There is something about seaside cities, something indescribable that makes you want never to leave. It's an energy that supercharges the air and infects the locals with joie de vivre.

It wasn’t the fragrant bowls of pho on the sidewalk, the friendly locals, or the surprisingly clean streets of Saigon that made me feel at home in Vietnam.

I was planning to stay in Barcelona for 3 months and possibly more. Fall in love with a handsome Spaniard (or Catalan) and live a life of siestas and tapas dates.

For generations, people traveling to distant lands have carried mementos that remind them of home. Refugees, immigrants, and travelers all know the feeling. It's the comfort you get from knowing your grandmother's recipe, carrying a piece of jewelry or a token that seems completely worthless to others.