Homesickness is something we all experience at some point in our lives; however, it can be quite intense if you decide you want to live in another country, and you’re not prepared. In all honesty, it’s inevitable, but there are things you can do to help yourself feel closer to home when you are hundreds – or even thousands – of miles away from your family.

Take items that remind you of home

When you finally move, make sure to take small items that remind you of your hometown and your family with you, so that you’ll always have a piece of home with you, no matter where you go. Some small things you can take could be photos or small gifts that you have gotten from your family such as a keychain, or other tiny trinkets.

Stay in touch

This may sound obvious, but for some people it can be hard depending on where you move. You can run into different problems such as time differences or lack of communication services. If you move to a different country, you’ll need to get a new phone number, and the price of international calls and texts can add up very quickly. Luckily, there are quite a few apps out there that can help. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and even the messaging features on Instagram and Twitter can help you connect with your friends and family from a distance.

Send each other postcards

You live in a new and exciting city; your family will surely want to see what it’s like. In return, your family can send you postcards as well, reminding you of your hometown. Even better is adding a short, personalized message with your postcard to show them that you’re thinking of them.

Make new friends

Nobody can replace your friends back home but making new friends and exploring your new city with them can help you deal with the feeling of loneliness that you may experience when moving abroad.

Homesickness is normal, but hopefully these suggestions can help you adjust to life in your new city or country. Don’t feel bad about missing home – it’s normal. Just do your best to stay connected to those from your hometown and don’t forget to visit them from time to time as well!

Culture shock is a term that a lot of people are familiar with, but there is also a less familiar phenomenon, known as reverse culture shock. Most know that when we travel abroad, we need to be prepared to see and do things that may be considered strange in our home country. However, what may not think about is how staying abroad for long periods of time can affect our view of our home country.

What is Reverse Culture Shock?

Reverse culture shock is a term used to describe the feeling of disorientation that one experiences upon returning to their home country after months, or even years, abroad. It’s something I’ve experienced, and it’s definitely strange. I’ve lived in France for the past three years and coming home has been quite an interesting experience. There are so many little things that I’d never thought of as weird or different, but now I do. It’s like seeing the world again through a brand-new set of eyes, it’s a feeling that almost can’t be described – it has to be experienced.

The way I’m talking about it makes it seem like a bad thing, but it’s not at all. It’s just different. One of the major differences for me was, of course, the language since I didn’t go to an anglophone country. After speaking exclusively French for the past few years, I had to readjust to speaking my native language. Even though I’ve been back for a few weeks, I still draw a blank every now and then. However, the longer I stay here, the easier it will get.

Another adjustment was the way of life. In France, it seems much calmer, whereas in the United States, I’m under the impression that I’m constantly running around trying to do ten things at once. The two countries have a very different pace as well as a different outlook on life and readjusting to it has been a challenge. Neither one is good nor bad, they are just two very distinct cultures.

The last change that I’ve noticed are the changes to my daily routine. I had started to adapt to the French lifestyle while I was over there and coming back and so trying to fall back into my old routine after returning has been a struggle, in fact.

How Do You Deal with it?

It is possible to reduce the effects of reverse culture shock upon returning to your home country. The more you communicate with people back home, the more of a connection you have to that culture and the less likely you are to be disoriented when you return. Additionally, if you frequently travel between both countries and adapt to both cultures, the differences will ultimately become less shocking over time.

Just remember that reverse culture shock is an adjustment, neither good nor bad, and you just need to take the time to fall back into your old routine.