When the Roof Comes Down: Encountering Danger when Living Away from Home

Although usually considered an expatriate's dream location, in this chapter Ruairidh J. Brown describes how Lisbon in Portugal, the so-named City of Sun, presented itself as the city of rain and floods. He recounts how a period of severe weather resulted in his apartment becoming repeatedly flooded until, finally, the roof collapsed. Drawing on this experience, Ruairidh reflects on the meaning of ‘home’. He also shows how experiences like flooding in Lisbon reveal the potential lack of security abroad and how vulnerability to danger can be felt more acutely.