Not From Here, Not From There
There’s a song my son sings that has stayed with me.
“No soy de aquí, no soy de allá.”
I’m not from here, I’m not from there.
We all tear up every time he sings it. There’s something in those lyrics that captures a feeling a lot of people carry, especially when life has stretched across countries and cultures.
Belonging in More Than One Place
I’ve met so many nomads on this trip, including one world traveler who said, almost casually, that after living in different places he doesn’t fit in his home country anymore. I’ve lived among expats and immigrants for years. My husband and his family have carried their own version of it. My boys weren’t little when we moved abroad, but they still fit the third culture kid experience in their own way, that question of where you belong when your life has been shaped by more than one place.
I want to say this clearly because it matters to me: I chose my move, and I’m privileged to live in Spain. I’m grateful for that choice, and I’m not presenting it as a hardship.
But even with gratitude, there can still be a real, human experience here. Sometimes you belong in many places and also not completely anywhere. Sometimes you start exploring because something in you is looking for truth.
What Actually Makes Us Feel at Home
What I love about the song is that it doesn’t turn that into a tragedy. It points back to something deeper than geography: the simple pleasures in life, the people you love, the sun, the flowers, and the moments that make you feel alive. It’s a kind of identity that isn’t dependent on one place.
💛
Reflection Question: What are your simple pleasures that make you feel at home?
✨ If this spoke to you, I’d love for you to subscribe to my blog or connect with me on LinkedIn. And if you’re navigating questions of belonging, identity, or life across cultures, coaching can help you ground yourself in who you are, wherever you are.
You can always start with a free Saboteur Discovery Session.
My simple pleasures: cats, tiny pigs, and Dr Pepper, always.
This guy looked like he was plotting his own big adventure…and then he promptly lost a standoff to a beetle. 🪲😂 Pretty sure he’s right where he belongs.
