The Concept of Home

8/12/22

What is a home? I grow up in this city named Hong Kong. Speaks Cantonese, is a bilingual, born and raised in a small but vibrant city. Loves drinking lemon tea from chachantang. For us locals, Hong Kong holds another name--Home Kong. Which leaves me wondering "..so?"

I would say, I rarely leave the house or my room without a purpose. I would say I am the kind who does everything with an intention. However, ironically, when I'm left to wander sometimes in the city, it feels exciting. Exciting to be a wanderer and observer. So I have been thinking : How can I get myself to just be out there without thinking too much and find an intention as I just want to live a little at times. With this problem, the idea of Home Kong came to mind. If I consider this city as my home then my house is just a room in it. Not going out and staying in all the time is just like locking myself in my room when the majority of my house (this city) is left idle and unexplored. Well, what a waste! I would want to know my residence better. I would want to go to the beach, the park, the countryside, the city centre.

With this new way of thinking, I no longer regard places outside my geographical home as outside. Rather, every time I step foot outside, I am just going into other rooms of my house. that way, it feels easier to just go out and wander and look around.

If I apply this concept to the bigger picture, travelling would be the same. The earth is our home, and different parts of it are just different rooms waiting for me to be in.

I'm not having a revelation with this new idea, but it is fun and less boring to see ordinary things through a different lens. After all, we are just tiny beings in this big ass space.