It is common sense that a house is made of concrete and a home by the people living there. But can you carry a home inside you?
Philip Philips’ song titled Home features the following in its chorus: “…just know you are not alone, cause I’m gonna make this place your home”. This means that home is where our heart is. Where family, friends and pets abide. It can be a place or feeling, and feelings you can definitely carry with you wherever you go. In this part of the world, we understand this concept of home quite well. Expats from all over the world come to the Middle East and build a temporary life (or in many cases, it starts as a short-term plan and ends up longer than expected). But, despite how short-lived this experience can be, it shouldn’t be seen as a break from the idea of building a home. Remember that a home is very different from a house. You can own many houses but lack a home.
So, invest in creating a nice ambience full of good memories, whether it’s a place carefully decorated by an interior designer or a bed and fridge kind of layout. As with everything in life, looks are less important than the feeling that it gives you. Hold on to the people and things that matter to you (it can even be in the form of a piece of furniture), and don’t lose sight of the core things that make you happy and give you that warm sensation of finally being home! Wherever this place physically is.