What is Home?
Thoughts of being home for the holidays
It’s been three years since I’ve been home to Washington state. I moved from Germany to California (my second home) back in August to attend school. Now that school was out for winter break, it was time to go up north.
I’ve only been back for five days, and I couldn’t help but notice a different feeling. Everything was how I left it, which is remarkable because of the pandemic, but a sense of unfamiliarity has surfaced.
Backstory
I grew up in Washington for 16 years before I moved to Southern California. Before moving, I knew nothing else than Evergreen trees, constant rainfall, and Seahawk Sundays. My move to the sun-filled paradise of SoCal would change everything.
Now I was surrounded by a diverse combination of cultures and people. Sure, Washington has SOME diversity, but it doesn’t light a candle for the greater LA area.
My last two years of high school would be a whirlwind of new experiences and friends, all starkly distinct from the last. Beach bonfires, the party life, and enough Mexican food to satisfy ten lifetimes helped me to develop and exit my shell.
New perspective
Fast-forward eight years, two U.S. Army contracts, 23 countries, and a stressful pandemic later, my body and mind have only evolved further. Momma’s cooking is no longer the same (still good, though), and my siblings have grown significantly.
Things I thought I knew had passed. My family and friends were in the same place, but they had changed. Good thing I could still go to the same movie theater a few blocks away.
“Home” has changed. Or was it me? Did my expectations create a warped perspective of what home was supposed to feel like? This is my leading theory, but I still need more time to say it confidently.
All in all, I’m still happy to be surrounded by the people who know me the best. These few years across the ocean have only created a strong desire to visit home. While feelings are misplaced at the moment, I still wouldn’t change my trip here. At all.
