Was ist für dich Heimat? What is home to you?

Heimat, which means "home",  is one of my many favorite German words. In German, the word does not just mean a house on a cul-de-sac. The word Heimat has a much more complex, deeper, and broader definition than that.

 I remember when one of my German teachers asked my class the same question a few years ago.  I was still going to Cäcilienschule Oldenburg Gymnasium at that time. It was a few weeks prior to Christmas break when the theme "Was ist für dich Heimat?" was circulated around the school.  There were art projects, essays, and speeches that were centralized on this topic.

"Was ist für dich Heimat?" he asked.
My answer was: "Heimat ist für mich, wo die Familie ist und auch wo ich geliebt bin".
(English Translation: "Home for me is where my family is and where I am loved.") 

I still live by my own definition of Heimat. For me, home is where I feel comfortable--where I can be myself and still be loved.

 I have, overtime, come to believe that Heimat  is not just one place. For many people, Heimat is a multitude of places. Heimat for me consists of three parts: my hometown (Duvall, USA), Seattle, and Oldenburg, Germany.  I have friends and family in all three places. I am proud to say that I come from Microsoft's founding city. I love the fact that I grew up with horses, pigs, and chickens in my backyard. I love that I know what the northwestern German word "moin" means.

Heimat can also come from your favorite songs, movies, and television shows. It can come from architecture. Even your daily routine can be your Heimat.  Heimat does not just come from a the people who love you, but also from anything that surrounds you.

 I decided to go around and ask our bloggers what Heimat is to them. Sarah said simply "familie!". Dorothy's response was "Heimat is wherever I feel most comfortable. For example: when I am at home with my family, or with people or in a city that I love".

Now, I ask my readers the same question: What is Heimat to you? 

This is a question I will be coming back to from time-to-time.




Bis Montag
Hilary