How Travel Has Redefined My Sense of Home
Traveling for such an extended period—constantly moving from hostel to hotel, city to city, country to country—has reshaped my concept of home in ways I never could have imagined before I started my journey. What I once thought of as “home”—a fixed location where I lived in a house or apartment—has evolved into something far more abstract. Home is no longer tied to four walls or a specific address. Instead, it’s a feeling. A sense of comfort, of belonging, of finding your place in the world, no matter where you are.
Living out of a backpack, hopping between countries, sleeping in hundreds of different beds, and interacting with thousands of different people—these experiences have all contributed to redefining what home means to me. Over time, I’ve realized that home is less about where you physically reside and more about the connections you form and the comfort you create for yourself along the way.
You might find this difficult to understand if you haven’t traveled extensively, especially if you’ve always had a fixed place to call home. It may seem perplexing: how could anyone feel at home living out of a backpack, never having a stable place to return to, or the same people to greet them each day? But once you dive into the rhythm of life on the road, you start to notice that home can be found in the most unexpected places. It’s about the people you meet, the places that resonate with you, and the small, comforting routines you establish in unfamiliar territories.
Finding Home in Familiar Routines and Places
One of the first ways I find a sense of home when I’m traveling is through discovering places that feel familiar, even if I’ve never been there before. Hostels, cafés, and cities that offer some of the comforts and routines I enjoy in my daily life allow me to settle in and feel grounded. These small similarities—like a hostel with a comfortable living space, an on-site coffee shop serving my favorite americano, or a convenience store just around the corner—help me feel at ease. When I step into a new city and find a place where the streets are easy to navigate, the pace of life feels manageable, and I’m not overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle, I start to feel that home-like comfort.
For me, spending a few years on the islands of Hawaii, I’ve grown accustomed to a slower pace of life, where the outdoors is just as important as the indoors, and where the rhythm of life tends to be more relaxed. That’s why, when I arrive on a small, walkable island—somewhere with charming coffee shops, vegetarian food options, and a laid-back vibe—I quickly start to feel at home. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding that perfect coffee shop where you can start your day with a quiet cup of coffee, or stumbling across a park with enough green space to wander and reflect. These are the moments that make a new city or island feel familiar. When I walk the streets and feel at ease, I start to realize that this place has the potential to become home, even if it’s only for a short time.
Creating Home Through Volunteering
Another powerful way I’ve found a sense of home while traveling is through volunteering. Taking part in volunteer programs or work exchanges in different countries has allowed me to experience a destination more intimately than I ever could as just a passing tourist. Volunteering offers me the unique opportunity to stay in one place longer, and in doing so, I can build a routine that’s more reflective of what I value in my own life. Whether I’m working in a hostel, staying at a homestay, teaching English, or helping out on a farm, I always feel a greater sense of connection to the place I’m in.
These programs usually require me to stay for a longer period—sometimes weeks, sometimes months—and this extended stay fosters a sense of stability. I wake up in the same place every morning, make coffee in the same kitchen, and engage in work that gives me a sense of purpose. This sense of purpose, paired with the stability of a routine, provides a foundation that turns the unfamiliar into something more comfortable, more like home.
Volunteering also allows me to build stronger relationships with the people around me. The bonds I form during these experiences tend to be deeper and longer-lasting than those I might have with fellow travelers I meet for only a few days. In many ways, the relationships I forge through volunteering help create a sense of community that transforms a foreign place into something much more familiar. And as I unpack my bags and settle into a routine, I begin to form an emotional connection with the place itself. I’m no longer just passing through—I’m integrating into the local culture, creating roots that, even if temporary, feel meaningful.
Finding Home in People
But perhaps the most profound way I’ve discovered what home truly means is through the people I meet along the way. There’s a very common saying, “People make a place,” and it rings more true than ever when you’re a long-term traveler. The people you meet shape your experience, add depth to your journey, and make a place feel more like home. When I think back on the places I’ve loved, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t the scenery or the landmarks—it’s the people.
When you’re traveling, especially if you’re doing it solo, the people you encounter along the way often become your home. It’s the random conversations you have with strangers that end up turning into lasting friendships. It’s the like minded spirits you meet in hostels, cafes, or on hiking trails that share your sense of adventure and curiosity. These connections create a community that fills the gap left by the absence of familiar faces.
One of the most heartwarming examples of this is when I meet someone who shares my native language, or even just my accent. As an American, I often find myself connecting with other travelers who speak English, but there’s something particularly comforting when I meet fellow Americans or Canadians. We might not have much in common at first, but the shared language and similar cultural references—especially the humor—create an instant bond. Even small things, like talking about home, sharing childhood memories, or laughing at the same jokes, can help me feel like I’ve found a piece of home abroad.
The people I meet while traveling often become my support system, my family in a foreign land. It’s easy to form strong, intense friendships when you’re all sharing a new experience and navigating unfamiliar territory together. These bonds are forged quickly because of the shared vulnerability of being far from home. When I spend a few days with the same people, exchanging stories, working together, and exploring new places, I often find myself feeling at home in a way I never would have expected.
Some of the most difficult goodbyes I’ve experienced weren’t with my family back home—they were with the friends I made along the way. Leaving behind people who have made me feel so welcome, so at ease, has proven to be harder than saying goodbye to familiar faces. The relationships I’ve built while traveling have redefined the idea of “home.” It’s not just about where you are—it’s about who you’re with.
Why I Rarely Feel Homesick
This is one of the reasons I rarely feel homesick while traveling. Of course, I have moments of longing for family or friends, or the comfort of a familiar place. But those feelings don’t last long, and they never weigh me down for long. Once you learn how to create a sense of home in the places you visit—whether through the routines you develop, the people you meet, or the comfort you find in your surroundings—those pangs of homesickness fade. They don’t disappear entirely, but they become easier to manage.
Being able to create home wherever I go has taught me that home isn’t a place—it’s a state of mind. It’s the feeling you get when you find a community, when you discover a place that resonates with you, or when you form deep connections with people. The world becomes smaller, more connected, and far more welcoming when you realize that home can exist in so many different forms.
In the end, the most profound lesson I’ve learned from travel is this: home is wherever you choose to make it. Whether it’s in the familiar routine of a hostel, the stability of a volunteer program, or the deep bonds you form with the people around you, home is a feeling that can be found anywhere—no matter how far from your actual home you may be.
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