When people talk about going abroad, they typically don’t talk about how much they missed their people. Because in hindsight, they’ve been reunited, and apparently your memory for missing people is very short. But I’m approaching the midway point for my abroad experience and the novelty of the city and the excitement is beginning to give way to homesickness.
Since I’ve been abroad in Scotland, I’ve been hard pressed to find a balance between my new home and the one I’ve left behind. I’ve been here over a month and I still feel as if I am walking a tightrope between my home back in the Pacific Northwest and my home here in Edinburgh.
I left my family, my wonderful boyfriend, friends, and dogs — who I miss dearly! And now I’m having to re-learn exactly how I got along so well when I first arrived in Scotland.
As in any new situation, it’s important to try and keep yourself on track. So here are a few tips to keeping your life abroad balanced.
1. Figure out the trick
I’m just going to go right out and say it — time-zones are a bitch. When you want to connect with your family, friends, or significant other, time differences can be killer. When I get back from work, make dinner, and get ready for bed, back home the day is just starting and my family wants to talk. Trying to find time to connect during the work week with an eight hour time difference is difficult, there’s no other way to put it.
Figure out the time of day you will be okay to call home and stick to that schedule. It’s important to have your communication plan squared away before arrival in your new country. That way your loved ones' expectations of when you’ll be in contact are actually feasible.
2. Fighting the midway blues
Trying to find a balance between the people I’ve had to leave behind for several months and trying to get the most of my abroad experience has been fairly easy up to this point. But now that I’m approaching the halfway mark, the stresses of living and working abroad while not having my people close takes its toll.
Some good ways I’ve found to combat the homesickness is getting out into the city and finding new places to feel at home. New pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and hangouts are a great way to further immerse yourself abroad. In my first month, I was very habitual in the way I visited my favorite pub, shopped at the closest stores and didn’t venture out much beyond site-seeing, but finding new places and getting out from home is a great way to reintroduce yourself abroad.
Another good way to fight the halfway mark homesickness, is to keep your communication plan the same. I know if I tried to contact home more than I do now, the homesickness would only increase.
3. Finding new people, ideas, and places
This is especially necessary when you are traveling abroad alone. Searching for new things is a great way to keep your loved ones involved in your experience. Going to a new city and picking up a postcard for home and sending off a note is an awesome trick for keeping your people in the loop while still experiencing new things.
Challenging yourself to find new ways to experience different cultures and places will make sure you are getting as much out of your abroad adventure while still involving your people in the trip.
Finding the balance between your new place abroad and town back home can be very tricky, but an international experience is a once in a life time opportunity to see the world and gain new perspectives.
Good luck and happy travels!
