Going Home

Jeremy: So Abedimi, you grew up really with two homes. Can you tell us a little bit about what it’s like having two homes? Do you feel any particular loyalty more to one than the other or are they both home for you?

Abidemi: That’s a good question. I think for me, both places are home. I grew up in Nigeria and in Canada. My extended family, he’s in Nigeria. So when I go there, I instantly feel at home, like, they welcome me with open arms. It’s the food, the music, the people, the smell. It’s amazing. It’s like I almost never left, except when I open my mouth and speak in English and it's a completely different accent. That’s a different story.

But then I go to Canada, and I think my way of thinking, my mentality, is more oriented toward that way. Like, I think more like a Canadian, I find in a lot of situations. So that is home, too. A lot of my friends are in Canada. My parents are in Canada.

So, I don’t know. I don’t really feel a conflict of interest most of the time. So I think I’m just kind of enjoying having two places where I fit in more or less.

Jeremy: So it is possible for a person to have two homes then.

Abidemi: And even more. I think it is possible, yeah. And it's great. It’s awesome.

Jeremy: So you’ve been away from Canada for a while now. When you go back there, do you find it difficult or easy to reintegrate into your city, into your family’s house, or does it take a little bit of time to readjust?

Abidemi: It does take a couple of days or three, because where I live now is different. So sometimes, when I go home, just the language, hearing English everywhere and being able to understand what everyone is saying. Sometimes it’s overwhelming. I’m just like, “Whoa, whoa, which conversation do I listen to? Do I eavesdrop--eavesdropping on?” So there is that aspect.

There is also the fact that some of my friends, our relationship is not as close as it used to be. So you go back home and you’re talking about—I talk about my new life and they don’t really understand all that I’m going through. And they are moving on with their lives as well. So that aspect is different—and missing my parents as well. But it always feels really good when I go back and see them, and spend that time with them, yeah, to reconnect. And eating all the food that I’ve missed being away from home, that’s always awesome. I always try to make list to make sure I cover everything I want to eat.

Jeremy: Is there anything in particular that you look forward to eating when you go back home, the first thing that you immediately make a beeline for?

Abidemi: Oh! I love food, so it’s hard to choose one. I just want to eat everything. I mean, there is pizza—the local pizza shop near my house where my—oh my gosh, I got to have pizza there. There’s Tim Hortons, Timmy’s, the hot chocolate, the muffins. Love that. There’s my local restaurant—I don’t know—my mom’s cooking. So it’s hard to pick just one thing. I really look forward to going home and the food, so yeah.

Jeremy: Yeah. As a fellow Canadian, I know what you mean, especially with Tim Hortons.

Abidemi: Oh, thank you.