How to Overcome Homesickness During an Exchange Year
If you have the opportunity to before your exchange year, spend a week or two abroad to see how you deal with being far away from home, dealing with different languages and accents and eating different foods., Plan in advance to alleviate concerns...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: If you have the opportunity to before your exchange year
This can give you a sense of your success, because if you cannot do this in the short term, the long term may be difficult. -
Step 2: spend a week or two abroad to see how you deal with being far away from home
Do not leave things until the last minute as you do not want to travel with all sorts of concerns.
This includes big things like figuring out where you will live and dealing with a visa, to small things like figuring out how to get from the airport to where you will be staying. , This may include things like the phone, Skype, Facebook, or Whatsapp.
If there are costs, see if you can prepay them.
For example, you can call a phone from Skype if you have credit.
Consider buying this credit in advance.
Keeping in touch with family and friends will make some homesickness worse. , Do you think you will get a local sim card? Will it be compatible with your current phone? Will you buy a new phone and sim card when you get there? How much free wifi will there be around and how accessible will these places be to you? What will the wifi situation be like where you are living? This makes keeping up with everything easier. , These will make it easier to feel like you fit in, and make it easier to interact with locals.
It will also make it less stressful when you go out some place to eat.
Consider using a program like Duolingo to help you learn the language, and consider competing with your friends and family to get a higher score as a way of connecting to them, and allowing them to provide you with more support in your time abroad. , A favorite stuffed animal, a comfy pillow or a special blanket can remind you of home right before you go to sleep. , Many non-English speaking areas have an English language daily or weekly.
By reading the newspaper on a regular basis, you will know what is going on and feel more part of the community. , If you stay at your accommodation all the time, it is easy to forget why you went abroad to begin with.
It is also easier to become depressed by spending too much time alone.
Going out can include bigger social events like going out with other exchange students on organized trips, or smaller things like going to Starbucks on your own. , Let people you trust provide you with reassurances that this is normal, and that what you are feeling is okay. , Buy clothes at local stores as a way of trying to feel like you fit in more and learning what local styles are.
Explore grocery stores for new foods and foods that you might eat at home. , You might hear people speaking in your accent or language.
You might find clean and available toilets.
You will get food that reminds you of home while being surrounded by locals. -
Step 3: dealing with different languages and accents and eating different foods.
-
Step 4: Plan in advance to alleviate concerns you may have.
-
Step 5: Talk to your friends and family about how you will keep in touch with them while you are away.
-
Step 6: Research internet connectivity before leaving.
-
Step 7: If the language where you are doing an exchange is not English
-
Step 8: learn some of the language even if your whole program is in English.
-
Step 9: Consider bringing fewer clothes and more comfort items with you when you are packing.
-
Step 10: Find a local newspaper and read it.
-
Step 11: When you are doing the exchange
-
Step 12: go out and interact with people.
-
Step 13: Talk to people about your experiences
-
Step 14: why you feel homesick
-
Step 15: and ask them if your experiences are normal.
-
Step 16: Go shopping.
-
Step 17: Go to Starbucks
-
Step 18: McDonalds
-
Step 19: Subway
-
Step 20: Dunkin Donuts
-
Step 21: Taco Bell
-
Step 22: TGI Fridays
-
Step 23: KFC or other multinational fast food type places.
Detailed Guide
This can give you a sense of your success, because if you cannot do this in the short term, the long term may be difficult.
Do not leave things until the last minute as you do not want to travel with all sorts of concerns.
This includes big things like figuring out where you will live and dealing with a visa, to small things like figuring out how to get from the airport to where you will be staying. , This may include things like the phone, Skype, Facebook, or Whatsapp.
If there are costs, see if you can prepay them.
For example, you can call a phone from Skype if you have credit.
Consider buying this credit in advance.
Keeping in touch with family and friends will make some homesickness worse. , Do you think you will get a local sim card? Will it be compatible with your current phone? Will you buy a new phone and sim card when you get there? How much free wifi will there be around and how accessible will these places be to you? What will the wifi situation be like where you are living? This makes keeping up with everything easier. , These will make it easier to feel like you fit in, and make it easier to interact with locals.
It will also make it less stressful when you go out some place to eat.
Consider using a program like Duolingo to help you learn the language, and consider competing with your friends and family to get a higher score as a way of connecting to them, and allowing them to provide you with more support in your time abroad. , A favorite stuffed animal, a comfy pillow or a special blanket can remind you of home right before you go to sleep. , Many non-English speaking areas have an English language daily or weekly.
By reading the newspaper on a regular basis, you will know what is going on and feel more part of the community. , If you stay at your accommodation all the time, it is easy to forget why you went abroad to begin with.
It is also easier to become depressed by spending too much time alone.
Going out can include bigger social events like going out with other exchange students on organized trips, or smaller things like going to Starbucks on your own. , Let people you trust provide you with reassurances that this is normal, and that what you are feeling is okay. , Buy clothes at local stores as a way of trying to feel like you fit in more and learning what local styles are.
Explore grocery stores for new foods and foods that you might eat at home. , You might hear people speaking in your accent or language.
You might find clean and available toilets.
You will get food that reminds you of home while being surrounded by locals.
About the Author
Sophia Walker
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: