Rikoo Gurung, AS
Ask any student or white-collar worker, many would say that there is nothing that can bring them instant happiness beside holidays. I find this really true as a high school student in Singapore, the only thing I look forward to in a school year is all the holidays we have. With globalization and development of transportation, travelling is becoming a norm for many when they are on holidays. Do not get me wrong. I love travelling too but personally, I would prefer to spend my holidays at home – my own home in my country.
The hit of Covid-19 has brought chaos to our lives, especially mine . With all the quarantines and safety measures, going back to Nepal had been impossible for me. In short, I am stuck here, in Singapore, for the last three years without my family. Hence if there is an opportunity, I would like to spend all the time I have during my holiday to be back home, where I truly belong, with my precious family that I have missed so much. There is a saying “ family comes first” and this still holds to be true. My family is dearly important to me and I will not hesitate to be with them, my loved ones, every day for the whole holiday simply because they are my home. The only one.
As a food enthusiast, I believe that the best holiday is to be able to eat my grandmother’s cooking on a daily basis, And there is nowhere else to do so besides spending my holidays at home. My grandmother’s cooking has been well-known since the 90s and her little Thakali shop is still crowded with a slithering queue till this day . At home, my grandmother is in charge of our meals, therefore, staying at home all day means food haven for me. There is no word that can describe the unique taste of her food that you cannot find elsewhere. Delicious/Delectable would be an understatement.
Coming from a health-conscious family, travelling to places during the pandemic is too much of a risk for me to take. My mind would not stop worrying about all the possibilities that could possibly happen during my travels. As such, staying at home makes me feel more at ease since I am not much of an outdoor person anyways. By being at home, I will have more time to recollect and understand myself better as well. I can take my mind off things and let myself fully relax after exhausting and laborious school days.
In all, different people have their own views about how they want to spend their holidays. The spread of Covid-19 is an intractable issue with no magic silver bullets that can solve the problem. We must live on with it. Through this pandemic, I have leant the importance of having a family, a home, a place to feel belonged and welcomed. There really is no place like home.