4 Ways to Fight Homesickness During the Holidays

It’s hard to ignore the enchanting allure of the holiday season, especially when you’re in a new city. Maybe you come from a warm and sunny place and this year is the first year you get to truly experience a frosty Christmas. Or maybe you chose to temporarily escape your snowy hometown in favor of a bright and beautiful coastal city. You snuggle up in your coziest scarf (or nip off to the beach in your board shorts and tank top) and sip a tasty gingerbread latte as the city lights up around you.

But there’s still an uneasy feeling that keeps popping up somewhere in the back of your mind. You start to miss your family and the holiday traditions you’ve take part in each year in your native country. Even though you’ve embraced the culture of your temporary home abroad, there’s still a growing feeling that makes you pine for your hometown.

 

homesickness during holidays
Living in a new city can be an amazing experience, but that doesn't mean you won't miss home from time to time

 

It’s not uncommon to feel homesick during the holidays, especially when you’re living overseas for a long period of time. Whether you’re studying English abroad or just travelling during December of January, there are a number of ways to combat the homesick holiday blues. We checked in with students from our English schools around the world and here are a few of the ways they’ve dealt with homesickness during the holidays.

 

1. Connect with friends and family back home

"I call my friends in my hometown and maybe have a Face-Time so I can see a view of the city where I lived."

Min Shin Teng, Taiwan

 

2. Embrace your traditions

"When I miss Japan, I make Japanese food, watch Japanese TV or movies, make Japanese crafts (origami/kirigami), teach someone about Japanese culture, and think of my ambitions for studying abroad and my goals."

Azumi Sugimoto, Japan

homesickness japanese food
It's the little reminders of home that can make the distance seem more bearable 

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3. Take part in activities you enjoyed back home

"When I feel homesick, I call my family, go out with my new friends abroad and play the sports that I like."

Homood Alahmadi, Saudi Arabia

 

4. Build a family/community of friends abroad

"As a truly Brazilian girl, I am very close to my family and friends. I make video calls often and it’s very important for me to get in touch with them. So, for me is especially hard to be apart. However, when we are having a #KaplanExperience, our new international friends become our family-far-from-home. That’s how I fight homesickness: being open to meet people and improving not only my English skills, but also my manners to deal to live a life abroad, learning as much as I can."

Isabela Monjardim, Brazil

homesickness new friends abroad
You'll meet so many amazing people abroad, and they'll most likely be feeling the same homesickness as you

 

Have you ever been abroad during the holiday season? How did you deal with any homesickness that came up during your trip?

 

 

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