Action 1 – Starting from the ground

When trying to explore what constitutes ‘Home’ for me personally, I’m caught in the middle of two communities: the physical and the ancestral.

Uncovering the Liminal Space

The physical not only includes my geographical location, it includes the western cultures that I was born and raised in. These communities are fundamentally based on an ideology centered around assimilation (ie. the mosaic or the melting pot). Because of this, they have a tendency to dominate my ancestral community, which is centered around my Indian heritage.

I live in the Liminal Space between these two communities. Within a constant state of transition, back and forth. Therefore my home is dynamic and it moves with me wherever I go.

So how do I define actions that represent home?

I try to create inspired actions that draw from my communities while adapting to the changing environments around me and utilizing the skillsets and tools that I have.

For me this action is centered around the preparation of unique meals. Growing up, my family always assembled for meals. It would be prepared throughout the day by my mother and grandmother. Then my entire family including grandparents, and sometimes extended family and friends would eat together.

I’ve tried to extend this action. Every week I make meals for my family and (until recently) friends. This has immense value to everyone involved and I equate my expat experience with that of my parents immigrant experience.

In addition, I have a background in plant sciences (and my mother is a botanist) and I live in a country that has been under a blockade for over 3 years. It does not produce any of its own food and relies on the import of goods from abroad. For that reason, its become very important to me to try and grow my own food, when possible. Its an ongoing experiments that yields mixed results, however it is a step in the right direction.

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