Everyone who has travelled and lived overseas knows the feeling. The first few weeks are exciting and new, with so many things that you must do and people you must meet. Your feet hardly touch the ground you are so busy setting up your life, and although thoughts of home and your former life will pass through your mind, you really don’t have time to dwell on them.

Then as time passes, and you settle down and your life becomes more routine, the feelings start to come. For some people it only takes a few weeks and for others a few months. But the feelings of home sickness come to us all at some point. You may start to really miss your family and others who are close to you. You may start to dwell on all the small things you used to do at home that you took for granted. Sometimes, it can feel like all you want to do is get on a plane and go home!

However, you have made a commitment to stay and be successful in your studies. So what is homesickness? And what can you do to manage those moments of homesickness so that you can thrive in your new surroundings?

Well first, homesickness is essentially a form or anxiety or emotional distress that results from being disconnected from familiar people, places and routines. Homesickness is real and pretty much everyone feels it at some time. It may be worse in situations where there are many changes happening at once such as when you are experiencing a new and unfamiliar place, people and culture. Everything about your situation can be a source of both fascination and anxiety at the same time! Feelings of homesickness can stay around for a long time or pass quickly – everyone is different in that way and has different mechanisms for coping.

Like any other situation, it is possible to do things to help manage feelings of homesickness.

Here a few tips…

1. Make sure you stay in touch with family and loved ones. This is easy because there are so many ways in which we can communicate internationally without additional cost. Having regular conversations can be an excellent antidote to home sickness. By staying in touch you maintain a connection with those who are important to you, and feel like you are more connected.

2. Connect with others in your new surroundings. One of the easiest things to do in a new place when you feel homesick is to isolate yourself. This might be what you feel like doing but it can really make you feel worse. So remember that you are probably not the only one feeling homesick, so get out, connect and spend time with other people. Be courageous and make some new friends. It can be surprising just how much more supported you can feel just by getting together with other people.

3. Be like a tourist and make a plan to see the sights and have local experiences. This includes trying new foods, hanging out where the locals hang out, and visiting all those places that are regular stops for tourists.

4. Spend time outside in the natural world. With busy lives, we can find ourselves disconnected from the natural world, spending our time indoors staring at a computer screen or device! Feeling homesick? Then go for a walk and enjoy the sunshine and the beauty of nature. One of the great things about being in Australia is that there are so many lovely parks and places to go where you can just enjoy nature and get plenty of fresh air. Doing so will always help to make you feel better and help you to form some new attachments and appreciation for your temporary Australian home.

5. Accept that feeling homesick is completely normal and that the feelings may not completely go away, but they will become less overwhelming as you focus on your new life and your studies. You can be assured that you are not alone, that most if not all people at some stage feel homesick, and that the feelings don’t have to become over powering. Your feelings don’t need to dominate your life. They occur because you love and appreciate your life in Cambodia and that is a great thing because it means when you do return, the homecoming will be even sweeter!

Remember that there is always someone who can help if you need it, so don’t be afraid to ask!

Here is the website link to counseling services available at each university:

Deakin University

Edith Cowan University

Queensland University of Technology

RMIT University

The Australian National University

The University of Adelaide

The University of Melbourne

The University of New South Wales (including ADFA)

The University of Newcastle

The University of Queensland

The University of Sydney

The University of Western Australia

University of Canberra

University of Technology Sydney

Victoria University

Western Sydney University

Australia Awards

Post graduate learning opportunities for Cambodia’s future leaders

Everyone who has travelled and lived overseas knows the feeling. The first few weeks are exciting and new, with so many things that you must do and people you must meet. Your feet hardly touch the ground you are so busy setting up your life, and although thoughts of home and your former life will pass through your mind, you really don’t have time to dwell on them.

Then as time passes, and you settle down and your life becomes more routine, the feelings start to come. For some people it only takes a few weeks and for others a few months. But the feelings of home sickness come to us all at some point. You may start to really miss your family and others who are close to you. You may start to dwell on all the small things you used to do at home that you took for granted. Sometimes, it can feel like all you want to do is get on a plane and go home!

However, you have made a commitment to stay and be successful in your studies. So what is homesickness? And what can you do to manage those moments of homesickness so that you can thrive in your new surroundings?

Well first, homesickness is essentially a form or anxiety or emotional distress that results from being disconnected from familiar people, places and routines. Homesickness is real and pretty much everyone feels it at some time. It may be worse in situations where there are many changes happening at once such as when you are experiencing a new and unfamiliar place, people and culture. Everything about your situation can be a source of both fascination and anxiety at the same time! Feelings of homesickness can stay around for a long time or pass quickly – everyone is different in that way and has different mechanisms for coping.

Like any other situation, it is possible to do things to help manage feelings of homesickness.

Here a few tips…

1. Make sure you stay in touch with family and loved ones. This is easy because there are so many ways in which we can communicate internationally without additional cost. Having regular conversations can be an excellent antidote to home sickness. By staying in touch you maintain a connection with those who are important to you, and feel like you are more connected.

2. Connect with others in your new surroundings. One of the easiest things to do in a new place when you feel homesick is to isolate yourself. This might be what you feel like doing but it can really make you feel worse. So remember that you are probably not the only one feeling homesick, so get out, connect and spend time with other people. Be courageous and make some new friends. It can be surprising just how much more supported you can feel just by getting together with other people.

3. Be like a tourist and make a plan to see the sights and have local experiences. This includes trying new foods, hanging out where the locals hang out, and visiting all those places that are regular stops for tourists.

4. Spend time outside in the natural world. With busy lives, we can find ourselves disconnected from the natural world, spending our time indoors staring at a computer screen or device! Feeling homesick? Then go for a walk and enjoy the sunshine and the beauty of nature. One of the great things about being in Australia is that there are so many lovely parks and places to go where you can just enjoy nature and get plenty of fresh air. Doing so will always help to make you feel better and help you to form some new attachments and appreciation for your temporary Australian home.

5. Accept that feeling homesick is completely normal and that the feelings may not completely go away, but they will become less overwhelming as you focus on your new life and your studies. You can be assured that you are not alone, that most if not all people at some stage feel homesick, and that the feelings don’t have to become over powering. Your feelings don’t need to dominate your life. They occur because you love and appreciate your life in Cambodia and that is a great thing because it means when you do return, the homecoming will be even sweeter!

Remember that there is always someone who can help if you need it, so don’t be afraid to ask!