As I relished in the honest depictions of “home” written by my fellow classmates, I can genuinely say I felt a sense of connection. I was surprised to observe how much more I had in common with these diverse individuals than I did in contrast. Overall, the biggest take away I received was that many of us believe home is ultimately some form of belonging, whether it is to ourselves, our family, or the natural environment. Many of us felt a lack of belonging, which has led us to seek community and our own reconceptualization of home. Each blog post was moving, in a way that allowed me to see our common humanity. The major differences were mostly represented by where someone was born, but in the bigger picture that meant very little. I did not expect the similarities to double the differences, but they did! We are a colorful group of people, but rather than clash, we compliment!

 

Thanks for reading!

Lexi

 

 

Similarities

-nature offers a space to come “home”

-visitor in someone else’s homeland (Haida Gwaii)

-accepting the colonial history, and your position upon the land

-belonging within and beyond one’s self

-the community as a sense of home

-fascinated and inspired by Hippie Communes

-home is about feeling safe

-British-Canadian ancestry

-family prided by Canada as their “home”

-not completely comfortable with settler ancestry

-family as “home”

-home as belonging and serenity

-home as not a physical space

-home as family

-shared feelings as an outsider, lack of sense of belonging

-intersecting identity, to be settler and “foreigner”

-BC nature becomes home

-belonging is within the self

-abusive family/home life

-childhood food issues

-Home as an unsafe place

-also had to tell social worker nothing was wrong so I didn’t get taken away

-home is the body, the earth, the universe

-Born in Canada

 

Differences

-feeling grounded in own body

-I don’t live on campus

-Home is not a place to unwind for me

-traveling solidified Canada as a home for others

-home for some is a dispersed family

-I’m not a Canadian that has lived overseas

-Never lived outside of my community

-Lived in the same neighborhood my whole life

-I didn’t grow up with both parents in my household

-no traditional definition of home