How to overcome ‘homesickness’
Feeling homesick? You’re not alone.
‘Homesickness’ might sound trivial, childish even, but it’s a genuine set of emotions experienced by nearly all immigrants living and working far from home. Much like ‘culture shock’, homesickness has common psychological and even physical symptoms – in fact, usually the two are experienced together.
At WorldRemit, many of our team are first or second-generation migrants, and so we personally understand the realities of homesickness. Living and working in a new country, with a different culture, can be incredibly difficult. And sometimes the smallest details – sounds, smells, memories – can trigger intense bouts of homesickness. If you’re feeling homesick, hang in there, it will pass – trust us. But in the meantime, we’ve put together this article for you.
We’re going to shine a light on exactly what homesickness is, and why we experience it. We’ll also share some of our tried-and-tested tips for overcoming these feelings. We hope it’ll help you find a healthier, happier, more positive you – ready to re-embrace both the joys and challenges of living and working abroad.
Table of contents
WorldRemit Content Team
• 3 mins read • Updated
What is homesickness?
Homesickness is a set of feelings experienced by anyone living, working or travelling away from home. It’s a very real hurdle for most immigrants to overcome, and is listed in the Oxford English dictionary:
Homesickness (noun). A feeling of longing for one's home during a period of absence from it.
Homesickness is ultimately a reaction to profound change, on all levels, as well personal feelings of loss. What’s more, when we move to live and work abroad, we often find ourselves stripped of our routine, familiarity, and support networks. This can make us feel vulnerable; and can also mean we’re confronted by our own underlying conditions or feelings about life in general.
What are the common symptoms of homesickness?
Typically, homesickness can be identified by these symptoms:
Feeling nostalgic or reminiscing excessively about home.
Feeling sad, depressed or tearful.
Being irritable, and quick to anger at new surroundings or cultural practices.
Feeling anxious or nervous – and withdrawing from your new life.
Wanting to stay in your room, and not leave your accommodation.
Overcoming homesickness: our 5 top tips
Some people experience homesickness intensely, and within a short period of arriving in a new country. For others, homesickness has a delayed onset, and is experienced after the initial excitement and novelty of beginning their new chapter abroad has subsided. It’s also possible for people living and working abroad not to experience homesickness at all, until symptoms are triggered by events back home – often by missing birthdays or big social occasions. That’s why laying off the social media feeds, if you are already feeling a little homesick, can really help.
But whatever your experience with homesickness, and however you’re adjusting to life abroad, our 5 top tips will help smooth the transition:
Tip #1: Routine. Routine. Routine.
Routine might sound unexciting, but it’s a great way to impose structure on your day. You can think of it as a scaffolding, around which to build your new life, both short-term and long-term.
Routine is especially useful when it comes to waking up relatively early, each day. This will help maintain a consistent sleep cycle, and reduce your chances of being afflicted with insomnia or sleep disruption.
Tip #2: Healthy body, happy mind
Exercise might not be high up on your agenda if you’re feeling blue – but trust us, it’s one of the best ways to combat homesickness. Essentially, it’s science. When we exercise, we release ‘endorphins’: happy hormones that boost our overall well-being.So, grab your trainers and go pound some pavement – or do a few laps of your local park.
Tip #3: Unleash your inner explorer
If you’re feeling homesick, getting up and at ’em is often a great way to shake the blues. Fortunately for you, you’re in a new city, in a new country, where there’ll be plenty to see for the first time.
Rediscover your wonder, and you might even make some new friends along the way.
Tip #4: Tap back into old favourites
Nobody said you have to entirely forget your old life when you move to live and work abroad. By incorporating things – TV shows, favourite foods, exercise routines – that you loved from back home into your new everyday life, you’ll maintain a stronger sense of self. And you’re likely to feel less overwhelmed by all the change, too.
Tip #5: Don’t isolate yourself
If you’re feeling homesick, make sure you don’t isolate yourself. Reach out to new friends, join a local club – or get in touch with loved ones back home.
Remember, occasionally contacting friends or family back home doesn’t mean you’ve failed to adapt or integrate. It’s perfectly normal – and healthy, too. Video calls, especially, are a great way to feel close to loved ones.
Make a world of difference with WorldRemit
Homesickness will pass, however bad it may seem (we can vouch for that). Just don’t be too hard on yourself, and try to stay positive.
For more articles, head over to our blog. You’ll find a selection of pieces put together especially for people living and working abroad. And, if you’re sending money to loved ones back home, we can help. At WorldRemit, our service is fast and reliable – and our low fees will save you money, too.
So, why not sign up to WorldRemit, and make a money transfer today? The contents of this blog post do not constitute legal or financial advice and are provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.
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