A friend of mine, speaking on the subject of Home, said that what’s most important to him was flexibility – the ability to just pick up and go anywhere in the world; to be elsewhere easily.

As long as he was with his wife, he saw himself being able to live partout (as long as she wishes to live there too). The actual living space is not as important as the ability to easily find a place to stay or the availability of friends and family to host them in each city they pass through. 

His wife incidentally added that she too had a fear of being committed or “invested” too much in one city.  And so they didn’t believe in owning a home since it would make it slightly harder for them to feel that they are free to just pick up and leave at any time.

After more interviews with a bunch of similar friends in various cities, I came to the conclusion that ‘there’s no place like home” for young mobile persons; there’s only Elsewhere. Or, as the French more elegantly put it: il n’y a que d’ailleurs. 

While I was in Singapore, I itched to return to New York. Now that I am back here, I’m dreaming of somewhere else…