One day you are home, in the country where you were born, surrounded by your life-long family and friends, the streets that saw you grew up on, the school you attended ever since you can remember.

You picture your future and you can't think of any other place where you could possibly be, other than your country, the place that shaped who you are and how you see the world.

Another day something happens, and you find yourself surrounded by different streets, different people, a different language and culture. Not because you are on vacation, but because now when you think about the future it will have to be that place. Your house is no longer your home.

Now you have to fight to integrate to this new culture, learn the language, the school system, find friends to take the place of those who grew up with you. You go through four stages: denial, depression, acceptance and surrender, which is when you start to give your all to integrate.

As time passes, you realize you are not fighting anymore. Suddenly you become a part of this new place. Finally, you visit your country again, and realize a lot of things have changed. Your home has changed. You have changed.

This is when the dilemma comes: you no longer feel 100% part of the place where you were born, but you also don't feel like you belong to your "host country."

I am still trapped in this dilemma, but in the acceptance part of it. There is one thing I am sure about: I would not be who I am if it wasn't for the formation my country gave me. And I hope one day I can use all I learned here to help re-construct my dear Venezuela.