As a traveller, each home abroad changes you in some way. Whether it’s from the way you speak to habits you pick up or ideas that change your perspective. And most of the time, you’re happy with who you’ve become and believe that moving abroad was the best decision of your life. But sometimes nostalgia kicks in, no matter how often you talk to your loved ones back home. It’s only natural, it’s the inner child that resurfaces and asks for a fair share of attention. What does that inner child want? Is it familiarity? Is it affection? We had a talk to the inner child and here are some confessions on on the touchy traveller’s homesickness topic:
Deep down, I’m really hungry
The inner child: “Remember when we came here and feared that we will starve because of the icky oddstuff, barely edible, let alone appealing? Most of the times I still feel that way and although I understand the lunches and dinners consisting of whatever you have time to make, my palate still craves mom’s homemade meals we grew up with.“
“I shook the family tree and a bunch of nuts fell out.”
The inner child: “That holds true for us, too, but I really miss them. I miss mom, who would talk for hours on end about the crazy teen neighbour who listens to music in the middle of the night and how the young generation is completely disrespectful and may God have mercy on their souls. I miss dad, who I know for sure has some kind of mechanisms that blocks mom’s repetitive stories, with a kind smile on his face.“
I know what you did last summer!
The inner child: “You think that the more you jam pack into your days the better each day will be. That thinking day trips, excursions and activities and going to bed exhausted will leave us feeling happier, overall. And you’re kind of right. But the trick doesn’t always work with me. Let me breathe, let me be, let me pick up the phone and call mom just to tell her how much I miss her! And if I cry, remind me that there’s nothing wrong with feeling homesick! And remind me that home is always there, waiting for us and we’re always able to go back.”
When you choose this road, a million and one fears and worst-case scenarios are going through your mind. What if you can’t make it? What if you can’t find friends? What if you get so lost you can’t find your way back? What if you get sick? What if you run out of money? What if, what if, what if! Reality proved that the what ifs were only a projection of your fears and almost never happen. But you know, the inner child’s memory is so good that these irrational fears resurface, every now and then.
So, you might work a lot, spend a lot of time engaged in this new adventure, but home is constantly on your mind. But we have a tip on how to deal with homesickness: call them as frequently as you want. It feels amazing hearing their voice, when miles apart. Or just let them know you’re thinking about them by sending them small gifts, such as mobile credit. Yes, you can top up your friends’ or family members’ cell phones from abroad using apps such as MobileRecharge app, available both for iOS and Android. The process is easy and the credit is sent instantly to the destination number.
Travel teaches us about ourselves and makes us better people. So, every now and then acknowledge the inner child and give him the floor, for a while…