ArrivingCulture shock and missing home: what to expect
Not every day will feel like a holiday. That does not mean it is going wrong.
3 min read
In the first weeks everything can feel wonderful. New city, new people, different food, freedom.
Then some things start to grate. That is part of the experience too.
Not every day is a holiday
You still have to do laundry, take the bus, do the shopping, study and solve problems. At some point you may miss home, the food, your friends, or simply how easy everything is in your own language.
That does not mean your experience is going wrong.
Try not to compare everything
It is easy to think "we do this better at home", or the opposite, "everything here is better". Both extremes get in the way. Try to understand why things work that way before judging them.
Build a routine
Having set times to study, exercise, cook and see friends helps a lot while you adapt.
Get out of the house
When you miss home, the urge is to spend hours talking to friends and family. Staying in touch matters. But you are also building a temporary new life. Accept invitations, join the activities, walk around the city.
Very often the hardest moments of the first weeks turn into the stories you remember most afterwards.
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