I asked My Friends "What Defines Home to You?" and Here are The Answers
Dear fellow traveller, as an Indonesian who live abroad and is always keen to travel, I once asked myself; if house is a building, and what defines home then? there is an old saying, a house is a building but home is where your heart is. I have some friends who live abroad and like to travel as well. So I asked them a simple question, "what defines home to you?", and these are their unique answers.
1. Justin Gauden, 33, originally from South Wales, currently lives in The Hague, NL. He has been living abroad since 13 years ago. His answer was simple.
"Home is where my mom is.."
2. Veronika Trautwein, 21, originally from Austria, currently lives in Paarl, South Africa. She had visited 11 countries so far.
"Home is not a city, country or house to me. My home is wherever my mom, dad, family and friends are. Home is every moment I gather with a friend in a library or the cinema, home is the feeling that you have special person waiting for you with a big smile and a warm hug. As I have been traveling since I was little, spending time in different parts of my own country far away from my parents or family, and now living abroad, I realized that home could be a phone called at 2 am when you feel sad, or a videoconference with your crazy nephews in Los Angeles, or could be spending time camping with your host parent around a fireplace drinking wine or playing games, home is even those nights or afternoons talking about food with your friend that are from other countries. Home is the feeling that everything is ok no matter what is going around you."
"Home is not a city, country or house to me. My home is wherever my mom, dad, family and friends are. Home is every moment I gather with a friend in a library or the cinema, home is the feeling that you have special person waiting for you with a big smile and a warm hug. As I have been traveling since I was little, spending time in different parts of my own country far away from my parents or family, and now living abroad, I realized that home could be a phone called at 2 am when you feel sad, or a videoconference with your crazy nephews in Los Angeles, or could be spending time camping with your host parent around a fireplace drinking wine or playing games, home is even those nights or afternoons talking about food with your friend that are from other countries. Home is the feeling that everything is ok no matter what is going around you."
3. Max Wolff, 30, lives in Stuttgart, Germany. He had visited 16 countries and still counting.
"Home is for me the place I currently live in, Stuttgart. So not my parents house or anywhere else. It's the place starve to go back to, e.g, after a stressful day. Where I can be myself and I make the rules about how to act. I browsed my mind for more definitions but after a few minutes nothing worth mentioning comes out anymore..."
"Home is for me the place I currently live in, Stuttgart. So not my parents house or anywhere else. It's the place starve to go back to, e.g, after a stressful day. Where I can be myself and I make the rules about how to act. I browsed my mind for more definitions but after a few minutes nothing worth mentioning comes out anymore..."
4. Elvina Tria, 25, originally from Indonesia, she recently moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for work.
"Home is where you feel comfortable and can sleep very well. Home is where you can poop peacefully. Home is where you're with people you love. Home is where you're accepted and belong."
5. Lovely Asentista, 28, originally from Phillipines, currently lives in The Netherlands with her boyfriend.
"Home is where your love ones are and people who loves you too, and a place where you are not judge. You can just be you and a place to grow and feel alive.."
6. Leanne C, 28, Lives in Leiden, The Netherlands.
"Home is the place where I feel save enough to let go of all expectations of the outside world and be whoever I want to and act whatever I feel like. I guess that's home.."
7. Igor Dorian Frolov, 30, originally from Ukraine, currently lives in China. He has visited 8 countries and speak fluent 5 languages.
"For me home is a suite that is always occupied by the same people in the hotel of my heart.."
And for me, I couldn't agree more with my friends. Home is simply wherever my loved ones are. Wherever I can enjoy food with my family while having random talks about anything. Where I can get a warm hug from someone I love and loves me back after having a hard time. Home is where I can be myself. A place where my feet may leave, but not my heart..
"Home is where you feel comfortable and can sleep very well. Home is where you can poop peacefully. Home is where you're with people you love. Home is where you're accepted and belong."
5. Lovely Asentista, 28, originally from Phillipines, currently lives in The Netherlands with her boyfriend.
"Home is where your love ones are and people who loves you too, and a place where you are not judge. You can just be you and a place to grow and feel alive.."
6. Leanne C, 28, Lives in Leiden, The Netherlands.
"Home is the place where I feel save enough to let go of all expectations of the outside world and be whoever I want to and act whatever I feel like. I guess that's home.."
7. Igor Dorian Frolov, 30, originally from Ukraine, currently lives in China. He has visited 8 countries and speak fluent 5 languages.
"For me home is a suite that is always occupied by the same people in the hotel of my heart.."
And for me, I couldn't agree more with my friends. Home is simply wherever my loved ones are. Wherever I can enjoy food with my family while having random talks about anything. Where I can get a warm hug from someone I love and loves me back after having a hard time. Home is where I can be myself. A place where my feet may leave, but not my heart..