Where is Home?

It is the end of the school year and many people in the international teaching world are talking about "going home".

People can mean a lot of different things when they say this.

Home means several things to me.

Right now when I say I am going home in less than a week, I mean central Illinois - where I grew up.
I means my Dad's house in rural Illinois surrounded by cornfields, cow pastures, and dirt roads.  The bedrooms, bathrooms, and sheds that I helped build.  The woods we went hiking in.
It also means my sister's house in the city about 30 miles from my dad's house.  Where I spend the days with my sister eating breakfast with the girls, taking them to the park, zoo, children's museum, and playgrounds.

Home also means Houston, Texas, where I lived for 11 years before I moved overseas. The place where I had my first real teaching job and where I bought my first house.  Where I made a lot of friends and found Jesus.  I hang out at Karin and Brendan's house a lot where I am "aunt Bob" to their 5 kids. Karin's gracious parents who let me stay in their house, use their laundry machines, and let me use their car.  My friend Stacy whom I met in college, was my roommate when we first moved to Houston together, and is from the city my sister lives in. My precious friend Jamili whom I met while working for the Girl Scouts in college.  My adorable friend Norma who makes me laugh more than anyone else. HOME.

After a few weeks in the US, I will be talking about going home again.  This time it will be home to Mumbai. Mumbai - my first international residence.  My flat that will smell like monsoon and have pigeons and crows constantly bothering me my flapping against the window and getting stuck in the air conditioner. Mumbai-where I can walk to nearly everywhere I need to go.  Mumbai - which will be my home for 6 years - which is as long as I lived in my house in Houston.

I am blessed that I have so many places that are home to me.