The Bellingers
It was like pandemonium shortly after we arrived Grand Marais, a little suburban community that lies on the shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota.
After getting out of the van I stood in awe – holding extra pairs of sneakers in my left hand while strapping my backpack stuffed with clothing – as I watched folks whisk away some of the fellows.
In a jiffy, a lady walked toward me full of smiles. This suddenly brought back my attention from the confusion of trying to understand what was happening.
“Haruna, right,” she said. “Yes,” I replied.
So, she knows me? I said to myself discretely. Then she must be the host family I am going to stay with in this little town.
She introduced herself to me as Katie Bellanger, and together we walked toward a Subaru SUV parked across the street.
We zoomed off immediately, while conversing as we tried to familiarize ourselves with each other.
That marked the beginning of my three-day sojourn in Cook County, living and interacting with Americans in a family-oriented community.
It is a quiet, reserved community where houses are spaced out. A place where almost everyone knows everybody who lives in town.
After a 15 minutes’ drive, I almost could not believe it when Katie pulled off at the middle of nowhere, parking the car and turning off the ignition. We had arrived at the host family house.
In the middle of woods stood a house made of timber that was cut down from trees that had grown on the land, as I later came to understand.
I looked in all directions and all I could see was forest and a single wooden house at the center.
She invited me inside. I went quickly as I felt nervous and uncomfortable staying outside.
In Nigeria where I come from, many people living in rural areas have migrated to cities due to insecurity. Armed gangs invade villages, killing and abducting people for ransom, this has forced people to flee.
I became engulfed in my thoughts while making my way into the house: What if someone attacks us in the middle of the night? What if wild animals encroach? Who will come here to save us?
Katie interrupted my thoughts when she introduced her husband, Josh Bellanger.
Tall and athletic, Josh speaks calmly and gentle.
He welcomed me with a big smile and offered me a seat.
He is the principal of the only public school in Grand Marais, and Katie works at the only radio station in the area, WTIP North Shore Community Radio.
The couple along with their two boys, ages 10 and 7, moved to Grand Marais in search of a more relaxed life after working for several years in the city.
They have lived in the house for over five years together with their two cats and a dog.
After a little entertainment, Katie and the kids showed me around the house before finally taking me to the neatly kept guestroom upstairs.
To me, everything inside the house looked exceptional, except for the fact that the house was built with wood, which I found to be very strange.
After dropping my backpack, I went straight to the wall, and touched the wooden walls.
In Nigeria the only people who live in wooden houses are those in slums or illegal settlements that await demolition by authorities. Otherwise, we build with concrete.
Moments later, the Bellingers took me for a tour of the nearby forest, we went uphill through a path cut by Josh.
The path cut by Josh through the wilderness around his house.
While in the forest Katie said deer often visit the compound uninvited, and on very rare occasions mooses and bears do, too.
This confirmed one of my horrors. but, to my surprise, none of the Bellingers showed any signs of fear. The boys even showed me two forts they had made from fallen tree branches.
After a long walk, we made it back to the house, and then we drove out to the shoreline of the elegant Lake Superior.
It was a sight to behold, we sat by the beach as the boys played in the shallow parts of the lake.
There, we witnessed the sun set disappears through the skyline.
For the three days I spent with the Bellingers, every morning I followed Katie, as she dropped off the kids at school.
Katie and I on my final day in Grand Marais
Katie also took me around town to see the harbor, Grand Marais High School, WTPI radio and the courthouse. We also had the opportunity to chat on many issues, such as family, politics and religion.
On my last day with the family, Katie told me: “I wish you will come back here one day together with your family.”
Overall, my stay in Grand Marais was incredible.
