1. Roots – This one seems obvious but needs to be mentioned. Although many people discussed their current definitions of home and what it means to them, almost all stories included a mention of where they grew up. These roots are important to people.  Danica’s story revolved specifically around her childhood home in Prince Rupert. And even though we may move a thousand times, those formative years in childhood homes always seemed to be the easiest to remember.
  2. The effect of family – Many people mentioned family traditions or rituals that they often associated with home. Natasha talks about competing in the “Cottage Olympics” with her family. Something that I didn’t think much of before now, was how much effort our families went to to make memories with us. Obviously some memories are made accidentally. When the family dog eats an entire cheese tray at the Christmas party, or when your Mom accidentally uses flour instead of icing sugar and the lemon bars taste like crap. But I’m talking about the “Cottage Olympic” type of memories. I never realized before how lucky I was, that these people who were under no obligation to make things special for me, fed my childhood imagine and spirit with wonder and magic. Little things like how my Dad would make big messy footprints in the living room to make it look like Santa had been there. These are the cherries on top of my memories, and make me look forward to going above and beyond for my own children one day. Even Alanna, whose story of home explained that due to how she grew up all she needed was a quiet place and time to herself to feel at home, mentioned a ritual (drinking tea with her Dad).
  3. Feeling comfortable – Most stories that I read mentioned the need to feel comfortable, safe, or valued, even the people who found it challenging to decide on one definition. Lorraine mentioned “I’ll see if I can treasure whoever I am with and wherever I am as long as I’m not too hungry, thirsty and cold. Regardless of the place’s ethnic surrounding, political atmosphere, physical boundaries, and social settings, wherever I am, that must be my home, whether I like it or not.” (Shen) In the end, for Amelia and many people home was somewhere where they felt that they belonged, regardless of where it was or how long ago they had been there.

 

Works Cited

Shen, Lorraine. “2.2 Home”. My Take on Canadian Studies. UBC Blogs, 6 June 2016. Web.             16 June 2016.