8 tips against homesickness
- Phone calls: Phone calls with family and friends can make you feel closer to them. Although they can be very useful when you are feeling down or need some advice, try not to rely on them too much. The whole point of you being abroad is being present in the moment, making new memories, and being with your new friends: your loved ones will still be there when you go back!
- Bring home to you: If you want to feel closer to home, they why not do something that reminds you of it? Eat a typical dish, listen to your favorite local singer, read a book set in your country, or watch a movie or series that is set in the familiar streets of your town. These are all great ways to feel immersed in your culture again while being abroad.
- A busy to-do list: In order to keep homesickness in check you must avoid moments of boredom at all costs: that’s when your brain usually goes back to good memories of your hometown and your loved ones! So if you feel yourself getting bored and starting to miss home organize something with your new friends! Go to a museum, the movies, learn how to cook a new dish, or go on a hike. Keeping yourself active and in the moment is truly the best medicine.
- Make new friends: Getting to know new people, their stories, and learning from them is one of the most enriching aspects of travelling abroad. The people you meet will become lifelong friends, and you will stay in contact and even visit each other long after your trip is done. And if you ever go back to the place where you first met you will remember all the things and the place you visited together, a lovely trip down memory lane!
- Share your feelings: It is very important to talk openly with other people about your feelings. From your host family to your teachers and your new friends, don’t be scared to share how you feel with the new people in your life. Talking about your feelings is the best way to learn how to deal with them and find a solution. And remember, there is no reason to feel embarrassed about how you feel, and you might find that the person in front of you has gone through something similar and might be able to share their experience and how they overcame it.
- Create a routine: Having a routine while being abroad is very helpful because it makes you feel more in charge of your new surroundings and day to day activities. Doing things similarly to how you did them at home can help in making you miss the comfort and familiarity of your home less. So why not create a detailed schedule of times and activities you want to do in a specific day or week? That will also help fight boredom!
- Be patient: The more time passes, the less homesick you will feel.So be patient with yourself and remember: your trip has an end-date, so you will be home before you know it!
- Be open to new things: When abroad, learn to say Yes more. Yes to local food, new music, art museums, adventures in the wild, dance classes. Being open and willing to experience new things will give you invaluable experience and make you grow as a person.
We hope these tips will make you less homesick and more open to have the adventure of a lifetime. Never forget to cherish the journey, because although every trip has an end date, memories stay forever!