You See, The Thing About Brawley Is……

During my last trip to Brawley (Christmas) I did a lot of observing around the town and started to realize how much I miss it sometimes. When I was in high school, I swore to myself that I would move far away and never look back. Well, except during holidays and visitations to my family. I had this picture in my mind that I would live in a big city like San Diego, Los Angeles, and New York. My senior year came and I knew that whichever farthest college accepted me, I would go. My first acceptance letter came from San Francisco State University. I was beyond excited! But by the time graduation came, two more college acceptances, and one rejection, I wasn’t ready to leave. And even though I swore to my best friend Andrea that I would never go to I.V.C. (Imperial Valley College – local community college), I ended up there my first two years of college. I remember not feeling disappointed and not regretting leaving Brawley right after high school. While attending I.V.C., I still had dreams of living somewhere far away and working in the big city. But………when it came to applying to colleges to transfer, I kind of wanted to stay somewhere close. And now that I look back at it, what was I trying to get away from?

Brawley is like the sweater that keeps you warm in the cold, the fresh fountain drink that cools you in the heat (well in this case, very bad heat), and the place where everybody knows everybody. It’s a place where no matter who you are, you will get a smile from strangers. You could even get a smile from the homeless people who hang outside the donut shop. After they ask you for some change of course. It’s where Johnny’s was first created, where we spend a dollar a day for sweat tea with sugar and lemon from the donut shop, and where every November we host our annual Cattle Call Rodeo and everyone dresses up as a cowboy. And even though sand rats invade all of our gas stations during their Glamis trips, it’s ok because Brawley is very welcoming to its outsiders.

So, when it was time to transfer from IVC, I quickly realized that I needed to transfer somewhere that was close enough. I wanted to go to school somewhere close enough to drive home in an emergency or just when I felt like seeing my family. I, like many Imperial County kids, opted for SDSU. However, SDSU did not opt for me. Twice!! Once in high school and again transferring out of IVC. Yes, it was disappointing but if it weren’t for their rejection I wouldn’t have had the wonderful opportunities CSUSM has brought me.

So now that I’ve been out of Brawley for six years, I find myself wondering if I’ll ever move back. To be honest, I think one day I will, but not any time soon. I still have those dreams of living in the “big city.” Except that the “big city” is now in another country. As I pursue my ambition for higher education and a fantastic writing career, I plan on traveling when I turn 30 and living in a different country each year. And while I’m in a different country each year experiencing new cultures and learning new languages, I will be thinking about the small town of Brawley, Ca. Nowhere else will it take two minutes to get to the bank. In my current city, if I want to go to the bank, it will take me about 10 minutes even though the bank is as far from my apartment as it is in Brawley from my mom’s house where I grew up.

But what makes Brawley so special is its homely feeling one gets when living or visiting there. I always say that it’s a great place to raise kids. Not that I’ll ever have any. Sorry mom! But I do plan on possibly retiring there. Even though it’s a small little town with not much going on, the people there are very hard to forget. I mean look at us!! We were so bored with Brawley that we even made sand fun with Glamis! We even created Dippy Duck because too many kids were bored and started swimming in the canals. The small things don’t make Brawley. It’s the people who make Brawley. What better to have than to be surrounded by people who all want the same thing? A home. Brawley is home. And even as it grows, just like when it got its own Wal-Mart, we remain humble and welcoming.

I remember the first time I left Brawley. I was 20 and moved into the dorms at CSUSM on August 2003. I purposely decided not to go to Brawley until the following Thanksgiving so that I can well-adjust myself living in a new city and learn how to be on my own without my family and friends. Needless to say, I didn’t last :( I surprised everyone on a Friday night when my family was celebrating my sisters Lupe and Vanessa’s birthday, which is right before Halloween. I didn’t tell anyone I was coming and just showed up. I always remember that night so vividly. As I drove in from the 86 by the hospital, my heart began to race and I started to think “Man! It’s been two months and it already looks different!” I pulled into my mom’s house where the celebration was taking place and I heard someone say “Is that Chena!?” (Chena is my family knick name). I come out of the car and I hear “IT IS CHENA!!” It was the most beautiful welcome I had ever received! It almost made me cry. My mom, my sisters, my brother in-laws, my nieces, my nephews, (I don’t think Edgar was there at the time), and even my dog all welcomed me with big hugs! When I walked into the house and saw Lupe’s reaction, my heart just melted with the all the love I felt. Even Andrea (my best friend of 13 years and who everyone in my family calls “the adopted one”) was there celebrating the birthdays with my family. That’s how welcoming everyone is. Later on that night I remember Lupe telling me “I was just thinking earlier today how much I wish you were here with us. You really made my birthday sister!” I know! I totally felt a little popular in that moment haha! And like the luckiest person in the world to have people like them around me.

So even though I wanted to move away from a small town like Brawley, it still has my heart. And I’m sure a lot of my peers would agree. Why do you think so many of us only move far enough for a couple of hours drive? So we can be that close.

Here’s to you Brawley! May you bring many more generations of whole-hearted people and welcome all strangers.