Friday, 5 December 2014

On Homesickness

Homesickness is one of the most prevalent aspects of travelling abroad, yet one of the least talked about.

In the excitement of planning your trip, packing, arriving and starting off on a new adventure, it's easy to forget about what you might miss the most: home.

It seems like everyone deals with homesickness at some point in their life. Maybe you miss your bedroom, your family, your friends or your favourite foods. When you're travelling, it can be hard to enjoy your trip when you're distracted by thoughts of home.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Plan in advance
Even if you think you might not get homesick, how about pre-planning to have a Skype session with a loved one? Looking forward to seeing a familiar face can help you cope.

2. Write about how you're feeling. On your laptop, in a journal or on a scrap of paper  - it doesn't matter. Reflect on your mindset and focus on the positives. Think of three meaningful things that happened to you that day. Optimism is a great tool!

3. Keep yourself busy. You may want to just mope around and dwell, but being active and filling your schedule can help. Try having some social time with others, going on a hike or spending time at tourist attractions.

Planning in advance, having a positive attitude and getting out of your comfort zone can help you have a happy and healthy trip, wherever you are!

Find out about more tips here.