At my home, I feel free and I don’t have to live up to big expectations. It’s like a safe space. I’d probably say that the people you meet, like and care about are your home. That’s because you feel welcome with them and can just relax around them. But there are locations that are home too. For that, I think the memories you made, make your home- your home. Being in the places where you accomplished a lot can feel like home. Also, a place where you often meet with people that are your home can become your home. Additionally, the fact that you know places (like cafes or stores) to go to, that you like and where you feel comfortable is a part of home. So, when you go to a new place and don’t know any people or don’t have memories yet, how do you make it your home?

Of course, the obvious answer is to try and meet new people that eventually can become friends and make memories with them. You can explore the city and find your new favourite places. That is extremely important. But this will take some time, so when you arrive, I think there is more to it, to feel at home quicker. Let’s do a quick mind travelling.

Imagine that you are coming home and entering the place. You’re home alone, but for me, it still feels like home. You go to your kitchen and get some food. And then you go to your room, sit down at your favourite place and just chill and eat. Think about how you’re feeling. Hopefully, it feels like home. Think about the things that made that place home, apart from people or memories. I was thinking about the magnets on the fridge, my blankets and pillows, as well as my plants. So for me, another aspect that matters to feel at home is the decoration. When you go abroad for some time, think about what decorations are important to you and either take them with you or buy new ones abroad. I brought my pillow to feel at home and I’ll definitely go and buy a plant here in Skopje. In my view, people and memories are the more important thing, but I feel like the decorations and a nice place to move to, can help at the start. 

What can also help in the start is building some routines. You can do similar things that you did at home if you want to and it can give you safety. For me, relaxing for some time immediately when I come home, like in the mind travelling, is a routine. With that I can get relaxed for a second before doing other stuff and it’s a nice routine I’m gonna implement abroad.

Another important aspect of a home becoming a home is your mindset. It sounds simple but has a great impact. You have to imagine yourself in your new home doing the stuff you like and achieving your goals. By that, you connect with the place in your mind. In your childhood home you grew up and automatically did these things there, so for a new place maybe try to imagine it until you do it.

Also sharing can really make your home a home. Let’s go back to the mind travelling. You are sitting in your home at your favourite place and then you probably are gonna text someone. You should also do it abroad. Text your friends and family about your new home. They can be part of it if you want them to. With that, you won’t feel lonely and a bit of the people that are your home can be abroad with you. Moving doesn’t mean leaving your human home like family and friends. It’s more like leaving a place with memories that you can somehow take with you and you’re gonna build a new, second home. So don’t be afraid of leaving your home. Going abroad means widening your home, not completely leaving one.

Making your home, your home means something else for everybody. So in this article I just talk about some aspects that are important for me or some of the people I talked to about this topic. Just discover what makes a place a home for you and I’m sure you can make a place abroad another home for yourself.

Maike Seuffert