newsheaven

During my teenage years in a standard U.S. suburban area throughout the 1990s, there was a well-defined path everyone seemed to follow: Once you reached 18, you were supposed to go to college or find employment, but regardless, you had to move out of your family home — permanently. The reason to return home often involved significant life changes such as unexpected pregnancies or serious health issues. Should you choose to remain at home or relocate only to come back later, it would bring about feelings of embarrassment not just for yourself but also for your parents. Having a young adult reside in the basement was seen as "failing to become independent." I was surprised during my time as an exchange student in Spain when my host family presented their accomplished and employed 20-something cousin, who proudly lived with her parents in an apartment in Madrid. This cohabitation wasn’t seen as embarrassing; rather, it was quite typical and usual. In the ...