Gweilo

Martin Booth narrated an excellent story of his upbringing in Hong Kong through Gweilo. Through reliving his adventures, reflections and thoughts, I thought the best message that came out was that the word 'home' means different things to different people.

Home is not necessarily where you are born. Home is where you choose to die. It may be where you grew up; or it may be where you choose to raise your own family. Perhaps it's where your family and friends are. Perhaps it's where you meet new family and friends. May be in the same state; or totally different ends of the earth. It could be where you grew up speaking the language. Or it can be where you are so captivated that you give up hours to learn how to speak the language the way the 'locals' do - so you can be one of them in time. It could be where you grew up with the local customs and know what every bow, wink, smile, smirk actually means. Or it could be where you still seek to understand the meaning of subtle differences in body language because you want to know and learn. A place where others look just like you. Or a place where your physical attributes are one of a kind. It could be where you are living now; it could be where you have set your heart on moving to in the future.

Home is your state of mind. It's where you feel comfortable. Regardless of the physical outlook. It's where you never stop being fascinated by the traditions and culture. It's where you recognise the flaws of the place yet love it all the more for that. It's where you want to live your dreams, hopes and ambitions of both personal and professional front.

It's where you know you belong....