No matter how well adjusted we are, and how much we love the new place we are in, there will always come a time when the proverbial honeymoon is over, and that feeling of missing everyone and everything you hold near and dear starts kicking in, either by sneaking up on you or by hitting you like a wrecking ball attached to a tow truck. The following is a list of things that have helped me, and is by no means definitive. Different things work for different people, and the purpose of this blog is to care and share, so do leave your own recipe for dealing with homesickness when it knocks on your door or has already knocked it down. 

Pro tip, try and set these things up before homesickness hits. Once you start to spiral, it might be harder to remember. Make a mental note of what to do when things change, and file that note away in a compartment of your mind you can easily access when you need it most.

This is admittedly one of my many favorite things to do no matter where I am or how long I am there for. For me nothing beats that feeling of walking out the door and seeing where the road will take me. I have discovered my favorite cafes, restaurants and spots in nature – not to mention my very favorite haunts by the sea from which to regain peace, calm and composure in times of dire need. 

This is admittedly one of my many favorite things to do no matter where I am or how long I am there for. For me nothing beats that feeling of walking out the door and seeing where the road will take me. I have discovered my favorite cafes, restaurants and spots in nature – not to mention my very favorite haunts by the sea from which to regain peace, calm and composure in times of dire need. 

Think back to the days when you started at a new school, especially one where you (frequently if not always) had to change rooms for each class. At first it was intimidating, scary, learning the system and how to fit in seemed impossible. Once it became clear how to navigate the new premise – knowing the shortcuts and how to avoid running into those very unsavory people you preferred to avoid – things got a lot easier. There is a reason colleges usually recruit freshmen in their second semester to act as guides to the newcomers, they still remember what it was like being new, but are already so familiar with their surroundings they feel right at home. 

Your new neighborhood is the place you will spend a lot of your downtime in. It is also the first sight that greets you when you look out the window in the morning, on your way to work (or wherever you are headed) and is the last thing you see when you come back at night. You want this to be a place that feels safe, and the best way to do that is by getting to know as many ins and outs as you can.

From a more practical viewpoint, it’s also great to know where and when to do the shopping if only to determine the best times for yourself. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing that people will greet you with a smile reserved just for you, engage in some chit chat where that is common or just acknowledge your presence in countries where easy conversation is not a done thing. Be a kid again, ride your bike around your home or just go for a walk somewhere. Head out the door and see where the (mini)journey takes you. 

Best of all, if you ever need a place to bug out without going too far, you know where to head. 

As for the music accompanying this, for the sake of my own memories – and for the little girl who started understanding her lifestyle then – the most appropriate song that comes to mind here is the theme song to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood whistled and performed by Eddie Murphy and Fred Rogers while the setup alternates between the original and SNL. Both are brilliant in their execution and conception, and both have provided hours of entertainment, knowledge and strength when TV was all I could rely on. This segment is for those who’ve never seen the show and those who – like me – grew up with it and can’t help feeling nostalgic.