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Dealing with homesickness in the Netherlands

Last activity 03 October 2016 by Hetti Gunasekara

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Priscilla

Hello everyone,

Being an expat in the Netherlands can turn out to be a wonderful human, social or professional adventure... with potential moments of nostalgia and homesickness along the way.

What are your personal tips to prevent homesickness?

How do you deal with such feelings?

Are there shops or stores offering products from your home country in the Netherlands? Or maybe venues with music and ambiance from your homeland?

Thanks for sharing your experience,

Priscilla

Titu33

Hi,

It is common that you will feel homesickness for many thing when you reach Netherlands travelling for your home country. But you can try to make the feeling low by trying to close yourself with social media and online sites like Whatsapp, IMO, Skype etc.

Also try to find the social groups belongs to your community where you can be a member or a participant in the cultural arena.

Why not find some friends where you can discuss on cultural aspects on both of your countries and try for food / language / cultural functions etc.

Regards,

Titu33

Hetti Gunasekara

Homesickness symptoms may vary from person to person, but in general, homesickness can leave you feeling upset, distressed, isolated, or lonely.
There are some steps you can take to help you deal with homesickness and learn to love your new environment.
1    Understand what causes homesickness. Homesickness comes from the human need for connection, love, and security.
2     Recognize homesickness symptoms. Homesickness is much more than just missing “home.” It can cause a variety of feelings and side-effects that can impact your daily functioning. Learning to recognize these symptoms can help you figure out why you’re feeling the way you are and take action to help.
3      Homesickness is common for young people,•Children and teens typically are not as emotionally independent
•Young people usually have not had as much experience with new situations
4     Keep familiar things around
5     Do some things you loved to do at home
6     Talk about your feelings with someone
7     Keep a journal -Keeping a journal will help you get in touch with your thoughts and process everything that is happening in your new environment.
8     Get plenty of exercise
9     Talk with friends and family back home
10   Avoid obsessing over your old home

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