For the past few days, I've thought about home a lot. Where home is, if I'll ever be back home and whether London will ever be a home to me.
I realized that after moving to London 3 months ago, the variation I use to answer "where are you from?" has changed from when I was in Vancouver. The most common answer that I give out now include "I'm from Canada" and "I was in Vancouver before here." Usually, people are satisfied with that answer and doesn't pursue the issue any further.
And it's true. I know what Canada stands for. I've studied, worked, and lived there. I can proudly explain how the electoral system works, what the geographical makeup is, what the big issues facing Canada are, what the best pub you can go to in Vancouver is (for the record, it's a toss-up between St. Augustine's and Alibi Room.)
And yet it's false. I don't have a Canadian citizenship yet (I'm under an open post-graduation work permit.) I don't have a childhood in Canada, I wasn't "born and bred" in Canada. And I only moved to Canada 5 years ago. My parents aren't even in Canada. Most of me is okay with this, having grown up as a Third Culture Kid, but some of me is still somewhat uncomfortable with characterizing Canada as home.
A few weeks ago, I had a chance to go to my high school reunion and catch up with a few old friends there (many I haven't seen for years.) The concept of home came up and despite all of us having gone to school in Vietnam, they all understood the sentiments I had towards Canada being home to me. And we reminisced about our time in Vietnam, about how so many things have changed.
And then I realized something.
Home is a place that I yearn for. It's a place that I remember, that I miss, that I have fond memories and stories of. But it's more than that. Home is a places where I left pieces of myself. Home is places where I know I have changed my surroundings and my communities as a result of me having lived there. The relationship I have with home is reciprocal. Vancouver left pieces of itself in me and I left pieces of me in Vancouver. Home is a place I'm a local of, and I'm a local in Vancouver.
5 years ago, I was from Japan and Vietnam. Today, I'm from Japan, Vietnam, and Canada. I couldn't be happier to say that.
I realized that after moving to London 3 months ago, the variation I use to answer "where are you from?" has changed from when I was in Vancouver. The most common answer that I give out now include "I'm from Canada" and "I was in Vancouver before here." Usually, people are satisfied with that answer and doesn't pursue the issue any further.
And it's true. I know what Canada stands for. I've studied, worked, and lived there. I can proudly explain how the electoral system works, what the geographical makeup is, what the big issues facing Canada are, what the best pub you can go to in Vancouver is (for the record, it's a toss-up between St. Augustine's and Alibi Room.)
And yet it's false. I don't have a Canadian citizenship yet (I'm under an open post-graduation work permit.) I don't have a childhood in Canada, I wasn't "born and bred" in Canada. And I only moved to Canada 5 years ago. My parents aren't even in Canada. Most of me is okay with this, having grown up as a Third Culture Kid, but some of me is still somewhat uncomfortable with characterizing Canada as home.
A few weeks ago, I had a chance to go to my high school reunion and catch up with a few old friends there (many I haven't seen for years.) The concept of home came up and despite all of us having gone to school in Vietnam, they all understood the sentiments I had towards Canada being home to me. And we reminisced about our time in Vietnam, about how so many things have changed.
And then I realized something.
Home is a place that I yearn for. It's a place that I remember, that I miss, that I have fond memories and stories of. But it's more than that. Home is a places where I left pieces of myself. Home is places where I know I have changed my surroundings and my communities as a result of me having lived there. The relationship I have with home is reciprocal. Vancouver left pieces of itself in me and I left pieces of me in Vancouver. Home is a place I'm a local of, and I'm a local in Vancouver.
5 years ago, I was from Japan and Vietnam. Today, I'm from Japan, Vietnam, and Canada. I couldn't be happier to say that.
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