No Place to Call Home

Allison
Allison
Jul 28, 2017 · 4 min read
https://www.instagram.com/allison_heidrich/

Let me start by asking you a simple question: Where did you grow up?

Another easy one: Where do you live now?

And now a difficult one: Of all the places you have traveled to and lived in, which place do you call home?


I grew up in a small town in northern Germany. Now, I live in the Netherlands, The Hague.

In order to understand why I have no place to call home, I would like to take you on a little journey.

Let’s go back in time, back to 2011. It was time for my first big trip and I was at the airpot with my family and friends. There were tears and countless hugs — it was time to say goodbye. It was time to get into the plane that would take me to South Africa for my year abroad.

It was an adventure I will never forget. The months passed and I didn’t just see beautiful parts of the country, I learned about new cultures. By the end of the year, I had gone through many ups and downs, I had made friends from all over the world and my love for travel was stronger than ever.

When I got back to my little town, something was different. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first. Our house was the same, the streets were the same, the people were the same (still talked about the same old things), everything seemed to have stayed the same. And yet, something was different.

I had changed.

Of course I had grown up a bit, but the big change had happened in my head. There was this urge to leave again and to discover more.

Once I had finished school and packed my backpack, I was ready to get lost in the unknown.

I traveled Asia and Australia for about one and a half years. I learned about different ways of living and thinking. I learned about things that made people happy, was fascinated by the way they communicated and the role religion played. Each person I met, gave me a new perspective on life and its possibilites. I wasn’t just on an adventure discovering new cultures, I was discovering whole new sides about myself.

After 1,5 years it was time for me to settle down.

I decided to go to Italy. Why? Pretty simple: I wanted to eat a real pizza, enjoy good wine, learn the beautiful language; I wanted to live the Italian way.

https://www.instagram.com/allison_heidrich/

After my first few days in Milan, I remember taking a walk along Parco Sempione. The sun was shining, I saw an older lady enjoying her lunch in her chic outfit and the smell of freshly ground coffee was in the air.

I had to smile.

It felt right. Everything did.

I had arrived.

This was home, I thought.

And then I understood something:

There is no place I can call home anymore. Instead, it’s a feeling that comes up when I think: this is exactly where I’m supposed to be. I’m at the right place, at the right time — I have arrived.

I’ve felt it often, and I am sure I will find it again.

Because for me, home is no longer a place. It is a beautiful feeling that can arise anywhere in the world.

https://www.instagram.com/allison_heidrich/

What are your thoughts? Do you have a place to call home? Where is it?

Allison

Written by

Allison

I believe that we can inspire one another to grow beyond our known limits. Putting passion, motivation and thoughts into words to spark inspiration and change.

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