After viewing the questions that the students had I specifically found two to be very interesting. The first question I'd like to address is: How is identity tied to home? Or is it tied to a feeling of home? I think in the US the identity of a person is complexly tied to where they are from. Every once in a while you'll find a person who it is really difficult to tell which part of the States they came from, and usually it is because the person made it that way on purpose. There is a sense of shame attached to certain areas in the US and I'm particularly tied to one of them. Before I go in to that, let me first address some of the differences I have concerning what I attribute the tag "home" to. I consider my permanent residence at my parent's house currently as my home. However, I have a separate home which is my own for where I go to school. Eventually, I will make the separation and have my own home that is separate from my parent's house, but it hasn't happened quite yet. Secondly, I think the issue of identity is tied specifically to region as well. In the US, we identify a lot of the time by our regions. I am from the Deep South on the coast of Mississippi. This is an area I wear proudly because my state and that area of the US gets a bad rap for not producing anyone intelligent (even though many famous and creative talents came from there). That part of my identity allows me to connect with others who are from the same areas or know the culture almost instantly. Northerners think I'm weird, I think I grew up in the untamed wild that is the Deep South.
The second question I'd like to address is the question of how chaos in the home is handled/does it get handled well. My home, coming from a family of six, is usually chaotic when everyone is in town and we are doing family functions. The house itself is always moving always vibrant. Growing up in that sort of chaos has shaped me as a person and how I handled high stress situations. It's also helped me to enjoy the solitude and quiet time I don't receive very much of when visiting home. However, I would never trade it for the world. There is a warmth and comfort that comes with the controlled chaos that is my family unit. I'm super grateful to have a home where everyone is involved with one another and where the people are always aware of others outside of themselves.
I've never thought of the practical use of chaos in quite the same way, thanks.
ReplyDeleteMichael - I really like how you addressed "home" in a larger context than just the place where you live (i.e. an apartment, house, etc.). Home is definitely tied to our states, cities, and regions here. I live in California, which comes with certain assumptions. However, my city "home" is not at all what most people think of as California. It is an agricultural desert (yes, they are paradoxical, but nonetheless true) that is centrally located, but not on beach or mountains. So, in some ways my home is someplace I take pride in. I like many of the ideals and assumptions about CA, but on the other hand I begrudgingly credit Fresno as my home, as it has been my entire life. Fresno is diverse and, as I stated, centrally located, but it is also impoverished, extremely conservative, and massively undereducated. Whereas my definition of home that involves my individual dwelling and where my family exists has positive undertones for me, my city home does not.
ReplyDeleteYour first reply to the questions intrigues me. I've met so many people who intentionally eradicate any traces of their accents or where they're from in order to fit in. Yet, when you ask them where they're from, they proudly proclaim it. Never been able to figure that out.
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