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Over the past two years since I began my PhD studies, I have had many beautiful moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life. And maybe part of this feeling comes from where I came from, from seeing how different Tehran is from Rochester.

Tehran is a fast paced and crowded capital city, yet still delightful and charming, with warm and lovely people. In Tehran, you might spend your evenings at Lamiz Café in West Town or at the Palladium food court, and your weekends exploring the shops at Darband Street or Tajrish. Life there moves quickly, and the city is always awake.

In contrast, Rochester feels calmer, and it slowly teaches you to slow down. There is a quiet beauty in its parks, its seasons, and its everyday life. I have truly felt at home in Rochester, and living abroad has been far less challenging than I had initially imagined. The city has a way of making space for you to think, to grow, and to find your rhythm.

Of course, living in a new country can be very challenging. Language barriers at the beginning, missing family and friends, and new research responsibilities can all feel overwhelming. I have been there too. I have experienced this vague feeling of being lost and not knowing exactly how to face all the new emotions you are going through. Everything is new, and it can feel difficult to merge into a new society and truly feel at home.

This raises an important question: how does one come to feel at home? What makes a person feel welcome and well received in a new town, city, or country? If you ask me, I would say it is, in many ways, a choice. As the saying goes, when it is raining, look for rainbows, and when it is dark, look for stars. There is a subtle art to finding joy in moments and trying to navigate your life with optimism. Every person deserves to feel comfortable and at peace in their surroundings, and that is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.

There are always aspects of new situations to appreciate, and once you develop this mindset and learn to cherish small, joyful moments, you begin to feel at home. A simple walk at Highland Park, paddleboarding along the Erie Canal, a cup of fresh coffee at Village Bakery and Café in Pittsford, or enjoying a Philharmonic concert at Kodak Hall are just some of the many charms of Rochester that make it a special place to be.

From another standpoint, and for many of us, a friend, a thoughtful colleague, or someone with whom we share values can feel like home. Their presence softens the unfamiliar, and slowly, the place you are in begins to feel warmer, closer, and more yours. It is in these quiet connections, a shared conversation, a moment of understanding, a simple laugh, that a new place starts to take on meaning. What once felt distant becomes familiar, and what once felt temporary begins to stay. And before you realize it, it is not just the city that has changed, but your place within it.

Perhaps that is the beauty of it all, that we carry the ability to create “home” within us, wherever we go.