There are so many positive aspects to teaching abroad that it is hard to see the negative side to the experience. Homesickness is probably the first hurdle that most people have to get over when they get settled in to their new job, new apartment and new life. Homesickness usually occurs about a week or so after your arrival to your new home, and seems to rear its head anytime you have a bad day. How do you cure it? Below are 5 remedies that might do the trick.

1) Figure out a call schedule that works with the time difference. This will enable you to know when you can reach your friends and family in case you have a ‘homesickness emergency’. There is nothing worse than ‘just wanting to talk with someone’, and no one being around to take your call.

2) Meet people. This might be easy or difficult for you to do depending on where you are working. Regardless of your city or location, there will most likely be other English teachers in your area, most of whom will be sympathetic to you missing home. Friendships are often created from people who are in common situations, and this case is no different. Talk to people who have gone or are going through the same thing as you – it will certainly help.

3) Technology is your friend. Ten years ago you would have been checking your mailbox to see if anyone had taken the time to write you; these days, communication is much more immediate – so take advantage of it. Facebook and Youtube are great ways to stay in touch with what is going on back home and for people to see what you are up to (be sure not to rub all of your exciting new adventures in the faces of your friends and families who are stuck in the office everyday!).

4) Bring a piece of home with you. Waking up to a photograph of your loved ones each morning can make you feel that they are around you and in turn make you miss them less. If you are away from a girlfriend or boyfriend, you might want to bring something that is special to them; this will give you the feeling of having a piece of them close by when they can’t be.

5) Change your mood. As stated above, a lot of people lapse into a brief period of homesickness when they have a bad day. This can be avoided by mentally preparing yourself for times like these. Call a friend, watch a movie – do anything that makes you feel better until you are able to talk to someone back home – many times you will start feeling better and forget to call home altogether!