“I’VE BEEN LIVING AWAY FROM HOME FOR 8 YEARS, SO I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO BUILD UP MY SPACE AND FEEL GOOD WHILE BEING FAR FROM MY FAMILY. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO CREATE MY SPACE AND FEEL SAFE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, THAT EXPERIENCE HELPED ME A LOT. I LOVE OBSERVING ALL THE DIFFERENT WORLDS AND PEOPLE, SO TRAVELING IS HAS BECOME A NEED FOR ME. THIS ADVENTURE OF BEING AWAY AND FEELING NOT SAFE IS FOR ME NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THE WORD “HOME”. I KNOW AFTER ALL THE ADVENTURES, TRIPS AND UNCERTAINNESS I HAVE A PLACE TO COME BACK, BUT I LIKE THE CHALLENGE OF CREATING MY HOME EVERYWHERE I GO. IT HAPPENED TO BE A DESTROYED CHATEAU IN ST. LOUIS, A CABIN IN DINDEFELO OR A 3-STAR HOTEL IN DAKAR… THIS THING OF ADAPTING YOURSELF IN OTHER PLACES WHILE BEING FAR AWAY IT CAN BE VERY LIBERATING. WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AROUND AFRICA I HAD TO SLEEP IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES, CARRYING ALL MY CAMERAS EQUIPMENT AND NOT HAVING A REAL PLAN. ALL THIS CHAOS BROUGHT ME CLOSER TO MY SURROUNDING AND CREATED BOUNDS WITH THE PEOPLE I WAS MEETING AROUND. ALL THE ATTENTION I WAS GIVING TO MY SURROUNDING AND PEOPLE IN THE STREET HAD A DEEP IMPACT ON ME, AND MADE ME FEEL ALREADY AT HOME. I REMEMBER THERE WAS NO HURRY FOR ME TO COME BACK, AS JUST FOR A PROPER SHOWER AND A SALAD. I GUESS WHEN YOU LOOK FOR THE SURROUNDING AND PEOPLE WHO MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD, IT HELPS BUILDING A PLACE CALLED HOME.”
WORDS BY MILENA VILLALON
You must be logged in to post a comment.