Cures for homesickness
 

Hi

To all those of you that are in the early stages of your new lives in Canada, or those of you who have been there for many years.

What have been you cures for homesickness ?

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Really the only true cure is to give it time.

Any residual homesickness was mopped up by a trip home for a friends wedding after I had been here 18months. I realised then that the UK was not how I remembered it, and realised what a good thing I had going over here.

Ive a feeling too much brit contact is not helpfull, misery loves company. To feel at home you have to get out there in the community and meet (canadians) with similar interests to yourself. Then you start to really think of this as home.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

I tottally agree, Time is what did it for me and making freinds. I have one english freind and its nice to have a freind from back home, But i also love my Canadian Freinds.
It doesnt hurt to get on your pitty potty and have a whine and cheese party once in a while, bundle up on the sofa eat English cadburys and watch Vicar of Dibley DVD's while you cry into to your PG tea! but you have to be pro active. Keeping busy helped me it was when i was lonely and sitting at home thinking that the homesickness got to its worse.

So my advice Keep busy, be sociable, be proactive within your new community, remember that Rome was not built in a day and everything takes time.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

To add to all the above....

Talking to friends and family at home by phone/internet. Counterintuitive I know but both me and Mrs AX find it helps you stay connected to those you miss. (Mrs AX did the homesickness thing in UK as she is Canadian.) Also if practical and affordable a quick trip home can be useful. You get your fix of decent beer/friends/bacon etc but also realise how crowded/dirty/unfriendly/expensive/etc etc UK is. Only risk is if you are really homesick you might not want to come back! Throwing yourself into the community here helps. Invite the neighbours round etc etc. (Ours are Australian so we can comiserate together!)

I must confess to being very homesick at present. Having lost my job and desperately working to get another doesnt help. However I am resisting the temptation to go home for a visit cos that sure as hell wont get me a new job!

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

If you're happy with your new life, you shouldn't get homesick. It's as simple as that. Sure the feelings pass, but only because you start to forget the old life and learn to tolerate the new one. People will 'adapt' to anything given time. I moved from Canada to Britain 5 years ago and have never been homesick once.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

BULLSHITdo some reading about it before you pass judgement.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Hear Hear

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Why is it bullshit?

I feel sorry for people who are homesick and in most cases I'd advise them to go home.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Well said Iain !!!!

You're not a psychologist as well are you David by any chance ? :rolleyes:

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Everyone is different. Depends on many, many factors, one of which is the type of person you are, another is your relationships here and back in the UK, another is financial, another is just simply needing time and the cross over in familiarity. I could go on and on and on.
Before we came here we thought I would be the one who felt homesick more, as I am closer to my parents, and a female?? and I had more close friends to leave behind, but as it has turned out, my hub has struggled with it more than me. But he misses the familiarity of the UK more than the people (thats not to say he doesn't miss his family, but its not as strong at the moment)
The consensus seems to be that you need at least a couple of years to start to settle........but again that depends on the individual.
If you have never felt pangs from leaving your homeland then you are very much in the minority I have to say.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

That's so much like us!!! It's my hubby that had a spell of being homesick and he's the one working and getting out there, while I'm a stay at home mum.
Having said that the last few days I have felt pretty down, but not completely sure why ( I have been on this site a lot though :D ) It's probably because we are just about to put the house on the market and start all that process :confused:

David,
You are very lucky if you have never had doubts about the future, I wish we could all be that confident. :)

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Agreed. Keeping busy can be a distraction so there's no time to be homesick. Another aspect is to find a Canadian equivalent ot replacement for each those things that you miss. If you haven't identified these things then you are going to be left with just memories of the UK.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Then you are very fortunate David, and I am pleased for you - but you really cannot judge everyone by yourself. We are all different and have different circumstances regarding family left behind, etc.

I was very homesick for a while, to the point that I could have easily gone back, BUT, it wasn't just about me; I stuck it out, and now I'm SO glad that I did.

Re: Cures for homesickness
 

Its bullshit because studies have shown it to be almost the norm, even in the happiest circumstances, and because numerous psychological studies say it is. THats why I advised you to go do some reading.

Its also bullshit as you smell like a troll and act like a troll, and are the only UK based poster who is posting at 0150AM GMT. If you really are in the UK, please, find something, anything better to do with your time...sniff glue, binge drink! dont come here in the middle of the night, thats just sad.

Get off your mum and dads computer and go annoy someone else.