TIPS FOR BATTLING HOMESICKNESS

In our conversations with people struggling to overcome homesickness, we often hear about ways they’ve discovered of making things better for themselves.

Below are list of suggestions. We hope you’ll find these tips for battling homesickness helpful.

Admit It
Homesickness is a natural and normal feeling that even the most seasoned traveller encounters. Admitting that you have this feeling makes you more aware of your emotions and how to beat the negative feelings you may have.

Wait It Out
Give yourself time to become familiar with your surroundings. Managing homesickness takes time and patience and as you become more familiar with your new lifestyle, you’re homesickness will lessen. It usually passes within weeks or months. By that time, you will probably forget that you were ever homesick.

Adventure or Frustration?
New places and new faces bring adventure but also frustration. Simple things aren’t as easy and day-to-day tasks require more planning, but as you get used to your new environment, you’ll feel at home and life will become simpler.

Bring Companions
i.e. bring photos, stuffed animals, a special toy or thing from home.

Be Open-minded
Throw away any preformed ideas of what to expect once you are there. Be open-minded and curious. Be active in engaging with the place you’ve come to, including the tourist activities.

Remember that travel is not always easy
Times of feeling low are part of the normal adjustment to living in a new culture. (The ‘curve of adjustment’ model suggests we often feel initially happy, then go through a period of feeling lonely and unhappy before feeling settled, confident and content.)

Make Connections
If possible, find people from your own background, age, experience and interests, but also, don’t forget to meet the locals as they’re the ones who will make you feel like you’re home.

Keep Active
Physical activity lifts our mood and helps us to sleep better

Take Care of Yourself
You may find you need more sleep than usual or you’re tired at strange times of the day. Long-haul jetlag can last up to a week and can include sleeplessness, fatigue, slight nausea. Try to adjust your bed time to the local time-zone as soon as possible.

Read Something Inspiring
E.g. Richard Branson autobiography

Keep in touch
Email friends and family but try to focus on the positives and don’t spend all your free time emailing home.

Socialise
You’ll need to make more of an effort socially and not rely on it all just falling into place. But this is a wonderful opportunity to create an entirely new circle of friends

Talk to People
If you feel the need, talk to your HR Manager about your feelings – they will listen objectively and be in your corner.

Break It Up
Break up the industry placement into smaller parts with goals at the end. Plan a mid-placement break if you can, just to get away and recharge the batteries

Focus on the Positives
At the end of each day, list some of the positive things you did that day, cool people you met, what you learned from them or how they may help you, unique things you saw or experienced. By focusing on the positives, you start to get a greater appreciation for your new environment.

Take Time to Relax
Homesickness is often a disguise for fatigue. By taking time to chill out, your mind and body get a chance to recover and feel better; you are more focused and able to tackle your homesickness.

Keep Busy
Check out what extra-curricular activities are available (See what else there is to do besides going to the pub).

Avoid Negative Comparisons
There will be plenty of things that are better at home, however the will also be many wonderful experiences you’d never get if you were still in your familiar surroundings. Focus on these.

Keep Tidy
Maybe your mum was right after all. If you keep your living area tidy and welcoming, even adding some decoration or fresh flowers, you’ll feel better about your surroundings and about your new lifestyle in general.

And the Golden Rule for Making New Friends
Never, ever denigrate or criticise someone’s community, culture or facilities if that person is not in a position to fix it. Sure, the streets at home may be cleaner, the transport quicker and the shops better stocked, but you’ll win no friends by ‘sharing’ those opinions with the locals.

We would like to get your opinion or ideas of dealing with homesickness - post a comment!!