The 33 Days Newsletter Challenge – Day 12

Today is the twelfth day of the 33 days challenge. The question for today was: “Where do you live?”.

Let’s see the answers.

L.K. “My home for over 20 years was a three bedroom bungalow. Was it home? Yes and no. Yes I slept there, cooked there, cleaned there, but it was not a good environment for me.

Last year I moved to a rented condo with my daughter. I bought new furniture, a new tv, dishes and everything else I needed. I decorated to my liking and made this condo home.

I am at home. This is my small little corner of the world where I feel safe, comfortable and at peace. I have been happiest in this home than in any other I have been in. I am taking care of the most important person in the, world now. ME.

Home is where the heart is, right?

S.C. “I live in a “family home” in Toronto, Canada. The house is good and I feel at home in it. However, Canada’s weather makes it hard to enjoy the outdoors. So if I could take this house (or even a smaller one) and move it to a warmer climate, I would do it in a second.”

I heard about that Canadian weather and you’re not the only one suffering from it. But I think there must be a reason for that.

A.A. “Fourteen years ago I left my hometown and I came to Bucharest for studies. I settled here. Now I am married, I have a child … properly saying I have a home. But you know what? Until December, 2013, I was considering my real home the one where my parents and my grandparents used to live. I would call myself a weird human that lives in 2 places and also in 2 different times. Somehow I failed to feel like home in Bucharest and now I have to live with it and make the most of it because this is actually my life 😉

Again, home is where the heart is 🙂

S.L. “I’m still living with my parents. Sometimes I feel at home, sometimes I don’t, especially when my parents are having cold wars with each other. As I’ve just graduated and expected to get a job, I feel like I’m living under their welfare. I don’t have enough money to move out yet, so I’m staying put for the moment. I’m striving to finally have my own place to stay, where I can invite they people I like to hang out with me.

Now that would be a very interesting moment. I know it was a big leap for me when I moved alone.

C.F. “I have the feeling that I live in an office! My house is an office, and when I leave my day-time office I go back to my second office… I’ve worked most of the time as an educator, instructor or scholar, which means that all the preparation/learning is done at home. And most of the work of an educator is preparation. Teaching is just the tip of the iceberg…

Well, looks like you could use some traveling. Maybe you will find a new home outside of your home, so to speak.

B.D. “To be honest, I have never felt “like at home” anywhere. This is mainly for financial reasons. If I never have enough money to live on, I can never be sure if rent will be paid. Also, whenever I could pay rent with a roommate, the roommate would eventually move in with her boyfriend somewhere else and I would have to leave because I couldn’t find a roommate quick enough. When I became disabled, I couldn’t afford to live on my own. Some foreign friends took me into their home to help me out, no rent. This is good, but then they make me leave every weekend and sometimes for a month so they can be alone or have their own visitors. Then I have to find another place to stay for that time period. I feel like a nomad. I go and stay with my boyfriend too, but he won’t let me move in until I “learn how to make money.” I sure would love to stay in ONE PLACE for once! If I had enough money to call a place my own, and would be assured I wouldn’t have to keep moving, then I could make it into a “home” finally. Being poor and disabled, I am at the mercy of others.

I feel you. I don’t know how it is to be like this, but I do admire you for your courage and strength. I really do.

Now, my answer to this one.

I live in a rented apartment downtown Bucharest now. I used to live in many places. When I was a soldier, 25 years ago, I used to live in a military campus. When I was a student, I used to live in a student hostel. After that I lived in various apartments and at some point I even lived, for 4 years, in a house in suburbs, experiencing the “rich guys” lifestyle. It wasn’t bad, to be honest, but it wasn’t spectacular either. I don’t see myself living again in that specific setup, unless I will drastically reduce the size of the house. In the end, it turned out that I didn’t own a house, but the house owned me and my time.

But back to where I live now.

It’s a 2 rooms apartment which is very suitable for my lifestyle. It’s really close to a park and I can do my running there. It’s relatively close to the city centre, just far enough to allow me to walk around 30 minutes if I want to be in the Old City, for instance.

But what makes it home is not that. It’s not the convenience. It’s not the comfort. It’s not how it’s decorated.

It’s my choice. Home is where you choose to be.

If you want to be a part of this 33 days challenge, and receive the next questions, all you have to do is to sign up here. It takes only a minute.

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