Not everybody longs for home during a volunteer vacation, but you can plan in advance to ensure that if you do miss home, sources of comfort will be within reach. We’ve put together some top tips for overcoming homesickness when you volunteer abroad:
Don’t overdo it
Make time to savor the different elements of your volunteer vacation and take stock of the day’s events. Filling every spare moment to keep busy allows little room for reflection, which is essentially the way our minds make sense of things; the last thing you want to be during your volunteer vacation is burnt out. Remember to be kind to yourself during your trip; as much as you’re volunteering to make a difference to other people’s lives, you also need to take some time to yourself relaxing or doing something you enjoy.
Know who to contact at home
You’ll want to talk to folks back home periodically, or perhaps more often if you’re feeling homesick; set aside the number of someone you can rely on to boost your morale and provide encouragement when you need it most. It might be tempting to call Mum or Dad, who might support an emotional suggestion that you return home before your tenure is up, but to get the most from your experience you need time to acclimatize. A good friend with a positive but understanding outlook could be just the person to boost your spirits when you need a pick-me-up.
Document your trip
Putting your experiences down on paper can be therapeutic and relaxing, as well as keeping you busy when the pangs of homesickness set in. Whether it’s keeping a daily journal, updating your blog to keep friends and family clued in on your experiences or some other way of documenting your trip, keeping notes can help you understand your feelings and remember your break better. Look back over the week or month’s events and you might be surprised by how different you feel after each lapse in time.
Bring mementos of home
Space may be tight in your suitcase for volunteering abroad but don’t forget to make a little room for some mementos of home. A picture of your loved ones, your own pillowcase or a supply of teabags you might not be able to pick up on vacation are just a few of the items our volunteers have brought along when volunteering. The idea is to break yourself in to the new culture gently, so having some items from home can mean your volunteer accommodation is more welcoming and the culture shock isn’t so pronounced.
Find a distraction
Sometimes, the best way to take your mind off feeling homesick is to distract yourself. Watch a DVD, read a book or cook up a storm in the kitchen of your volunteer accommodation. Alternatively, take some exercise - go for a walk, find the nearest gym, go jogging or rent a bicycle and get those happy chemicals coursing through your body. You can distract yourself with music if you’ve brought some from home, or found a radio station that plays something you like, or get chatting to your fellow volunteers and play some games together - they could be feeling just as homesick as you and may welcome a distraction themselves!
Make friends
You might have plenty of friends back home but if you’re volunteering alone it’s time to mingle and make some new ones. A starting point is your common goal of making a difference, so step one is already covered! If you’re sharing accommodation with fellow volunteers, there will always be someone around for company, and you might even meet people from your home country. If not, it’s an opportunity to strike up friendships across the globe, learning about one another’s life experiences, home culture and generally supporting one another during this new experience.
Traveling the world and making a difference is an exciting way to experience global cultures and make new friends. Homesickness may set in sometimes but it doesn’t need to blight your journey - by making time for yourself, asking for support from new friends and old and making the culture less of a shock with some items from home, you can overcome homesickness and make progress. Find out more about our volunteer vacations and the in-country support we offer by downloading our brochure here.
