My understanding of what “home” truly means began in the summer of 1999. After four months as refugees, my family returned to Kosovo, enduring a 24-hour bus ride from southern Albania. Rebuilding wasn’t easy—months to feel safe, years to reconnect with friends and loved ones—but those days taught me the profound value of safety, stability, and community. I was born and raised in Kosovo, where growing up in the 1980s meant living in a bustling home with 25 family members under one roof. It was a warm and jo...