwhelmed to say the least. I am not going to lie, the first six months were very hard, especially because I was studying for a very important exam. My days revolved around my work place and my apartment. After I took my exam, I finally had the chance to get to know the city and boy, what a beautiful surprise awaited.

It was almost summer and I decided to get to know the city by walking it!

On my first walk, I went to the Commons and the Public Garden. I was absolutely amazed by the Beacon Street path that took me to the Commons (I still am, honestly). At the bridge in the Public Garden there was an Asian man playing some sort of violin, I thanked him for his art and gave him a tip, and he smiled back. I continued to see him for the next couple of years.

The next week I decided to walk a little longer, from my apartment in Fenway to Pleasure Bay. Google Maps told me it would take an hour and 40 minutes, but it ended up taking two and a half, as I had to take a detour after my internet connection failed and I took the wrong path. So my first tour to the South End was by accident. I remember wondering why all the apartments look the same and that, if it wasn’t for the street signs, I would definitely get lost. It seemed like a maze to me.

It was a long walk but I made it to Pleasure Bay. What a nice little beach! There was an ice cream truck so I decided to help a small business (and my belly). While lying on the beach, I was struck by how strongly I could feel and hear the low airplanes descending into Logan.

That day I decided, since I made it this far, why not visit the other corner of the city: the North End.

And guess what? I made it! On the way there I started craving for a sweet snack and on my search of classic Bostonian bakeries, I redirected myself to Mike’s Pastry. I was stunned by how crowded it was. It was loud and everybody had a ticket in their hands. Finally my turn came and I ordered 6 cannolis, because 5 were just not enough. It was my first time eating a cannoli and I was very pleased with the dessert.

If you are wondering if I Ubered back home, let me tell you, I was determined to finish my quest. I made the walk all the way back home to Fenway.

That was my most memorable day in Boston. I got to know so much about the city in one day. And I did it by myself, something that I could not have done at home.

Boston has so much to offer: mountains just 30 minutes away, beaches 20 minutes away by car, or in my case, two and a half hours by foot! Oh, and also so many amazing restaurants, maybe on my next post (if the owner of this blog allows me) I will tell you my favorite restaurants.

Looking back now, I feel incredibly lucky I landed here. The city and its people keep showing me nothing but kindness and respect.

I gladly recognize this is a multicultural city and that my fears of being alone are almost gone. I cannot say for sure they will ever totally leave, since I don’t have my family here. But along the way, my mentors at my hospital where I work, my friends, and my boyfriend have become my family.

For a person who left everything behind in hopes for a better life, Boston has become my niche.

So, thank you Boston, thank you for becoming my second home.