Reconciling with Less Home: Between Haiti and Me
How did I come to the point of romanticizing a home I could not even identify?
I once believed Princeton was the home of the successful. Toni Morrison chose to teach students at Princeton before her teaching retirement in 2012. Michelle Obama cultivated her intelligent analysis of the world at Princeton. John Nash received his doctorate at Princeton, the only place that accepted him when everyone else thought he was crazy. People became something at Princeton. I didn’t see the people I wanted to be around me. Naturally, I thought Princeton would be a place where I would become my aspirations. But first I needed to leave home before I could get anywhere.
less home
I
“home” challenges that narrative. Home is more than just a place where we come from, it is a part of us. And the longer we distance ourselves from home, the less complete we are.
I
Martina is a MFA candidate at Rutgers-Newark University. Follow her @MartinaFouquet
Enter your email address to receive notifications for author Martina Fouquet
Success!
Confirmation link sent to your email to add you to notification list for author Martina Fouquet
More in this series
Hawaiian Authors on the Island’s Literature
“I usually emphasize that I am a hapa author,” says Kahakauwila. “It’s a political move.”
How a Baseball Team Helped Me Make Peace with My Home State
People will tell you the Marlins suck, that no one likes the Marlins. “Marlins fans?” they’ll joke, because everyone knows that Marlins fans don’t exist. Except they do, we do.
The King of Florida and Other Roadside Attractions
Like much of Florida, it appears both ridiculous and dangerous and gambling is involved. I think. I still don’t understand it.