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What Does Home Mean to Us?

Six of us, in six countries, filmed the places and moments that feel like home. Then we compared notes.

Video1 min readBy Lucas, Amani, Masah, Priya, Hana and Noah

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We each had one week and one question: what makes somewhere feel like home? Nobody was allowed to film a flag, a landmark or anything from a tourist brochure. We wanted the small, ordinary things.

How we made it

Every contributor filmed two minutes on a phone. We met online twice, across five time zones, to choose the clips. Arguing over the edit was half the fun.

What we noticed

Kitchens appeared in four of the six films. Sounds mattered more than sights. And the two of us who have moved countries both talked about home in the plural.

About this story

Made by
Lucas, Amani, Masah, Priya, Hana, Noah
From
Brazil, Kenya, India, Japan, Canada and Sweden
Format
Video, with captions
Published
20 September 2026
Themes

Perspectives

  • Lucas

    Brazil

    Home is the noise of my street at seven in the morning. When I was away for a week, the silence felt wrong.

    More from Lucas
  • Amani

    Kenya

    I filmed our gate, because everyone who matters to me has walked through it. Home is who comes in.

    More from Amani
  • Masah

    Sweden

    My room is tiny, but I chose every poster. Home is the one place where nothing was decided for me.

    More from Masah
  • Priya

    India

    Home is my grandmother calling my name from the kitchen. It is never quiet, and that is the point.

    More from Priya
  • Hana

    Japan

    I filmed the snow outside the window. Home is the season I know best.

    More from Hana
  • Noah

    Canada

    I have two homes, one I remember and one I live in. I filmed both, using old photos for the first.

    More from Noah

Reflection

What we took away

  • What surprised us?

    How often "home" meant people and sounds rather than a building.

  • What did we assume?

    We thought our homes would look completely different. Most of us filmed a kitchen.

  • What did we learn?

    Home is something you keep making, especially if you have moved.

Use this story in class

  • Classroom activity · Ages 11–16 · 45 minutes

    Map Your Home

    A classroom activity where students draw a sensory map of home and compare it with a partner's.

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