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Feeling unsettled/home sick

Feeling unsettled/home sick

Old Aug 27th 2013, 11:04 pm
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Default Feeling unsettled/home sick

Think I'm just having a bad day, had a rubbish hospital appointment followed by a tedious encounter with my bank over an incorrect transaction - hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of it.

When I had a bad day back home, that's all it was just a bad day, but here it feels like I hate everything Canada today. Maybe this is what home sickness feels like?

Been here 3mths and everything is going great but I just kind of feel 'meh' about being here today. Not sure if feeling like this is good or bad going in terms of timescales, I guess it was inevitable.

When did you first experience home sickness? Any tips? Is is better to admit to it and skype a loved one or fake it and throw yourself into some Canadian awesomeness?
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 8:30 am
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

I think everyone has good and bad days and you have only been there thrree months so bad days possibly get a bit more amplified.

Maybe if you have the time and money do something to pick yourself up like a tasty treat, getting your hair done or yes say Hi to someone back at home.

Your only human we all have bad days
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 11:24 am
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

My first first three months were really miserable, I would have moved back to my old home in a second. The next three weren't that much better either. I react slowly to things, death and big troubles don't hit me for quite a while afterwards, so I had factored in my unhappiness in the plan and just waited it out.

Now when I have a bad day I just tell myself I'll feel better tomorrow....yes a nice haircut or a bit of pampering can help, like Mickey suggested. A degree of unhappiness is almost inevitable I think. Good luck
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 1:10 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

I have had a few "off" days... Something usually triggers it, generally something daft and its usually people I miss, or last time actually I just felt out of place like I didn't belong and I missed that feeling of general familiarity...

It generally only lasts a day or 2 though. I think this is a normal healthy reaction. It would be weird and robotic to make such a big life change and not have it impact on you. Roll with it, spoil yourself a bit and tomorrow give yourself a kick up the backside and enjoy the great side again!
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 2:45 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

I have to say, I have never felt homesick, but the first year was a nightmare as hubby couldn't work (he didn't have PR status) so he was going crazy and was really down.

The family we have here we felt weren't really there for us - they both have busy careers etc., and we didnt feel as though we had family here at all which was depressing. They are very wrapped up in their lives.

Its been extremely hard work, and a treadmill, as we seem to spend more time at work than we ever did in the UK. However, now that we're 'in the system' so to speak, it is just a case of doing a really good job so that when the time comes to move on, its easier to find work.
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 6:06 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by bcmama
Think I'm just having a bad day, had a rubbish hospital appointment followed by a tedious encounter with my bank over an incorrect transaction - hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of it.

When did you first experience home sickness? Any tips? Is is better to admit to it and skype a loved one or fake it and throw yourself into some Canadian awesomeness?

generally part of the course for some - it took me 2 years, then one day it was gone.

Trust that today is much better for you

Skype someone you love back home or pick up the phone & call them, have a natter ... that should do it
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 10:00 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by AllyS
I have to say, I have never felt homesick, but the first year was a nightmare as hubby couldn't work (he didn't have PR status) so he was going crazy and was really down.

The family we have here we felt weren't really there for us - they both have busy careers etc., and we didnt feel as though we had family here at all which was depressing. They are very wrapped up in their lives.

Its been extremely hard work, and a treadmill, as we seem to spend more time at work than we ever did in the UK. However, now that we're 'in the system' so to speak, it is just a case of doing a really good job so that when the time comes to move on, its easier to find work.
I should also add to the above that we struggled a fair bit with the feeling of isolation (which a lot of people get when they first move to Calgary). It takes so long to drive to any other place (civilization) that we felt cut off. Its a 2-3 day drive to get to Vancouver through the mountains, then there is Edmonton (2-4 hrs depending on the weather), Lethbridge (about the same) etc., There are no weekend getaways within reasonable driving distance other than Banff, Canmore, and the other small outlying towns. As for the places to the East, I wouldn't fancy it in the winter months.
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Old Aug 28th 2013, 10:28 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by bcmama
Think I'm just having a bad day, had a rubbish hospital appointment followed by a tedious encounter with my bank over an incorrect transaction - hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of it.

When I had a bad day back home, that's all it was just a bad day, but here it feels like I hate everything Canada today. Maybe this is what home sickness feels like?

