Fighting Homesickness
There are some guarantees while traveling/living abroad—wonderful experiences, a few frustrations, losing something, and homesickness. In all the excitement of the preparation of your trip abroad, it’s not common to think about missing home. But, you will miss it. Sometimes it will be a flash memory, a longing for the tastes of home, or a hug from your loved ones. It will happen and you can do a few things once it hits you.
Tips for dealing with homesickness
Let yourself be homesick for a bit. It sounds counterintuitive, but if you just live in that moment for a little and understand that homesickness happens, you usually get past it pretty quickly. So be present in that moment, and then…
Leave your room. Maybe even leave the house if you don’t have roommates. Talk to someone, grab some groceries, get some fresh air, put on your favorite upbeat music and go for a run. Just don’t be alone, in your room, all the time.
Talk to someone about it. Everyone gets homesick, so don’t be afraid to tell someone. Likely they have been feeling it too, or felt it recently, so maybe they can help. Enlist your new friends to remind you how amazing these recent experiences are. Even just telling someone you have these feelings makes them a little lighter to carry with you, and in no time, you’re talking about something else, or discussing your first meal when you return.
Keep in touch with your friends/family back home (but not all the time)! Know they miss you while you’re away. They want to hear about your adventures but give yourself some time to have some adventures before contacting them. I love a set day/time to talk to my family or best friend because you save up all the good stuff to tell them. Other ideas are to send them pics of where you are, reminding them to ask you about it in your next call. Remember, if you are always communicating with friends/family at home, you aren’t meeting new people during your travels, and those are where some of your best experiences come from.
Bring a little bit of home with you. But just a LITTLE. Maybe a picture of your family or a little stuffed animal, but the more you bring, the more you risk losing something. You likely have a ton of photos/videos on your phone, so count those as your ‘something from home’. Or maybe your favorite snack!
Spend some time with people from your country. There is something about being homesick that makes you gravitate towards people with a common experience to you. So, embrace it. Have a coffee with an American friend or roommate, take a walk to ‘Taste of America’, have a movie night to watch some junk American television. Usually just a little of this cures your homesickness. Then the two of you can plan your next adventure…
Explore! A walk around the neighborhood, a day trip to a neighboring village, or a weekend excursion to the beach or the mountains (or Italy, or Portugal—you’re in Europe, take advantage!).
Get some rest. One of the great things of living (visiting) Spain, is they appreciate a good nap. If you’re feeling a little down, close the persianas and take a nap, you’re guaranteed to feel better. Need a weekend without plans? That’s okay, too. It’s important to recognize that we all need some time, so make sure you get it. This is especially true if you’ve been indulging in the Spanish nightlife a little.
Or…Exercise. It’s amazing what those endorphins from a quick run or ‘Yoga with Adrienne’ can do for you. Chances are with all the walking you’ve been doing in Madrid, you haven’t had time for a proper workout, so lace up your shoes and get your blood pumping. You can find all kinds of classes, workouts, indoor and outdoor, to indulge your exercise needs.
Finally, recognize that the wave of homesickness will pass. In a short while you will be back home, missing the beautiful sunshine and lazy afternoons in Spain. So, give it the time it deserves and move on to your next experience.