Home?

By Peter Smith, published in ...and Bees make Honey, edited by Jill and Roger Dyer

One of the worst questions to ask an MK is "Where are you from?" For years I have struggled, trying to arrive at an appropriate answer.

"Well...um...my dad, he was born in Illinois, but he grew up in New Jersey. My mom grew up in Denver. They met and were married in New Hampshire, but I've never been there...Oh, where am I from? I was born in NhaTrang, Vietnam, but we had to leave before I was even a year old. I've lived in Pennsylvania two years -- but I was so young I can't even remember it. There are the four years I spent in Mindanao, Philippines...

I could tell you Dallas, and get it over with, but that wouldn't be answering the question, because I've only lived there for a total of 20 months, and though we do have a house there, I haven't established any roots...I'm currently living in Manila, Philippines, and I've been there for the last four years, but all my memories and attachments remain in Kota Kinabulu, Malaysia, where I spent my elementary years...