Home where my thought’s escaping,
Home where my music’s playing,
Home where my love lies waiting
Silently for me.

The reason I chose these three blog posts is that their sense of home can relate to mine. Us four have moved from one place to another and had to adjust, find a new sense of home in a new environment. But what I really admired about their outlook of moving and home is that they found a silver lining in the change. My three peers have found something beautiful about their new place and let that define their renewed definition of home. It’s very admirable and inspiring.

“It just goes to show that stories can diverge, parallel, and intersect.” – Evan Franey

“In my twenty years of life, I’ve realized that home is not a house. Home is the people you love, it is the moments you cherish, and it is the places you’ll never forget. Home is a feeling.” – Alishae Abeed

“Places are always connected, because “there” is what creates “here”. “ – Sarah Steer

Evan, Alishae, Sarah, and I have all moved from one country to the next. Much like myself, home is not a specific space, a distinct house or a permanent address. Home is fleeting, it moves when we do, changes when we adapt, grows when we age. It’s pretty much what I expected, seeing as Canada is a very multicultural country and it has welcomed a diversity of immigrants and travelers from across the world. Sarah went through “the process of migration created a feeling of in-betweenness, stuck between “there” and “here”, slowly at first, accepting her surroundings before letting it sink in with the rest of her memories of home. But Evan and Alishae both felt at ease and free the second they arrived at a new space, because they carried with them their sense of home within and that allowed them to feel at home much more easily.

Their stories are the same, their values of coming from different countries are the same, and they all shared my common assumption of migration. But while we all have our similarities, it’s still important to acknowledge the differences. Even when all four of us had to move and find a new home, we’re all moving at a different pace in accepting it. One could be an Evan who adapts quickly, noting the diversity and using that in a positive light to belong with others who are different, much like him. One could be an Alishae, carrying home with her every step, connecting herself with every corner to feel welcomed and at ease. One could be a Sarah, afraid and reluctant at first, needing time to adjust and feel comfortable even if it takes all the time in the world to do so. Or could be like me, still longing for my sense of home that I feel like I’ve lost, but every day is a new day in trying to find and pursue where I really belong.

Work Cited:

Franey, Evan. “Home In Transition. ” Liminal Space Between Story And Literature. UBC Blogs. 05 June 2015. Web. 08 June 2015.

Abeed, Alishae. “Home Is A Feeling.” ENG 470A: Canadian Studies. UBC Blogs. 05 June 2015. Web. 08 June 2015.

Steer, Sarah. “Wherever I go I carry home on my back.” ENG 470A: Canadian Studies. UBC Blogs. 04 June 2015. Web. 08 June 2015.

Rene. Welcome Home Doormat. 2010. Pottery Barn. Mighty Goods.com. Web. 08 June 2015.