Prone to Homesickness?
I'm a bit concerned about experiencing homesickness after studying abroad. As you know, homesickness refers to the feeling of nostalgia and loneliness that arises when living away from one's home or familiar surroundings. It can sometimes hinder one's ability to adjust to life in a new place.
While it's natural to feel a bit lonely from time to time, I believe it would be a waste to spend a significant portion of my one-year study abroad journey feeling sad and homesick.
Having this mindset should be enough to handle the situation. However, during my high school days, when I went to New Zealand for just two weeks, I unexpectedly started missing Japan one day and felt lonely.
Although it wasn't a severe case, I was taken aback by the fact that my feelings of homesickness overpowered the enjoyable moments of living with a host family and conversing with friends in New Zealand.
The Language School's Concern About Homesickness
While re-reading the language school's brochure recently, I noticed a strong emphasis on addressing homesickness. Both the pages about life in Malaysia and the various types of accommodations offered had notes along the lines of "It's normal to feel homesick, so don't hesitate to talk to someone about it."
Therefore, I'm currently devising a set of guidelines to prevent (or at least minimize) homesickness during my study abroad in Malaysia.
Actively Engage in Fun Activities
Even when I'm in Japan, I sometimes feel anxious if I have free time on weekends with no plans. During periods like PMS, this feeling of doing nothing or the sense of life's insignificance becomes more pronounced.
1. Having plans and activities will prevent me from feeling idle or worthless.
Though I won't be rolling in money, as I plan to manage my finances well before embarking on the journey as a working adult, I want to engage in affordable activities to avoid staying cooped up at home. I read in a blog article about some luxury toilets in Malaysia that offer baggage storage services, and visiting these unique toilets might become an attraction in itself.
I'm sure I'll also use the language skills I acquire during these activities, making it a win-win situation.
Get Adequate Sleep
In the past, during my graduate school days, I occasionally fell into the trap of irregular sleeping patterns, leading to mysterious health issues due to sleep deprivation. Emotional conditions on days with insufficient sleep were also far from ideal.
While I want to dedicate myself to studying, I also believe it's essential to prioritize my physical and mental well-being by getting enough sleep.
To ensure I can sleep when I need to, I plan to use my days to actively study or engage in physical activities.
Limit Zoom Calls with People in Japan
I suspect that the homesickness I experienced in New Zealand was triggered when a fellow student from Tokyo mentioned the opening of Tokyo Skytree.
Although I might have a vague sense of being someone who came from Japan, recalling specific events or news from Japan seemed to have had a negative impact.
Therefore, to avoid excessive reminiscing about Japan, I want to limit frequent Zoom calls with people in Japan, especially my husband. While modern technology is convenient, the ease of communicating in Japanese might lead my emotions back to Japan.
As I intend to expose myself to the overseas environment for a year, I will communicate my feelings to my husband and try to keep the frequency of Zoom calls relatively low.
It's Okay to Feel Homesick
As mentioned in the language school's brochure, feeling homesick when coming to a different environment, especially when living separately from family, is normal. It's perfectly fine to reach out to someone for support if homesickness occurs.
However, I don't need to deliberately create living habits or routines that may trigger homesickness, such as excessive Zoom calls with people in Japan.
I'll find a balance and make the most of my study abroad experience while managing homesickness gracefully!
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