Step-by-step guide on how to deal with homesickness while you are abroad
Xiadany Jeannette (She/Her) // News Writer
Ryan Coomber (He/Him)// Contributing Visuals
1. Bring items, traditions and gastronomy from your home country to your new life.
The first thing you looked into when you moved to Vancouver was where you could find good food from home. Specifically, you looked for stores that sell the rarest ingredients. To your surprise, there’s a store 10 minutes away from the place you rented. It had all sorts of snacks, even cleaning supplies from different countries in South America. Naturally, you spent more money on your usual products than what you’re used to. You went back to your new place, with your two unpacked, overflowing suitcases and your phone full of “How was your day, is it cold there?” Do not tell them the food doesn’t taste as good as the food back home.
2. Keep in touch with your loved ones.
The good thing about technology is that it helps us stay connected. The bad thing is that it’s never enough.Receiving a birthday message from someone you love can never fill the space that belonged to that hug you used to receive every year. You kept sending to friends: “Let me know when you’re home, be safe!” even if you would not be able to help if they were in danger. But you tell yourself you would never stop texting and calling. It’s not enough to stop missing them, but you will take this over nothing.
3. Do things that make you happy and excite you.
After the first summer you went back home, you got into bed and started crying because you realized you’re never going back to the life you used to have. You weren’t sure if everyone had changed, or if you were the one who changed. When you returned to Canada, you learned how to use Google Calendar and wrote down in purple all the concerts, events, workshops and birthday parties you could find. You broke the unspoken rule of calling your friends every night. At first they didn’t like it, but they have a life after the call ends and you don’t. You met new people; some nice, some not so much. You tried to fit in. Until the ringing of the phone and the guilt got too loud to ignore, a loved one explained that your grandma was sick, friends had to move and your best friend got their heart broken. You couldn’t do anything about it. Even worse, you didn’t know until after it happened. You stop talking to some friends after they laughed at you for crying on the phone. That is one of the many times you felt foreign. You were not entirely adapted to Vancouver. It didn’t matter how much you tried, you still questioned if you ever would be.
4. Take vitamin D for the lack of sun and warmth.
Winter was rough. It lacked sun, lacked friends, lacked a warm home. Mom told you to “take vitamin D. You are built for warmer weather.” So, every morning,you took one and sent her a message saying, “Good morning, Love you!” During winter break, you asked, “Are you going to visit me soon?” Too many times. On December 24, you were invited to dinner with a family that is not yours, tried their turkey and smiled to hide that you’re comparing it to grandma’s. You don’t remember much of January. You went to class, did homework, went to work and went home.
You watched Instagram stories of your friends going to concerts, graduating, one got back together with that ex you promised to keep away from and your friend kept sending you videos of “long distance best friends.” Even if you haven’t talked in two weeks. You felt detached from both lives, frustrated no one at home understands how complicated scheduling a doctor’s appointment can be in Vancouver. And you became tired of having to explain again in a 100-level class, why politics at home are complicated and different from Canada.
5. Accept your double life.
Eventually you met new people again. This time you made deeper connections and they tried their best to understand the references you made in a different language. You found something that you feel passionate enough about to do well in classes and you fell in love. You travel home and for the first time you miss Vancouver and the life you have there. Part of your home will permanently be far away from you, it doesn’t matter where you are. The good thing is you can call two places home, and that you had the privilege of loving both.