The Chinese characters for America are 美国 （meiguo), which literally mean “beautiful country.”
Whoever came up with this translation knew what they were talking about. After spending more than 14 months in Beijing, every day in my hometown of Morehead, Kentucky, feels like one of those dreamy scenes from a Claude Monet painting. Dark green grass. Rolling hills. Sunsets you can get lost in.
I took all these things for granted when I lived here. People would ask me about my hometown and I’d usually say something like, “It’s small, has only one McDonald’s and nowhere to shop.” I talked a lot about the things Morehead didn’t have, which – I now realize – is what makes it great.
Morehead doesn’t have millions of people, so I can walk for miles in the country without seeing another person. There’s no air pollution, so I can jog outside whenever I want without fear of damaging my lungs. Petty crime is rare, so if I leave my keys in the car at night there’s a good chance it’s still going to be there when I wake up in the morning.
Sunset near Morehead, a city of around 6,800 in Eastern Kentucky.
I took the photos of the sunset from the top of this tower.
My sister didn’t want to climb to the top.
Unfortunately, there’s another thing Morehead doesn’t have a lot of: good jobs. Pinecrest Plaza, a shopping center less than a mile from my mother’s house, is dying. The Food Lion where I got my first job bagging groceries for $4.25 an hour has closed. So has the movie rental store next to it, where I used to go on Friday nights with friends. The Walmart is gone too, though it moved to another part of town.
Pinecrest Plaza used to be the busiest shopping center in Morehead.
The rest of the country isn’t doing that great either. The national unemployment rate is still above 8 percent, according to the latest jobs report. Most newspapers I would consider working for in the US are laying off employees, cutting benefits and freezing salaries. Some former colleagues have left journalism for careers in public relations or other industries they believe have a stronger future.
So, in two weeks I’ll bid farewell to my family and fly back to China – the land of opportunity for me, at least for now.
When I was a child, my father used to sing songs about living in the city yet pining for the country life. In 1955, his father left Morehead for Detroit, uprooting their family for a job at Great Lakes Steel.
Those days they’re gone for me now
But the times I will not forget
And every time I play you an old country tune
You know I’ll think of them yet
It’s taken a while, but I think I finally understand what he was longing for all those years.
A farm across the street from my home.
Lockegee Rock, near Morehead.
Slightly Reworded 
Finally i quit my regular job, now i earn a
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hiya! thank you for stopping by and “liking” my blog post. i am enjoying your posts…Kentucky is so beautiful. I miss sweet smelling air and clear skies, as well. i somehow got lassoed into agreeing to run the Great Wall Half next May and am currently panicking about where-oh-where I will train! Yikes! Ah Beijing.
No problem. I enjoyed your post. Thanks for the compliment. I looked at the website for the Great Half. It looks rough! Have you been to Jingshan park overlooking the Forbidden City? It has some hills with lots of steps that might be good for training. Good luck with the race!
Jimmy
I was born outside of Louisville and am Shenzhen now. I know what you mean.
Thanks for the comment. Glad to hear from someone else from the Tri-State area.
Jimmy
Yknow I can identify with this so much. I always hated my hometown but after 4 years in guangzhou I find myself appreciating little things like clean air and space to move
Every day I look up at the sky and am amazed to see big, white fluffy clouds. I don’t think I’ll ever take little things like that for granted again.
Jimmy
Hello Jimmy,
So glad that you could have some time back in Morehead…I have been there! Lovely part of the country…bet you don’t miss the smog of Beijing! Hope that you are well…send me an update sometime….blessings! Charlie
I really needed a break, and the weather has been great so far. Will email you soon.
Jimmy
I’ll have you know, there are now 2 McDonald’s in Morehead now. It’s a thriving metropolis of 6800. Love the pictures. Although I now live in Alabama, Morehead will always be home. Great post. Also, which fire tower is that? Sugarloaf Mountain?
I forget the name of the tower, but it’s off Cranston Road. Glad you enjoyed the post.
I’m glad you were able to go home and find a new appreciation for it.
Thanks, it’s been great catching up with family and friends … and breathing clean air!
Jimmy
It sounded so sweet
It knocked me off my feet