Introduction
Moving to a new country is overwhelming. Many expats know how it feels to be separated from family, and homesickness/separation has become even worse for expats due to COVID’s impact on travel. Mix the inability to visit family with the cultural shock that comes with moving to a new country, and you’re left with a stressful time.
Today, let’s go over a few ways you as an expat can help curb the homesickness you may be feeling.
How to Feel More at Home
Schedule Time to Talk With Family
If you’re moving far enough that you’ll be in a completely different time zone than your family and friends, finding the time to talk to them can prove challenging. However, it’s crucial that you schedule a time you can talk to them and do this consistently.
Family and friends act as an anchor point, and being able to talk to them regularly will help make you feel better about being away from them, as strange as that sounds.
Watch Shows and Movies That Remind You of Home
Every now and then, you may feel an insatiable urge to go back home. You’ll want to cling on to any piece of your previous home that you can find. This is normal, and many expats will tell you that these intense bouts of homesickness can be tiring.
One way to help curb these feelings is to watch shows, movies, and sports common in your previous hometown. Watching a local game has its own special way of bringing peace.
The only issue is, you may have trouble accessing said shows and sports due to being in a completely different country. Fortunately, you can easily access any content from across the world if you use a VPN to stream online.
Explore the Area
When first moving to a new country, you may feel it necessary to stick to yourself, to stay in your home for a little while—an accommodation period. But staying in your apartment—not exploring what the town has to offer—can only reinforce homesick feelings because you feel like you’re “missing out” on old hobbies and locations.
Take some time out of your week to explore your new surroundings. See what restaurants you can visit. Maybe see a movie (if it is safe to do). Look out for any new hobbies or groups you could join.
Becoming accommodated to your new location will go a long way in making you feel comfortable there.
Conclusion
Life as an expat is filled with excitement that few other lifestyles can match. That said, it’s not all perfect, and feeling sick for your home—your friends and family—is an unfortunate consequence of being an expat. Hopefully, these tips help alleviate your homesickness, if only for a little bit.
