The waves crashing against the shore. The thick salty air. The scent of sunscreen and the feel of soft, warm sand between my toes. This is my Querencia. A bustling little town on the coast of Maine, Ogunquit is where I make my home for one week every summer.

The second week of every August I can’t wait to pack my bags and jump in the car for the two hour ride to Ogunquit. The anxious excitement I feel makes the ride seem to last forever. As we get closer to town our car is lost in the cluster of our fellow travelers, all just as eager to reach their destination.

Once we finally arrive at our cottage we’re greeted by a crowd of family who have already unloaded their luggage and begun to settle in. Two aunts, two uncles, three cousins, my mom, my sister, and I, not to mention my cousins’ family dog, all under one roof. Plus another aunt, uncle, and two cousins in a hotel down the road. If you think it sounds hectic, you’re right, but it’s somehow still the most relaxing and fun week of the year. After a long year, spending one whole week at the beach is heavenly.

After all of the chaos subsides, we can finally get to what we came for – the beach. We gather our things and begin our trek down the block. The first footstep onto the sand is like a breath of fresh air. It takes me to another world. I kick off my shoes and feel the smooth, warm sand on the rough soles of my feet.

As soon as we find the perfect spot, we claim it by dropping our chairs, blankets, and towels in a disorderly fashion. We’re too preoccupied with the thought of getting in the water to organize our area nicely. No sooner do our chairs hit the sand, than we’re making our way down to the ocean. The icy touch of the salt water is a sharp contrast to the sticky hot summer air but gives me a much needed cool-down. Little by little my ankles, knees, and legs are submerged under the icy blanket. When I finally get the courage to go completely under the water I wait for a big wave, then dive right in. The rush of cold is intense at first, but then, just like that, it feels warm and tolerable. Feeling cool and refreshed, I head back to my beach chair to soak up the sun.

As I settle into my chair, I am able to tune in to all of my surroundings. I listen to the sound of the rushing waves lapping up over the shoreline. The white foam just begins to fizzle away on the sand when it’s swept back out by another wave. Every so often a seagull passes by and lets out its distinctive chirp. These simple sounds create a hypnotic ambiance. If I close my eyes I can practically drift off to sleep. In a good year, every day brings us a clear sky without a cloud in sight. The view of the light blue sky meeting the deep blue ocean at the horizon is picturesque, and come evening it makes for the most beautiful sunset. This is my paradise.

Everyday it seems like my family and I are the last ones on the beach. As the crowds trickle out we move closer to the shore. Some days it is seven o’clock before we finally pack up our things and head back to our house. The same process is repeated everyday of the week: get up, get ready, go to the beach. I make sure to take in every bit of the experience until it’s finally time to leave.

On the last Saturday of our vacation our daily routine is interrupted. Instead of waking up and going to the beach, we wake up, clean the house, pack our bags, and leave. It’s a bittersweet ending – the week was amazing but I don’t want to say goodbye. However I take comfort in the fact that I will surely return to my Querencia the next year.