What is hometown?

Today, I discussed the topic of country and sense of belonging in class, which is objective and rational. Patriotism is an idea, not a forced emotion.

Many of us have discussed our love for our country. Some people say that although Hong Kong people live in the Mainland most of the time, they love the Mainland more. Some people say that although they live in Australia, they still define themselves as British because of their ancestry and other reasons. Some people say that even if they emigrate, they still love the original motherland more.

We discussed the reasons why we love a country or a nation. Some people say it has something to do with how people treat themselves. Some people say that if we love a country, it will love us.

I thought about it. There may be the following reasons for loving a country: time spent, adaptability, pedigree and so on.

Time spent-as I have lived in Shanghai for so many years, how can I not love it here? Today, I also chatted with a driver in Langfang, Hebei. Judging from his accent, I asked him if he was from Beijing. He said that he was almost from Hebei. I said that a friend of mine is from Langfang. He said, hello, I'm from Langfang, too. I look happy. At that moment, I felt that Langfang, including the culture belonging to his hometown, was part of his sense of self-identity.

Adaptability-I feel more comfortable living here, more congenial to the temperament of the people here, and I like it better. For example, I especially like Melbourne during my study tour (I don't have that much affection for Sydney), such as the very gentle Japanese I met, such as the more cordial and grounded Suzhou people.

These constitute my sense of belonging, and even more than Shanghai and Qingpu, I have a deep yearning.

Qingpu occasionally has it, but only occasionally. Apart from some warm moments of parents, family, relatives, teachers and classmates, this city where I grew up has many painful and distorted memories. I don't really want to stay there. This is the answer that I am very resistant to, and it is also the reason why I feel uneasy when I walk on that land.

I can't live in that land completely safely, either I feel too peaceful and lack of fighting spirit, or I feel too trivial. In a word, I can't convince myself to stay there.

As for Suzhou, I heard that it is Scorpio and Shanghai is Taurus. My temperament is very congenial to Suzhou, but I occasionally miss the equality between men and women in Shanghai, and men have more awe of women.

As for the school experience, I always feel that domestic universities, such as Xi Jiaotong-Liverpool University, always feel more approachable and less alienated than the children of Sydney University. (Maybe it's my prejudice, or the comparison when the parameters are not enough. )

I haven't found my sense of belonging, not at all. Every time I fill in the address, I will look at those words and feel their fit with my heart. Does it really make me feel like I belong? Many answers are no, my parents' house is not, and there is no 8 Tang Xue Street here (why is it so much like the movie version of 22 1 Baker Street where Holmes lives? Haha, Suzhou is also quite international, and many of them are Singapore-style buildings. Where on earth is it? When I was in Beijing, I filled in the real name of the soul I heard at that time. It seems that I still have some feelings. Not the kui is more than half of Beijing descent.

The closest one was when I was studying in a university in China. I was in the same class with a group of children from various suburbs of Shanghai, and I was appreciated. I am alone every night, and I am integrated with my soul in the empty classroom. I went to Melbourne to study in the summer vacation, fully respected my rhythm and heart, and got along well with Japanese friends and enjoyed it. That's the closest I've ever been to my soul, the most integrated body and mind. That kind of inner enjoyment is really unparalleled. One, too one.

Or maybe it has nothing to do with the place, but only with the degree of inner integration. Is this the most important source of belonging?

The space, culture or place that can best integrate us with our hearts is home.