Whether you moved abroad for school, work, or adventure, the day comes for any expat when nostalgia and homesickness start to sink in. After the initial excitement of moving to another country wears off, many people experience feelings of cultural shock and alienation.
One of the most challenging times in history to be an expat is now, during the COVID era. The travel bans and restrictions put in place during the pandemic have made it difficult or impossible for many expats to go back home. If you or someone you know is stranded in your home-far-away-from-home due to COVID travel restrictions, read on to learn some effective tips for overcoming homesickness.
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The Best Ways to Get Over Homesickness During COVID Times
While traveling and conventional socializing are out of the question pretty much everywhere, there are some practical tips you can follow to get over homesickness, even during the lockdown.
Get into a Routine
Developing a daily routine and sticking to it is one of the best ways to keep yourself feeling positive and motivated each day. It’s crucial to create a routine if you work from home because it will help you separate your work time from off time. When you work from home, it’s easy to let work time bleed into your personal time and vice-versa, which can eventually lead to burnout.
Create New Traditions
Whether you want to learn more about the holidays in your new country’s culture or get better at cooking the local food, there’s no better time to start than now. You can follow a cultural tradition that you find intriguing or create your own traditions like a cultural cooking night or virtual game time with friends.
Keep in Touch with Loved Ones
When you live far away from your friends and family, it can be easy to fall out of touch as you get wrapped up in your life. If you’ve been missing your loved ones, set up a time each week to have a video call. Create separate group chats in your favorite messaging app for friends and family so you can keep in touch between your video call sessions.
Indulge in Nostalgia
One of the saddest things about living in a new country is yearning for the things from home that make you feel nostalgic. Maybe it’s a food you loved or your favorite TV show that isn’t available in your new country. A simple way to indulge your nostalgia is to access the content you want with a VPN. Most content streaming platforms are region-specific, but a VPN allows you to connect to a server from your home country to gain access to all your favorite shows, movies, and sports broadcasts.
It’s tough being stuck away from home, but it can feel a little easier with the tips above.
