Personal Narrative: Where Are You From?

The question, “Where are you from?” is a difficult one for me to answer wholeheartedly. Anyone who was forced to move when they were younger understands the dilemma of being asked about your hometown. The word hometown can have a variety of meanings. Merriam-Webster defines a hometown as, “the city or town where you were born or grew up.” To me a hometown is the place where you have the greatest memories. For this reason, I am unable to claim just one place as my hometown. I consider both Davenport, Washington and Rathdrum, Idaho as my hometowns. I was born in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho but lived in Post Falls until I was two years old. Before I was old enough to make memories while living in Post Falls, my parents divorced and my mother was diagnosed

The town was small enough that everyone knew each other and looked out for each other. Every restaurant, grocery store, or park was within walking distance, meaning a healthier life style and spending less money on gas. I remember walking home from school each day with my mother and going to Edna’s Drive-In for the best milkshakes. Even eleven years later I can taste how chocolatey and perfectly creamy the milkshakes were. One of the greatest parts about Davenport when I was growing up was always the friendly and the close-knit

The house was like one you would see in a movie. It had three stories, brick walls, and a very unique floor plan. To four year-old me, our house was a mansion. The most distinct and memorable thing about our home was its very different exterior color scheme. The entire outside of the house was different shades of purple, which is how it got its name “the purple house.”

Today, I look back on my time in Davenport and I cherish every second of it. Having the opportunity to grow up in the small city of Davenport taught me how important it is to have a strong, yet friendly community. I also learned the importance of family. The quote “Family is an anchor during rough waters” has applied to my life many times. Because of these many lessons and memories, Davenport is one of my two