Thoughts for Refugee Week - What Home Means

Recently I was contacted by the Scottish Refugee Council who asked if I would like to raise awareness of Refugee Week 2009.

The rules are quite simple:

1. Title your blog “What Does Home Mean to You?”
2. Think about what home means to you. Post three photos which represent “home” to you and write a little about each one.
3. Include a link to the Refugee Week website
4. Tag five others to do the same. That’s it.

Refugee Week runs between 15-21 June throughout the UK and aims to raise awareness of refugees’ contributions to our society through a wide range of cultural and educational programmes.

What does home mean to me?



Although I haven’t lived there for a couple of years (and I spent several years before that wanting to leave), Scotland, and more particularly, Edinburgh is where I really think of as home. I guess that’s because my parents are both there, and it’s where reunions of old friends and family gathering usually happen. It’s full of happy memories for me and it’s the place and the people I know I can always go back to, whatever happens in my life. It represents safety, comfort and warmth – it’s my cave – and while that’s fantastic to have, it’s also why I had to leave…if that makes any sense!



Having moved 15 times in the last 10 years (!) my possessions have ended up scattered in different places and I’m really looking forward to the day when all my books can be reunited in one bookcase! There’s no place I feel more at home than when I’m ensconced in a book, preferably when I’ve got a whole day to spend reading and particularly when I can spend that whole day in bed, only moving to get refills of tea and fresh supplies of toast! I don’t get to indulge in that too often but when I do, wow, it’s great. (The books pictured are not mine by the way!)



Now admittedly this picture was taken on a tropical holiday (which is why we look so happy!) but home wouldn’t be home for me without K around. He’ll probably be surprised to read that, me being the independent type and all that, and it’s true I do like my own space, but there’s no-one else I’d rather share my space with, and I’m really enjoying building my home with him, both here in Oz and wherever we end up after that.

I haven't tagged others here (breaking final rule) but encourage any readers with blogs to post something similar to help raise awareness of refugee week and how home is something so many of us take for granted - and how vulnerable it is for so many others.