HOMES
AWAY
From
HoMe Rayan Moukaddem





Being an international student is a unique journey of constant duality, feeling a profound longing for the familiar comforts of home while forging a new sense of belonging in an unfamiliar land. Every corner of the world I traverse brings with it a blend of excitement and a touch of melancholy as I carry with me the rich tapestry of my heritage. This experience is distinctly different from those who have lived and grown up in my home country; they are rooted in the soil of our shared history while I am a wanderer, planting seeds of my culture in foreign fields. The ache of distance often mingles with the joy of new discoveries, and in this delicate balance, I find a deep resilience and a broader understanding of the world.
It’s a bittersweet existence, but it’s one that teaches me to cherish the beauty of diversity and the strength found in navigating life between worlds. I learn to celebrate small victories, like understanding a local idiom or finding a taste of home in a distant market. Yet, amid these triumphs, there are moments of profound loneliness when the weight of being far from loved ones and familiar surroundings feels almost unbearable. Each moment of connection and every wave of nostalgia enriches my identity, blending the old with the new. In this continuous dance between longing and belonging, I continue experiencing and learning about the threads that weave humanity together, finding a home in the hearts of those I meet and in the shared dreams that transcend borders.














İLLÜSTRASYON: Rayan Moukkaddem, 2024.
ILLUSTRASYON: Rayan Moukkaddem, 2024.