What does home mean?

This week in Environmental Psychology was all about home and that got me thinking...what does home mean?

I moved from the first home I lived in when I was 9 months old across the world (perhaps that's why I do this now?). I lived in my first home in Houston for 4 years then moved to the house that my dad still lives in. But what does home really mean?

Right now, my home is in Ghana. With all it's faults and flaws (doesn't every place have them?) this is my home. I had no say in the structure that I live in, a group of people that didn't know me decided that before I arrived. Mostly for family size. And it's been a good fit. I had no choice in the location (Ghana). That was decided by the powers that be as the place that needed my husband the most.

That said, I actually feel like I am "going home" with our return to Poland. While there were several things about Poland that annoyed me the first time, I feel more like it's home than I would if I were to return to Ghana. There's something to be said for returning to something that you know and (mostly) understand.

I guess, home is just where my family is. While I used to think of Houston as home, I have actually come to the point that I don't think of it that way anymore. I guess the 2 places I feel most at home, no matter where I travel, are military bases and U.S. Embassies. In both of these locations, I feel like I belong.

What does home mean to you?