What is home? The perspectives of traveling professional workers in Vietnam

Abstract

Defining home has become a complex matter in a mobile world. With many people now able to move fairly freely and having a number of options with respect to where they can reside, the conventional concept of home that links it to one particular place is no longer as useful. Drawing from a qualitative study of 34 traveling professional workers (TPWs) in Da Nang and Hoi An in Vietnam, the article explores how home is perceived among this group of international migrants. TPWs think of themselves as having more than one home. The article also distinguishes between two related notions: “temporary home” and “permanent home.” Key factors that can influence the TPWs’ perception of home are identified, including physical exposure to the place, social relationships, a sense of belonging, and employment. Overall, the article explores the concept of home—settling and dwelling— among a group of professional workers employed within the tourism and hospitality industry who are pursuing their careers in a place other than their original home. The concept of home has evolved for migrants who are highly mobile and whose profession offers them opportunities to work internationally; in this context, home is a multifaceted phenomenon. Home has to be considered in relation to relocation as well as being tied, even if temporarily, to a specific place.