Overcoming Homesickness is a common challenge. As a Dane living in Canada, I have learned to overcome this struggle by embracing both my Danish heritage and the Canadian culture. This has made my life abroad even more rich and exciting.
I will share my 5 tips for overcoming homesickness and experiences for keeping my Danish roots alive through traditional pastries, TV shows, and trips back home. With my French twist – my husband being from Paris – we are also embracing his culture 🙂
From baking traditional Danish pastries like kanelsnegle and exploring French cafes, I’ll show you how to overcome homesickness and make the most of your time abroad.
Enjoy the unique blend of cultures that make up your new home!
1-Balancing Home and Host Cultures
Embrace both your home culture and the new culture you’re experiencing. As a Dane living in Canada, I’ve learned to balance my love for traditional baked goods like rugbrød, træstammer, and romkugler with embracing my husband’s French culture.
Whether it’s indulging in a flaky croissant at our favorite bakery Toledo or watching a mix of Danish and French TV shows, I’ve found that a personal blend of both cultures is key to overcoming homesickness!
2-Discovering New Cultures through Food
As a food lover myself, I strongly believe that trying new foods is a fantastic way of getting to know a culture. Why not explore the local culture and find new things to love about your new home? Visit local restaurants and try new dishes, attend local events, and make new friends.
Not only will you broaden your experiences and perspectives, but you’ll also have the opportunity to discover new flavors and ingredients that you may never have encountered before. So, go ahead and embrace the local culture, starting with the cuisine!
``Living abroad opens your eyes to different ways of life and helps you to understand and appreciate your own culture more`` Unknown
3-Staying Connected
Keep in touch with friends and family back home. Regular communication can help ease homesickness and keep you connected to the people and places you love
I talk with my sisters in Copenhagen every week, which provides comfort and a sense of connection to home. Regular communication is a simple and powerful way to maintain relationships, even from afar.
Discover more ways to stay connected with friends and family while living abroad. Click here for tips
4-Self-Care and Prioritizing Mental Health
Self-care is a crucial aspect of maintaining our mental health, especially when we are struggling with homesickness. Scandinavian countries have a rich culture of self-care and prioritize their citizens’ well-being. Here are some inspiration from the Scandinavian lifestyle to help you practice self-care:
- Hygge – This Danish concept is all about creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
- Nature – Scandinavians have a strong connection to nature, and spending time outdoors has been shown to improve mental health.
- Mindfulness – The Scandinavian approach to mindfulness emphasizes being present in the moment and embracing a sense of calm.
- Simplicity – Scandinavian design and lifestyle prioritize simplicity, and this mindset can be applied to self-care as well.
To delve deeper into the topic of mindfulness, be sure to check out my blogpost. Click here to read more.
``To travel is to live`` Hans Christian Andersen
5-Building a New Sense of Belonging
Creating new traditions and memories in your new home can help you build a sense of belonging and establish new roots. Starting a new hobby, participating in local festivals and events, and making your new home feel like your own are just a few ways to do this.
Making an effort to create new traditions and memories can also help to ease the sense of homesickness and build a new sense of community. Embrace this new chapter in your life and make it your own!
Let's break it down!
Homesickness can be a challenging experience, but it doesn’t have to hold you back from enjoying your time away from home. By staying connected with loved ones, finding new hobbies and interests, celebrating your culture, acknowledging and accepting your feelings, and seeking support, you can overcome homesickness and make the most of your time away from home.
I hope that this blog post has provided some helpful tips and insights into overcoming homesickness!
If you have any tips or experiences you’d like to share, please leave a comment. Your contributions can provide encouragement and support to others who may be struggling with homesickness!