Hometown
Whenever my friends told me stories from their childhood that took place in their hometown, I’ve always felt a pang of jealousy. Why? Well, as ridiculous as it sounds, I don’t have a hometown. I don’t have a place where I could go home to and say, yes, this is where I was born, this is where I grew up, this is the place that I know every nooks of.
I was born in the second largest city in East Java, Indonesia. A tasteful city called Malang. I moved out with my parents when I was still very young though, to Sumedang, a town in West Java. The town is not far from the volcanic Mount Tampomas, and its famous for its deep fried tofu, Tahu Bungkeng. I lived in the countryside with my mother who was “the doctor” in the village.
After I graduated from elementary school, I moved to Bandung. This time, it’s the capital of West Java. Bandung is Indonesia’s third most populous city, and in my opinion it was basically Indonesia’s New York City. My stay there was short though, as I moved again to Balikpapan after six months.
Balikpapan is a seaport city located on the island of Borneo known for its oil wells and coal mines. It is the second largest city in East Kalimantan. This is where I spent most of my teenage years. I hated the place at first, and it took me a while to adjust. To be honest, I don’t have many fond memories of the place.
I moved to Germany soon after I graduated high school. My first “home” in Germany was Aachen, a spa and border city in North Rhine-Westphalia. It’s a beautiful city suited for students. As I returned there recently, I realized how much I love and despise the city at the same time. So many good memories, yet so many bad memories.
My second “home” in Germany was the capital of the country itself, Berlin. I loved this city. If I had to pick a favorite city, I would definitely pick Berlin. In this city I was reborn. I lived in Berlin for a year, and I changed so much in that difficult year. Hopefully for the better, even though some people might say otherwise.
I live in a small town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia now now. The town is a bit weird, a bit creepy, but homely otherwise. Having moved around throughout my whole life and not having a hometown made me realize, that home is truly where the heart is. To me, my home is not Balikpapan, it’s my family who lives there. I wasn’t born nor raised in Germany, but this is my home right now, as I’ve built a life and made family here. Home is where I want to be.