As someone who loves to travel often, I am oftentimes perplexed when thinking about my home. To most people I would imagine they were born in a town and grew up relatively around that area and attended school and had their main friends from there and eventually left for college, perhaps in a different state. For me it has always been a bit confusing as I was immediately removed from my birthplace once I was born and traveled across the country, to the US of A. I crave new experiences and meeting new people and honestly think of 4 different homes, but mostly people that come with each memory and place. I believe that with every home we associate ourselves with, people are significant in our memories and experiences and homes are vital to helping us define who we are as distinct individuals. Homes represent different time periods in our lives and I believe act as puzzle pieces to defining every ounce of us; both the good and the not so good. We can’t control where we are born, to what continent or social class or family and I believe determines one’s entire life’s path but I do believe that homes represent a significant stereotype that ignites a little fire within us, a place where we will always cherish and belong to. Home brings comforting memories and oftentimes security, family and belonging. I can identify with 5 different homes, all playing instrumental roles for different points in my life with special people who have influenced me in myriad of ways.
If we are thinking chronologically throughout my life, Maryland would be my first home; the place where I took my first steps, made my best best best friend since pre school and where I went to school for a majority of my life. Sometimes I automatically think of my 301 area code or think of Giant or Trader Joes as my grocery store even though I have not lived there for years. Maryland brings out the suburban side of me, the competitive, angsty middle schooler Catie where 75% of my life took place. I always get excited when I see a Nats shirt or Maryland license plate because chances are I think I know them. I don’t. Marylanders are known for being the assholes of the country, so I guess that’s pretty funny.
Virginia would be my second home; primarily because every summer since 2006 (and to this day) I have spent running around the Shenandoah Valley with my camp friends, so it is logical that I would consider it my southern summertime home. I could go on for pages on my beloved sleep away camp, but Virginia always places a big place in my heart and I will always have fond memories of hiking in the mountains with my camp friends, riding in the Cavalry at 5 am and sneaking out to star gaze late at night. Some of my best friends are from Strawderman and will be to the day I die.Virginias are stereotyped to be from the snobby parts of D.C. or marrying their cousin so idk.
Ithaca, New York would be my third home. Ithaca, specifically as I feel as if surrounding areas are a poor representation of the gorges place it is. Ithaca brings out the “crunchy granola” side of family’s love for local living, hobby farming, farmers markets days, and environmentally- friendly obsession every true Ithacan seems to embody. Ithaca is where I fell in love with running and out of love with horseback riding. Its where I spent my high school years and met my best friends and some of the most important people in my life, people that I cannot imagine my life without if I had never moved. Ithaca is where I realized there was a world outside of the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia) that is not quite so affluent, competitive or busy and accepted that it was okay.
Wooster, Ohio is a reluctant home to my list, only because to this day I still have a strong love-hate relationship with Ohio. Honestly, Ohio is not the worst place I have ever experienced. But its also not the best. Attending college in Ohio—far away from home that its very difficult to visit for a weekend kind of sucks to be so far away from all of my friends but is also great. Attending college outside your home state is disorienting in countless ways but a great way to expand your horizons I suppose. Most people are only familiar with the Worcester which is in Massachusetts so I guess there really is not a stereotype with this one. I think of farmland and fracking and battleground state when I think Ohio so that’s good.
The reason I am sharing so much unnecessary detail about my 4 homes is this: it does not really matter where you come from because every place you visit, people believe that it is the god given best place on earth. I still feel Maryland pride even though I have not lived their for years and consider it my true home. People love to boast about their local sports teams, universities and famous people that have lived or visited their and it definitely does more than unite people. Everyone loves to boast that their city, town, state, coast is the best. But best to who? Every person has different needs, preferences and experiences which all make them who they are today. Maybe something about feeling ‘better’ than New Yorkers, because lets be honest who has heard of Ithaca from DC? Or equated Ithaca to mean Cornell University. We all think that we are better than other people but where does that get us? Maryland is not “better” than Ithaca than Vermont is to North Dakota, of course you can compare economies, educations or taxes but each place is unique in its own way. Of course, many will beg to differ but where you are from defines who you are and you should be proud. We are all complicated people and it really depends on what you do with your experiences and opprotunities that matter. No one cares if you have a lot of money and are from NYC. It doesn’t make you any better than upstate people. Home is home and that is okay.
