By Joey Halligan
When I first came across this title, I was browsing through new books on Amazon.com. I’ve never seen a book with my hometown on the cover - nor did I ever think I would. You probably have never heard of it, and I don’t blame you.
When it boils down to it, Hialeah is simply a heavily Cuban populated city in the greater Miami area. It may sound a little more interesting to the average passerby - just imagine... the culture, the arts, the music, the beauty! And the food is to die for! However, those that pass by just keep right on going. The people are rude, the traffic is insane, and the crime rate is sky high. So why is it so hard to leave Hialeah when Hialeah is your home?
Hialeah found its way on the map during The Roaring Twenties. It was during this time when sports and film began to carve the culture of this Southern Florida prairie, snuggled between the Atlantic Ocean and the great Everglades. Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Hialeah - the Hialeah Racetrack, was erected during this era. Its Mediterranean architecture and grandeur brought tourism and curiosity. In fact, to this day, brides-to-be flock to the racetrack for their wedding photo session. Just make sure to crop out the factories and smog.
Today, the city is over-populated, dirty and has lost its old world charm. All the signs are in Spanish, no one holds the door for you, and the moment the traffic light turns green, the car behind you honks their horn. Yet for some reason, each time I visit home, I feel like everything is right in the world - even though I know it couldn’t get any worse. And that’s basically what draws us back to our hometown - it’s where we’re from... whether we like it or not. We will always have a sense of pride for what is ours, and where we come from.
It’s been five years since I’ve lived in Denver and I wouldn’t dream of moving back to Hialeah. Once you get a taste of life outside the city, it’s pretty easy to feel satisfied with life somewhere new. So how did I leave Hialeah? I packed everything I could into my car and drove for two days. I started fresh without knowing what to expect. Now, every time I make my descent into the Miami International Airport, I always look out the window and spot the new construction sites and the heavy traffic on the main roads and highways. The best view, however, is the same one when I leave Hialeah on my way back home.
Joey Halligan enjoys frolicking in the snow, eating pho, and drinking Starbucks in Denver. He can be reached at joeyhalligan@me.com.
Never thought of Florida as having prairie. Thanks for opening my mind!
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