“I moved to Guam for three years when I was 14. It was a very sudden and difficult move. I had grown up in a big family with six siblings and because I was the youngest, I was the only one to move with my parents. I basically became an only child and I felt very alone.
When my mom and I arrived in Guam from California, we were extremely jetlagged. We were both asking ourselves, “What are we doing here?” We moved into this little concrete-block house with levered windows and linoleum floors right next to the ocean. After we unpacked, my mom said, “Let’s wax the floors.” I agreed because what else were we going to do? After we finished, we went to take a nap, and we left the doors open for ventilation. When we woke up from our nap, we woke to chickens all over the house. We both burst into tears!
But within a month, I went from feeling sad and lonely to feeling very connected. I started school, and the community and the culture were very welcoming. I ended up loving it there. The transition was hard, but I learned that I could adapt.
I have moved a number of times since then. After Guam, I moved back to California. Then, I went away to college. I moved to Vermont for the first time for my husband’s graduate school. We moved to California and Arizona, but finally we moved back to the Upper Valley. The moves were always a big challenge, but I have learned to put myself out there and meet people. I feel like I am more resilient because I moved around so much.
In the Upper Valley, I have gotten particularly involved in the art community. Through my artwork, I have met people I connect with. I build relationships with people when I paint with them or when they come into Long River Gallery, where I recently became co-owner. Painting Vermont landscapes is a way I represent our community. I loved the Upper Valley immediately, and I have now lived here for 24 years.”–Kathy Detzer, Wilder, VT.
