I think I was 11 or 12 when I asked my mother if I could transfer to a British boarding school. For this, our Desert Travel issue, I returned to the place I’d wanted to escape so badly, and, to my surprise, I found myself a little reluctant to leave. My 12-year-old self would be shocked, but it’s an exciting time to be from the Coachella Valley. I write about the way Massoth and other valley residents are revolutionizing the area on page 66. The valley always had something special (Palm Springs wouldn’t summon millions of visitors a year if it didn’t!).