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The city where I grew up is Houston, Texas, a place unlike any other in a state so different than any other state it could almost be called its own country. Houston is one of the largest cities in the United States, and there is never a shortage of things to do there. Though I was actually born in Dallas, I spent most of my childhood in Houston, and this is where I have most of my fondest and vivid memories. Some of the city's architectural features stick out in my mind when remembering my younger years; the famous Astrodome (or "the eighth wonder of the world") where I spent many afternoons watching the Houston Astros games with my father, the skyscrapers from the inner city, Six Flags amusement park which lies on the outskirts of the main city,  NASA's Space Center, the Houston Galleria, all of these have particular memories attached to them from another time and place in my life . The many confusing and overwhelming streets, the public parks, the zoo, the traffic, even the polllution, all the sights and sounds make this my home. The Houston Rodeo was always a main event, with people coming from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the cowboys and gunslingers from western American mythology. The people of this city are of the typical friendly southern stock, with a touch of that western independence and rebellion that has always flowed through a Texan's veins. One of the most defining characteristics of Houston for me is its cosmopolitan nature, one can go see a ballet, go to the many museums, catch a play, shop at fancy boutiques, all the things that make a modern city modern. If music is your passion there is always a famous band passing through, and the city has an abundance of festivals and events to choose from, whatever strikes one's fancy. It is also a town of many immigrants, people come from all over to seek their fortunes in this big city and I went to school with students from a diverse range of backgrounds. In this melting pot population, there is a feeling of liberalness and open-mindedness, starkly contrasted to the conservative nature of the rest of the state. This was made most apparent to me when I moved with my family to the ultra-conservative city of Charleston, South Carolina during high school, where I was extremely dissatisfied and often clashed with the prevailing traditional values and cloistered environment.

Time has altered the city of my youth, there are plans underway to tear down the Astrodome and make way for a super-modern baseball park, and Six Flags has since closed down. Sometimes I am afraid that if I visited today I wouldn't even recognize the place I so adamantly call home. Although Houston has changed, many aspects that define my character and personality developed in this town and I will always be a Houstonian at heart. Though I have travelled to many of the world's most beautiful and famous cities (including Paris, Rome, London, and Athens), there is no place quite like Houston and to me it will always be home.