Home is Sometimes not What you Think it is

Home means a lot to me but sometimes home isn't a house. Sometimes home is across the world, like in South Africa where my whole family lives. I feel happy when I get to go see my family where it's nice and warm during Christmas and cool and chilly during summer. Sometimes when my dad says, “Home,” he means across the world in South Africa. I smell a bunch of different things at home like my dad’s cooking, my dog coming home after going on a walk, my mom coming home from work with the smell of hairspray on her and when my dad comes inside from the shed. I feel relaxed when my dad or my mom comes home from work. I feel very happy when my dad comes back from a work trip. I feel calm on Friday night, when I know I can just relax with my cats and my dog. I love seeing my dog sit outside my house waiting to bark at someone, then realize I'm right there. I love the feeling when my dad says he's going to make my favorite food, or when my mom says she's going to make pasta. I like when I walk into my house knowing the next day I get to see my whole family. I love hearing that my mom’s going to make Koeksisters. It's a South African dish that my mom makes for my dad and me . Home isn't the place. It's the feeling of calmness, relaxation and happiness.