Vision: Thousands of miles apart

As the days pass by, more and more do I think about why I find Athens so homely. The smells, sounds, people, animals running around, etc. all remind me of one place: San Fernando, La Union; my hometown in the Philippines. The culture here in Athens is so similar to the ones back home. Both have a resting period in the middle of the day, both cherish their relationships with people more than the amount of materialistic things they accumulate. Both cities are thousands of miles apart, yet they both feel like home to me.

I've founds myself constantly comparing how Athens and San Fernando are alike or how everything I have ever learned from any of my previous classes are actually being applied in real life. I realize now that "home" is not a certain geological place that you can pin point on a map, but a place where everything in the universe is at the perfect balance.

The driving situation in Athens is one of the most prominent triggers that makes me think of my hometown. There may be three lanes for vehicles, but you will find that motorcycles and small cars will wedge themselves between those lanes as long as they can fit. This, by all means, defies the set rules of driving in the United States but to me, its a slice of what I consider "home".

Thousands of miles apart and both cultures still put relationships with other people as one of their top priority. Even when you head over to a cafe, it's culture to sit down and socialize for a while before leaving the person you have met with unlike the United States where you're expected to leave once your meal is done. It has been years since I have sat down at a cafe for several hours and have not felt guilty for sitting there and socializing.

A bit of wisdom for all those traveling the globe:

Home is not a city that you grew up in. Home is not the country your ancestors are from, nor is not a specific building structure that you currently reside in. Home is a place where you find your identity in the world. Home is a place where you can grow your roots without the fear of having then ripped out of the ground. Home is a sanctuary, a peaceful place that travels wherever you go and never leaves you no matter how may miles you have traveled. Home is where the heart is, and for as long as you keep it in your heart, home can be anywhere you chose it to be.