It was interesting to go through many of the assignments. I noticed many of them share a common motive (theme) that appears over and over again, albeit in little variations.
The leitmotif in many stories was the connection of the place perceived as home with experiences and memories (Fish) rooted there. And while the memories were different for everybody, the place called home is mostly connected with happy memories. This connection with happy memories was also true for people who called more than one place their home, making new—and good—memories (Prince) seems to be the initial event that leads to the perception of a new place as home. On the other hand, bad memories can taint a place and make the perception of a place as home impossible.
Once a place is established as home, most people seem to regard it as a safe place, protecting them and rooting them to a specific place (Prince).
Canada itself, more specifically the multi-cultural nature of Canada, played a role for people to feel at home here. They feel accepted, an important factor to feel at home in a place.
Another thing that plays a role in establishing a home are the people around you. Many people mentioned family and friends (Lee) as an important factor of the “home” experience.
Going through the different blogs, it becomes apparent that the basic concept of home is very similar for most people. How different factors are weighed can be different, but, for most people, home is the place they feel safe (Lee) due to the many good memories they connect with the place, how it connects them to the place they are living, and their social bubble of family, friends and co-workers.
Homes can be very different, and people may have different expectations, but, in the end, all those things have a similar core of a safe place that makes one feel comfortable, mostly through good experiences and memories, as well as through the social bubble it provides.
Works Cited:
Fish, Colleen. “What home is….for me. – Assignment 2.2” N.p., n.d. https://blogs.ubc.ca/colleenfish/2016/09/30/what-home-is-for-me-assignment-2-2/. 03 Oct. 2016.
Lee, Chloe. “2.2 Home.” ENGL 470A. N.p., n.d. https://blogs.ubc.ca/470chloe/2016/09/28/2-2-home/. 01 Oct. 2016.
Prince, Hope. “LESSON 2:1 – ASSIGNMENT 2:2.” English 470 Canadian Studies Blog. N.p., n.d. https://blogs.ubc.ca/hopeprinceengl470a/2016/09/28/lesson-21-assignment-22/. 01 Oct. 2016.