Hometown Highlight: Santa Fe, NM

By: Maryem Hamdouni

At this point in my life, I find that there isn’t much that I look forward to, but returning to New Mexico after being gone for any length of time is something that will always tug at my heartstrings. After four months away at Salem, I was nothing less than ecstatic to go back home… and if you know me personally, you’d know that I’ve spent so much time talking about coming back.

The journey back took a full day, starting at 5 am. My roommate and I made our way to the Charlotte airport, where I’d spend the next 3 hours getting through security… After that, however, everything was smooth sailing. I landed at the Albuquerque airport around 3:30 pm and was greeted by my mother and my best friends, Pearl and Gabby. Pearl and Gabby have rarely left my side since coming back to New Mexico, thankfully. I think it was due to them that the integration back into my old life went smoothly. 

Exit sign to the main street in Santa Fe. Photo Credit: Maryem Hamdouni

Even though I was born and raised in my beautiful Santa Fe, the scenery truly left me breathless. The skyline, the mountains, the sunsets, and the sunrises cannot be described or even photographed to their truest beauty and glory. On a car ride with my friend, Gabby, we spoke about how the scenery is meant to be shared… the most wonderful gift of my hometown is to share a gasp and point at the sky, a sky that you’re almost sure was painted by the most genius and brilliant painter ever to live.

Photo credit: Gabriella J. Shroulote

Though my trip back to Santa Fe was uneventful for the most part, I did get to see some of the gems that I had forgotten about. One of these was my day trip to Meow Wolf—an interactive art exhibition that lets you into a mystery and implores you to get to the bottom of what happened to the family in the center of it all. In all honesty, I got to the second step of uncovering the mystery and gave up… it was more important to me that I had fun exploring than figuring out the supposed tragedy. Though from what I saw of the people around me, who seemed to be more keen on detective work, it was quite fun. If you ever find yourself in Santa Fe, New Mexico, please do take the time to visit this unique world.

Meow Wolf’s portal to another world. Photo Credit: Pearletta M. Calvert

Another highlight was visiting the historic downtown area. Santa Fe, to me, is a place like no other; our downtown area is one of the most lovely places to visit. Even after the hundreds of times I’ve walked the brick sidewalks and explored the adobe buildings, alleyways, and structures, it never ceases to amaze me. Though I didn’t get many pictures, I managed to capture the stunning cathedral that sits at the center of the town. It was dedicated and finished in 1887. It’s a beautiful reminder of all the culture that makes my hometown such a unique place. Really, though, the downtown area as a whole is a reminder of the mix of cultures that makes Santa Fe, Santa Fe. Every inch of the place is dedicated to the Indigenous, Spanish, and Mexican cultures that built the city from the ground up. 

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Photo Credit: Maryem Hamdouni

As my break comes to an end, I’ve been trying to let myself stay in these moments instead of counting down the days until I have to leave again. The music I’ve shared has been on repeat—playing during late-night drives, quiet mornings, and the in-between moments that somehow feel the most important. Being home has reminded me that I don’t always need something big to look forward to; sometimes it’s enough to exist here, under the painted skies, with the people who know me best. For now, I’m holding onto this feeling for as long as I can, letting New Mexico do what it always does—make me feel like myself again. 

A playlist of the songs that defined my break back home: