This week's Mama Kat's writing prompt that I chose to write about is: The house that built me.Before moving to Arizona for college I lived in roughly 13 houses in 7 different countries!
To most people, this sounds totally crazy, but not to me. I can't imagine my life any other way. It's literally impossible for me to imagine growing up in one house my whole life. That just wasn't how I was raised. Somehow I got used to moving. It was fairly normal for us to move to a different house that had better electricity, better plumbing, less cockroaches, and really less problems in general. In the last country I lived in, Myanmar, we moved a whopping 4 times in my 6 years there.
I always knew in the back of my mind that my parents teaching contracts in these countries wouldn't last forever and I was prepared to make the move. It was simply part of this life. Of course, saying goodbye to my friends was always difficult and dramatic but we promised to keep in touch. It is because of this that I'm good at staying connected to my friends now. Facebook and email definitely make that a whole lot easier. I still do enjoy snail mail though. My parents would always make promises of a new and exciting country, a great new school to attend and a brand new batch of neat friends to make. Of course, this would all came true. : )
So, honestly, I didn't have ONE house that built me but many houses throughout my childhood that helped shape the person I am today. I remember bits and pieces from just about all the 13 houses. Oh wow, I just had an epiphany mid-post, I think the reason that I like moving the furniture around in my bedroom so much is because of this nomadic lifestyle that I had growing up. Does that make sense? When I move the furniture around, it becomes a whole new room. How interesting that I just now figured this out....
These houses really did build me.
Seven countries... Wow.. I have'nt been to that much countries even in my dream.. LOL
ReplyDeleteGlad I didn't have to move that often. I really didn't understand this prompt when I saw it but now thanks to this post, I do.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from Writer's Workshop. Here's the link to ours: http://zemeks.blogspot.com/2011/03/hey-its-time-to-get-up-by-abby-writers.html
We moved into THREE houses in TWO years when we lived in Blue Earth, MN. Then two more the next three years in anothef MN town. I totally get this.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad all the moves went well! What an adventure!
ReplyDeleteAmazing and fascinating to be exposed to so many different people and places! I'm sure you learned alot of friendshipping skills and have become very adaptive. I on the other hand did grow up in the same house, same town, until I went to college. There is a great serenity to having such deep roots.
ReplyDeleteYou and I have both moved around A LOT! It's fun to think back on all the addresses we've had, uh? Each places holds different memories. Hold on to them... always.
ReplyDeleteI loved all your houses in Burma, but my favorite was your last one...so many fun memories! I lived in 7 houses before going to college (first time I've ever counted!) I'm eternally grateful your parents and mine chose Burma...and that their contracts were longer than just two years!
ReplyDeleteI guess it depends on your experience. Just as you say not imagining living in one house, others can't imagine moving that many times and liking it. It's all in our perspective. The advantage you had with all those moves was in the opportunity to see different places, and make so many friends. And for you, that was a blessing.
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