Even after you have been abroad for a while, you will not forget how hard it was when you first started working away from home (or even moved on to a new place), and the emotional roller coaster you rode for the first few months. Everyone experiences this at some level, whether you are with a partner, are single, have children, have a pet with you... the trick is to talk to people about it.
FYI - Children are not immune to this; they will have their 'moments' too, regardless of whether or not you are riding this roller coaster and not getting nauseous.
Those of us who have been out there for a while know and remember this transitional period you will go through, so talk to someone who has already been through it! They will commiserate with you, talk you through it, and cheer you up!
There are far ranging emotions that you will experience, and they are in stark contrast to one another. For example...
- You feel your family is a long way away.
- You are glad your family is a long way away.
- You are loving your new adventure and the new friends you are making.
- You miss your old house.
- You love your new one.
- You miss your dog/cat/other pet you left behind.
- You are thinking of getting a new dog/cat/pet.
- You brought your dog/cat/other pet with you, and are worried about
them/overjoyed you brought them.
- You love the new things you are now able to do.
- You miss being part of your 'crew' back home.
- You realise your friends and family are 'moving on' from you leaving.
- You notice your friends back home are beginning to resent your lifestyle.
- You realise you are not as homesick as you were, and this makes you feel a little
bit guilty.
- Something happens to a loved one back home and you feel powerless to help, or
wish you were there to be with them.
- You feel you are not being listened to at work.
- You miss the status and social standing you had back home or in your old place
of work.
- You don't like being the 'Newbie'.
- You feel guilty.
- You feel your life is awesome.
- You will go through euphoria, loneliness, happiness, sadness, feel on top of the
world, missing people back home, loving your newly made friends, disliking not
being in your comfort zone...
All expats go through the same roller coaster of emotions. This is not just you! Don't think you are the only one who is experiencing these ups and downs.
Google 'living abroad for the first time' and Google will present you with literally thousands of entries on this very subject.
Here is an interesting article to read about 'culture shock' and the different manifestations of reaction to this.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201410/working-abroad-the-experience-culture-shock
Here are some links to blogs written by people who have experienced the roller coaster of emotions you will go through. These are just tog et your started ;-) You are encouraged to do your own research on this so you can see for yourself just how common this phenomenon is. And interestingly enough, it happens again every time you move country. If you move back home, there is different phenomenon that happens (The "repatriation blues"), but you've only just got here so let's not worry about that now!
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/jobs-abroad/5-rookie-mistakes-to-avoid-when-working-abroad-for-the-first-time
http://youngofw.com/2015/09/19/working-abroad-for-the-first-time-what-you-need-to-know/
http://masedimburgo.com/2014/06/04/17-things-change-forever-live-abroad/
http://survivingeurope.com/living-abroad-the-emotional-rollercoaster-of-being-an-expat/
http://www.expatsblog.com/contests/37/coping-with-living-abroad
The good thing is, those who have been abroad for a while have all gone through this, and they are still here, still alive, and happily living life to the full!
It all settles down in the end.
Promise!
FYI - Children are not immune to this; they will have their 'moments' too, regardless of whether or not you are riding this roller coaster and not getting nauseous.
Those of us who have been out there for a while know and remember this transitional period you will go through, so talk to someone who has already been through it! They will commiserate with you, talk you through it, and cheer you up!
There are far ranging emotions that you will experience, and they are in stark contrast to one another. For example...
- You feel your family is a long way away.
- You are glad your family is a long way away.
- You are loving your new adventure and the new friends you are making.
- You miss your old house.
- You love your new one.
- You miss your dog/cat/other pet you left behind.
- You are thinking of getting a new dog/cat/pet.
- You brought your dog/cat/other pet with you, and are worried about
them/overjoyed you brought them.
- You love the new things you are now able to do.
- You miss being part of your 'crew' back home.
- You realise your friends and family are 'moving on' from you leaving.
- You notice your friends back home are beginning to resent your lifestyle.
- You realise you are not as homesick as you were, and this makes you feel a little
bit guilty.
- Something happens to a loved one back home and you feel powerless to help, or
wish you were there to be with them.
- You feel you are not being listened to at work.
- You miss the status and social standing you had back home or in your old place
of work.
- You don't like being the 'Newbie'.
- You feel guilty.
- You feel your life is awesome.
- You will go through euphoria, loneliness, happiness, sadness, feel on top of the
world, missing people back home, loving your newly made friends, disliking not
being in your comfort zone...
All expats go through the same roller coaster of emotions. This is not just you! Don't think you are the only one who is experiencing these ups and downs.
Google 'living abroad for the first time' and Google will present you with literally thousands of entries on this very subject.
Here is an interesting article to read about 'culture shock' and the different manifestations of reaction to this.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201410/working-abroad-the-experience-culture-shock
Here are some links to blogs written by people who have experienced the roller coaster of emotions you will go through. These are just tog et your started ;-) You are encouraged to do your own research on this so you can see for yourself just how common this phenomenon is. And interestingly enough, it happens again every time you move country. If you move back home, there is different phenomenon that happens (The "repatriation blues"), but you've only just got here so let's not worry about that now!
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/jobs-abroad/5-rookie-mistakes-to-avoid-when-working-abroad-for-the-first-time
http://youngofw.com/2015/09/19/working-abroad-for-the-first-time-what-you-need-to-know/
http://masedimburgo.com/2014/06/04/17-things-change-forever-live-abroad/
http://survivingeurope.com/living-abroad-the-emotional-rollercoaster-of-being-an-expat/
http://www.expatsblog.com/contests/37/coping-with-living-abroad
The good thing is, those who have been abroad for a while have all gone through this, and they are still here, still alive, and happily living life to the full!
It all settles down in the end.
Promise!