Where is home?
Posted by Anura Samara, 8 February 2014 1 comments
I’m in the middle of packing to leave home, to go home. And even when I’m home, some part of me will be missing my home.
I used to have a solid sense that Canberra was my home. It’s not just where I (mostly) grew up, it’s where all the things that keep me “grounded” are: job, house, family, friends, even pets. More importantly, since joining the ACTRFS I have felt a responsibility to Canberra, to be ready to go and defend our great city. And I came to believe that it was that sense of having responsibilities to others that makes Canberra my home – the idea that all of those connections and responsibilities makes me a bigger and better person.
So, even on my first three trips to Geneva I have always known where home is, and it was comforting to know that I would be going back there.
But now, as I’m packing to leave for Canberra for just under three weeks, I’m not so sure.
We have adapted so quickly to living in Geneva. We understand all the sights and smells and sounds and quirks of this city – I even look the right way automatically as I cross the roads! We understand the traffic and the public transport, the shops and how to get things done, we are getting better at understanding some of the local customs when it comes to eating out and organising things, and the language feels less of the barrier that it once was. As with any place you live in, all of those things whether good or bad become part of the rhythm of life. We seem to have adapted to the Geneva “rhythm”.
One of the issues about being an expat here is that the responsibilities you have – to family, friends and community – disappear. My responsibilities in the workplace are still there but the civic responsibilities of paying taxes and voting don’t exist and while the Geneva community has it’s own civic responsibilities, I can’t participate in them. Outside work, my only real responsibility is to pay the rent on time. So there is definitely an element of being seduced by the freedom from responsibilities but when I say that to myself it sounds like I am shallow.
The one difference between my three earlier stays in Geneva and this time is friends. I’m not talking about the people I meet when I go to the glocals events. I’m talking about people who have become real friends – friends who you feel completely at ease with, friends who take the p!ss out of you and are happy to get the same in return, friends who actively seek you out and include you in whatever is going on. At first, I wondered if it was just the shallowness of my ‘after work’ existence that made me desperate for these relationships. But no, I’m happy to say that my friends in Geneva (and by extension Nyon!) are my friends.
I find myself in a weird position. I’m a classic introvert, but I have learned that it’s your friends that define where home is. Without friends, even the grandest place on Earth is just somewhere to stay. With friends, two very different cities that are nearly 17,000kms apart are simultaneously home.
Comments [1]
Feel free to share your thoughts on this entry through a comment. Because I know who you are (yes, I'm talking about you), all comments will be moderated before appearing here.
Richard O'Sullivan #
As usual, beautifully expressed and written. No other words for it. Have a safe journey and all the best to you and Juliane for the wedding preparations. I’m sure you’ll all have a great day.
Leave a comment