FORPP accompanier Kati Hinman reflects on her childhood growing up in Norfolk, a small town in the U.S. Today, she accompanies in the Peace Community in a far-flung, small Colombian village. She reflects on how small town USA meets rural Colombia.

Originally published in Norfolk Now

Since moving away from Norfolk, I´ve always been proud of my small town background. I can’t count the number of times people have asked “did you say twelve HUNDRED!” or “but how can you not have a grocery store?” When I moved abroad, first to the Dominican Republic and now to Colombia, I was excited to live again in a rural area. I´m reassured by the constant flow of children playing tag, neighbors offering us milk and eggs, and even the gossip, though I try hard to avoid being the center of it.

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