Imagine an ice cream counter in the ’50’s. A man in a white shirt with a beard behind the counter with a rag, polishing things until they are good enough to eat off, until you can see your reflection. Like a scene straight out of a movie.

That’s is exactly what it looks like from my vantage point in a cafe right now. I sip my cappuccino as the man behind the counter sings “Humble and Kind”. Country music reminds me of home.

“Do you like country music?” I ask.

“I love it. I pay for a station from Texas. I like to make this feel like home for people from the USA.”

He polishes the counter, he enjoys espresso after espresso as he works, and I also sit here and type, polishing off a cappuccino. He makes his work place a home, not just for foreigners, but for American students.

He now hums and whistles to Thomas Rhett. And just like that, I’ve found my homesick spot.