If we are to ask you: Does the feeling of missing home ever go away? Chances are, you’d say never. And that’s perfectly normal.
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As a person who’s grown up and has gotten used to life in the Philippines, we know that there are plenty of reasons for anyone to miss home – especially now that the year is coming to an end.
9 Simple Ways to Overcome Homesickness
With this in mind, we have come up with several tips to help you get over the hump and those “blue” moments, which, hopefully, you’re not experiencing a lot while working overseas.
#1 Go out more often and see new places.
When we say ‘practical’ we mean that you should not shell out much or any money from any of the tips we will provide you in this post.
Firstly, as an OFW, you need to understand that you are blessed and privileged, because you have to opportunity to earn substantial money unlike others, and at the same time, you get to expand your horizon. These are things that most people can only wish for, and yet you have all these opportunities right in front of you. So we would just like to tell you: Take advantage of it! Widen your world and enjoy what you have right now. Focus on the experiences you can gain instead of the memories you long for – or better yet, make new ones!
#2 Explore the local cuisine in your area.
As Filipinos, we know that we love to eat, and part of the enriching experience of living abroad is getting to try new dishes, which are nowhere to be found in our home country. Do this as a way to treat yourself, and if you can, monetize this experience by writing or vlogging about your activities and new experiences. Wouldn’t that be twice as meaningful and satisfying on your part?
#3 Establish a routine to get you busy.
This is perhaps the easiest tip on the list because once you begin with work overseas, you will quickly be oriented with your new life (schedule). However, this does not mean that you should only devote your time to work! You should also make time to communicate with your loved ones and create an exciting routine that would make you productive and feeling good about yourself, at the same time.
#4 Pick up a new skill.
Touching on point #2, as an OFW living on your own, you will have some “downtime” alone that you can use to study or gain a new skill which might be offered in local classes in your area, online, or it could even be a skill that you might have shelved a long time ago because you didn’t have the time and resources to enrich it. The good news for you is – now’s the time to do it!
#5 Connect with the Filipino Community in your area.
This might be obvious for anyone to do, but just in case you’re the introverted type, know that Filipinos are everywhere! Ask around – or you might even casually bump into one! Just like what point #1 emphasizes, get to see new places and meet new faces!
#6 Pursue your passion.
In relation to point #4, now that you have the time and resources, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to unleash that passion you’ve been hiding within – be it a skill in the arts, a passion for food, or traveling to new places or meeting new friends. Go out and live your life!
#7 Make yourself at home in your new “home.”
We’re not really fond of using wordplays as much as we like helping others by giving useful advice. The idea here is to accept that “this” is your reality and that you have a new home away from home. Having this kind of mindset will allow you to live in the present and focus on what you have now instead of wishing for what you had then.
#8 Take some time to unwind.
Work hard, save more, and enjoy your time while abroad. Remember, there’s no need to be miserable when you can always find ways to enjoy yourself and the life that you have now, and part of that is occasionally treating yourself to a much-needed break or time to unwind.
#9 Pray always.
Though we may have different religions, it’s important to consider our “inner” person and to commune with a higher being that can help us focus and gain wisdom despite the challenges of living alone overseas. Pray and unload your fears and anxieties, as well as that nagging feeling of missing home. You’ll feel much better after.
And there you have it! We only shared 9 of our best tips for overcoming homesickness, but we’d love to hear what you think about our topic, as well. Did we miss anything? Do let us know by leaving a comment in the comment section below – we’d love to hear from you!
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