Dealing with homesickness

While living abroad as an exchange student is an absolutely amazing experience, it doesn’t come without some tough times. It is hard having to adjust to a new way of living, and homesickness can hit harder than you expect. It is different for each person. During my exchange to Germany, I knew people who struggled most with homesickness at the beginning. For others, homesickness appeared towards the end of their exchange. For me personally, I felt the worst of it at the beginning of the year.
A lot of websites and exchange programs warn about the cycle of living abroad. There is a “honeymoon” stage, a stage of excitement and thrill to be in a new country, before the homesickness settles in. For me, however, I felt it as soon as I got on the plane to go to Germany. It was my first time being away from my family, and it stressed me out. I felt myself regretting making this decision, and I spent the first two months of my exchange year in a despondent and morose mood. I found myself skyping my family every week, and sometimes it was more than once per week, just so I could see their faces or talk to them. I found it hard to speak German. Everyone wanted to speak English with me, so I wasn’t learning the language I had come to learn, which frustrated me greatly. I didn’t really leave the house. It was all so new and I was hesitant to explore any of it. I struggled those first two months, and I really questioned whether this had been a good idea to come to Germany.

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