On How Migration Shapes Our Lives: A Conversation With Mehriban Efendi
Last week, our EADI Gender Justice Working Group had the privilege of hosting author Mehriban Efendi for a conversation about her novel “Sat Alone by the Gate”.What began as a discussion about a book quickly became a reflection on something many of us share: migration and the ways it shapes our lives.Together, we reflected on what it means to leave home, not only a place, but also familiar sounds, smells, languages, foods, routines, and versions of ourselves. We spoke about the anxiety, grief, loneliness, and invisible emotional labour that so often accompany migration, particularly for women who are expected to care for others while navigating uncertainty themselves.Perhaps the most beautiful reflection we took away was a simple question: What is home? We realized that home is rarely just one place. It can be people, memories, moments, and cultures we carry with us, leave behind, or spend years rebuilding.Thank you, Mary, for joining us and for creating a story that opened space for such an honest and meaningful conversation.