I have never asked myself that question before.
Not until I started traveling.
I met a lot of travelers from different countries who don’t want to go back to their home. For me my definition of home was where you grew up or where your family is. In my case, I used to call Manila my home.
I remember asking one of my travel friends when I met him in Kathmandu, “So, when will you go home? You’ve been away for almost 18 months.”
He said, “I am home my friend. The world is my home.” I got confused and just laughed at what he said. Then we all carried on drinking and just enjoyed the rhythm of reggae.
When I got to my hostel, I was lying down on my dorm bed when the question hit me back like a boomerang. “So, when will I go home?”
It was just my fifth month of traveling and I hate to admit that I didn’t miss my so called home. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t despise where I came from.
I retired that night without answering my own question because as hard as I tried, I just couldn’t answer it.
A few days after that “home” conversation, we parted ways and I went up north to Pokhara and he went to a remote area for his volunteer stint.
I kept on moving until I reached India and then the world crumbled down on me.
I had an unexplainable feeling of sadness on my third night in Varanasi. My gut felt I needed to make contact to my family.
And I did. I received a news that forced me to make a decision right there and then. Would I go back or continue?
I went to the riverside to marvel for the last time at the grandeur of Ganges. I cried and made a decision to go back to my so called home.
Now that I’m home, why doesn’t it feel home.
I realized, maybe I have to change the question.
What is home?
Home is not a Place but in the Heart. Thanks for visiting my site and Comment on Pawikan Conservation
thanks David for sharing your thoughts
Oh Flip you'll be back to the workforce again, while I am thinking of quiting my job and backpack for months until I find my way home. hihi
I just wanna live free I guess. The only thing that's stopping me now is the sense of financial security,leaving my comfort zone again and a lot of expectations from my family. Sadly, we live in a culture where success is measured by how much money we have, our position, our assets and all. It helps to read posts like this, that way I know, I'm not the only one who feels this way. hehe Yeah, sometimes it gets lonely so I have to move on to a different place or go back, but when I'm finally back to my same old familiar pillow, it doesn't feel like home and I find myself back in the road again. Thnx for sharing your thoughts Flip. Asteeg ka tlaga! =)
@gael: "we live in a culture where success is measured by how much money we have our position, our assets and all" i know… it's sad right.
wishing we all find our way home gael