By Dyala Merhej

No matter where you come from or where you go, we all get homesick at some point during study abroad! Whether it’s your first time out of the country or you have tons of travel experience under your belt, studying abroad is much different than traveling abroad. You are actually living there for months at a time! Feeling homesick to any extent is totally normal and even expected. Each person copes in their own way… here’s how I did!

I was born and raised in the Boston area, but I have had my fair share of traveling – even for months at a time. I didn’t expect to get homesick, but it comes in all forms. Who knew I would be homesick for Lebanese food? I studied abroad in Madrid and traveled to several countries. Both in Madrid and other cities, I was able to connect to my roots by finding Lebanese restaurants! Tasting the food that I missed so much, hearing others speak Arabic, and the Arabic music of the restaurants made me feel so much better! No matter if you’re a foodie or not, food is an important part of our life. We all have our comfort foods, and it can be difficult when we lose access to them. When there is a will, there’s a way, though!

Besides indulging in your favorite food from home, there are many ways to cope with homesickness. Facetiming family and friends, bringing my teddy bear (yes, my teddy bear), and writing postcards home were other ways I was able to successfully cope with homesickness