Been here 3mths and everything is going great but I just kind of feel 'meh' about being here today. Not sure if feeling like this is good or bad going in terms of timescales, I guess it was inevitable.

When did you first experience home sickness? Any tips? Is is better to admit to it and skype a loved one or fake it and throw yourself into some Canadian awesomeness?
Throw yourself into some Canadian awesomeness! It's the long weekend coming up I see you are in Kelowna (we are in Penticton) so you have many many choices of awesome things to do! Here are a few suggestions:

1. Hike to the Summit of Little White.
2. Go camping to Hydraulic or Browne lake near Big White.
3. Check out the Armstrong IPE fair (and check out the drive in movies at Enderby on the evening.)
4. Go on a winery tour.
5. Spend a day at the beach.
6. Rent a boat and enjoy a day out on Okanagan lake.
7. Go fishing to Pennask Lake (guaranteed to catch lots of trout )
8. Drive to Banff and or Jasper for the weekend and visit Lake Louise.
9. Drive to OMAK then Spokane and do some shopping in the USA.
10. Drive to the Kootenays (suggest Nelson) and check out Christina Lake on the way.
11. Go for a game of Golf at many of the beautiful courses.
12. Go mountain biking on some of the amazing surrounding trails.
13. Go out Kayaking and bird watching on Vaseux Lake (Bird Sanctuary.)
14. Go to Vancouver for the weekend.
15. Go to Seattle for the weekend.
16. Visit the Bavarian town of Leavenworth across the border in the USA.
17. Sign up for the CORE and FAC and get your hunting license as hunting season opens on 10th Sept.

Anyway keep your chin up as you are living in an awesome place
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 4:21 am
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by bcmama
Think I'm just having a bad day, had a rubbish hospital appointment followed by a tedious encounter with my bank over an incorrect transaction - hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of it.

When I had a bad day back home, that's all it was just a bad day, but here it feels like I hate everything Canada today. Maybe this is what home sickness feels like?

Been here 3mths and everything is going great but I just kind of feel 'meh' about being here today. Not sure if feeling like this is good or bad going in terms of timescales, I guess it was inevitable.

When did you first experience home sickness? Any tips? Is is better to admit to it and skype a loved one or fake it and throw yourself into some Canadian awesomeness?
hey, ive been here a similar amount of time (landed on 8/8/13) ive had 2 episodes of what i think is home sickness...one was over a couple of bad days where everything seemed to be going wrong and i felt like i had no control...i emailed my bro on fbook and said i wanted to go home.it was 3/4 weeks in, just past the point of it being a holiday..fortunately my bro told me to give my head a wobble and reminded me of why i was here in the first place and that episode passed after a day or two.
i had another episode about 10 days ago...again skype and fbook contact helped out enormously (how did people manage when it was pigeons and telegrams? )
again it passed i think its about recognising a bad day and realising that going home wont solve that. in addition to reminding yourself why youre here...that nowt much will have changed in the UK and the need to soak in the experience that youve fought for
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 5:12 am
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

It took years for me to have a bad homesick day, unfortunately the longer we are here the more I have, and im not even homesick for where we used to live lol
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 12:59 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by Piff Poff
It took years for me to have a bad homesick day, unfortunately the longer we are here the more I have, and im not even homesick for where we used to live lol
Are you homesick or just sick of where you call home at the moment?
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 2:15 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by AllyS
As for the places to the East, I wouldn't fancy it in the winter months.
A very reasonable stance! Me too

Actually, I think the very act of giving your life a great big shake up, can make certain aspects of life re surface. You have to start all over again here, and present yourself anew to all sorts of unknown types, and that can be very uncomfortable. Ruts can be boring, but very safe!
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 2:53 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by Mikeypm
Are you homesick or just sick of where you call home at the moment?
Good point, how dobyou tell, I think it's probably the latter.
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 6:00 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

Originally Posted by Piff Poff
Good point, how dobyou tell, I think it's probably the latter.
Possibly by asking yourself how you reacted at other times. Say in a new job did you ever think the previous job was better and wished you had not changed jobs? What about previous house moves, if things went wrong did you wish you were in Road A rather than Road B?

Just a thought.
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Old Aug 29th 2013, 7:20 pm
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Default Re: Feeling unsettled/home sick

My bad days and feeling of unsettledness come into play at work.

The general apathy and lazy management compared to what I am used to sometimes makes me wish to live here and work in the UK
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