Possibly a word to represent every fiber of my being? It’s true!
Still working on Part ٢ of the Camel Beauty Pageant… In the meantime, pondering a word that caught my attention today on Pinterest. If you are new to Pinterest, don’t click on it. It’s a time-sucking vampire, but I digress.
I had to wiktionary it. Leave it to the Germans to craft the perfect word for every state of being and this one is not even very long or hard to say! They are responsible for my other favorite word: Schadenfreude. It is defined as “a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people.” You know someone who delights in this regularly. Be honest! You have too–it’s very human.
Anyway, back to Fernweh. It was wiki’d under “nostalgia.” “German Romanticism coined an opposite to Heimweh (Home-sickness), Fernweh “far-sickness,” “longing to be far away,” like wanderlust expressing the Romantic desire to travel and explore.” I have rarely experienced “heimweh.” I get home sick only when there is some major event at which I should be present, but
A) I cannot afford it.
B) There is no time.
C) Something else stopped me.
I really do not miss shops, food, American rituals or places. I, of course, miss people, but the true friends will always be there for you and, with the advent of Facebook and Skype, you are never more than an IM away.
If you are living abroad, what do you miss? Does this word resonate with any of you as it does me?