Ustinov at home?
Ustinov at home? 11
Examining different conceptualisations of home among Ustinovians during the COVID-19 pandemic By Eirini Tzouma and Deshon Griffith
“Life seemed a bit messy at the time, so all I can recall is long emails and packing up my things. I left Durham and came back home. I was staying in my new room that was decorated with old posters, talking with people in Durham while listening to my favourite local radio station. The news about the virus was varied, and I was not certain if I should follow the BBC or my tele. The hardest part of all this was defining home.” - Anonymous This article has a long history; a history that in a way is aligned with its content. Co-author, Eirini, had just become part of the Global Citizenship Programme’s Media and Publications Team at Ustinov
theUstinovian
when the emergence of the pandemic rocked our once stable ground. The opening quote reflects a relatable experience for many, especially for those who decided to return to their home country. Thus, a question arises; “How did the pandemic affect our understandings of home?” Eirini was not alone in this reflection. When she decided to reach out to co-author, Deshon, with her idea of investigating how COVID-19 affected Ustinovians’ conceptualisation of home, he himself had his own story of displacement in the pandemic. In March 2020, Deshon attended a conference in London and then, on a weekend visit to Oxford, was trapped in the national lockdown - unable to return to his country of origin (Barbados) and unable to return to College accommodation in Durham. He too had to grapple with new ideas of home - was it Durham, Oxford, Barbados or all three?
The Ustinov community is a very diverse one, often referred to as a potpourri of cultures, ideas, and identities.
