Homesick? My tips and tricks

Homesickness is real and it can happen to everyone. It may last 1 minute or 1 week, but here are my trips and tricks to get over homesickness. 

1) Let yourself feel it. Allow yourself to feel the homesickness, acknowledge it, do not try to push it down. It is okay to cry, call home, and feel all the emotions that come with homesickness, but do not let it take over your entire experience. 

2) Find a hobby. Find something to do on your free time that can keep your mind busy. I joined a pottery studio, gym, and started taking dance classes. These extracurriculars allowed me to be active, engage in a cultural experience, and meet new people. You can do anything! If you like art, find an art studio! If you want to join a sports club, look around in your town or ask your host family. If you have something you do at home, find a way to do it abroad. You will surprise yourself with how welcoming and friendly your abroad community is. 

3) Find time to talk to family and friends at home. Limit this to 1-2 times a week for 30 minutes to an hour! Doing this will allow you to feel connected to your loved ones at home, but also be able to live and enjoy your life in your host country. 

4) Remember, you are there for a short time, not a long time. Your abroad experience does not last long in the grand scheme of things. You're abroad for such a short time, that you want to really enjoy your time there. 

5) Make friends abroad! Try to make friends abroad because having new friends there will help you acclimate to the new environment and make a new friend group and people to love in a whole other place. If you have a hard time making friends, speak to locals at cafés, speak to people on the street, GO UP AND TALK TO PEOPLE! People want to learn about you and your country, and starting new relationships abroad is so rewarding. 

6) Walk around your town or city! Walk around your town or city and go to places you NEVER have been before, this takes up time and mind space and these little moments really become memorable.

7) Talk to your host family! Your host family knows it's hard being away from home and want you there. Ask them to do something together, maybe for a walk, coffee, help make dinner, etc.