Moving abroad is excessively glamorised on social media. Many of us dream of moving to another country and pursuing our travel dreams. But, the truth is that sometimes it sucks. There have been occasions when all I have wanted is to see my mum or my sister or be home in my bed. Feeling homesick comes and goes in waves. One day I can be completely fine, then the next day I miss my family like crazy.
I’ve been overseas for just over 10 months, but already I have noticed how difficult it is to be away from my loved ones. Sometimes I would give almost anything to snap my fingers and be back in Australia. The first step to dealing with this feeling is realising it's completely normal to feel this way. If anything, it demonstrates how much you care about your friends and family. Once you have done that, here are some other things I find helpful to deal with homesickness:
1. Pick up the phone
It's the 21st Century, use your phone! This may sound obvious, however, I know that personally when I first arrived in the UK I wanted to be a “big girl” and deal with missing home alone. Just because you feel homesick doesn’t mean you are coming home, so there is nothing to feel embarrassed about. I know a phone call or text is not the same as being with someone, however, it can make you feel so much better. Talking to your loved ones helps reconnect and recentre you.
I look forward to calls with my family.
2. Feel homesick
This may sound silly, but let yourself feel homesick. Let yourself be sad, recognise it, accept it, and whatever you do, don’t hold it in. If there are travel or work days when you are overwhelmingly missing home, tell someone. Reach out for help. Spend the day reconnecting with family, resting, and taking care of yourself! If you are struggling, you do not need to push through on every occasion. I know you may feel embarrassed, but your emotions are valid. And the truth is, sometimes homesickness creeps up on you. I could be having a fantastic day, but then I remember I can’t personally share the stories with my mum and it pushes me over the edge.
3. Do the things you came to do
There must be a reason you are travelling or moved abroad, focus on those reasons! Keep yourself busy with all the reasons you moved. If you focus on everything you left behind, how can you enjoy your present experiences? For example, I moved to the UK to explore Europe, experience new things and work at a summer camp. When I start to focus on my travels or my job, I notice my homesickness is less strong.
4. Learn how to comfort yourself
Learning how to be there for yourself is essential in all aspects of life. Moving abroad made me realise that I have no idea how to comfort myself. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for support from others. However, (no matter how independent I thought I was) I had never been truly left to fend for myself, comfort myself, make decisions without consultation or even come back to an empty room at night. I never understood how much I truly relied on my family for not only physical support but mental support.
I genuinely think that one of the lessons we all need to learn is that the only person you need to rely on is yourself. If you can give yourself anything your loved ones can, then you will succeed alone. My advice to do this is to be alone. Take yourself on solo dates and get to know yourself just like you would with a friend or potential romantic partner. There are things you don’t know you love, hate, and enjoy. Figure out what makes you feel comforted when you’re upset.
If you are currently dealing with homesickness, my heart goes out to you. You are strong!
Thank you, love Amy ♡
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