First Generation Immigrant: What Home Means to Me

If you were to search the definition of ‘home’ on Google, it would read: "A place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household". Google’s definition of ‘home’ is different to what home means to me. Being a first generation immigrant, I haven’t lived in Canada my whole life. I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa before I later moved with my parents to Canada at the age of two years old. So, what does home mean to me? Does it mean South Africa where I was born? Or does it mean Canada where I have lived for most of my life? Since I only moved here when I was two, I don’t remember much of South Africa. My house is here in Canada, so is Canada my home? According to Google, yes it is, since I “live here permanently” although most of my loved ones live in South Africa. I think a home has to be a place you enjoy and love. When I was nine years old, I visited South Africa. I enjoyed myself with my family there! So I would consider South Africa my home. But I also love Canada! With its beautiful nature, people and landmarks, Canada is really special to me. So to answer what home means to me, I would call Canada and South Africa my home, since both are beautiful places, where my loved ones live. There are some people who are blessed to call two places home, but there is one place we can all call home: Planet Earth. So we also have to remember that Planet Earth is our home, and we have to take care of it as we take care of our individual homes, as this is the one home we all share.