When you have moved to a new country it is not unusual to experience waves of nostalgia. Nostalgia is described as many things, a yearning to return to the past, a desire to return to a country of origin, or a sentimental memory from a previous relationship.

Nostalgia can be triggered by a number of things, a word, a smell, a sight, a picture, music, films, a photo, and much more.

I am sure we have all experienced a wave of Nostalgia at some time in our lives. It usually hits quickly and without prior warning and tends to be accompanied by old emotions and feelings.

Nostalgia itself is not a negative feeling to have; the feelings can be of happy memories from the past and can feel quite exhilarating. Attachment to Nostalgia can however lead to negative feelings.

By attachment I mean becoming so infused with the feeling of nostalgia that you are no longer in the present moment. You may have noticed that when a wave of Nostalgia goes through you that your whole body and mind feels different, often giving a sense of emotional vulnerability. Your thoughts can become entangled with only the past memories and there can be a feeling of no longer being grounded.

If your feelings of nostalgia are of pleasant memories then dwelling on them and becoming entangled in those thoughts can cause a feeling of unease and a want to be back in the past rather than where you are in the present moment.

Dwelling on unpleasant nostalgic memories can also cause a feeling of unease and a want to be somewhere familiar rather than where you are in the present moment.

These nostalgic moments after a recent move to a new and unfamiliar country or state can enhance the feeling of wanting to return home or of feeling vulnerable and can quickly lead to feelings of sadness and unease. (more…)

“Walking is good for solving problems – it’s like the feet are little psychiatrists”  ~ Terri Guillemets

So once again I find myself writing about walking. It seems I am getting hooked on the subject. There is a good reason for that, walking is healthy in so many ways.

Walking helps to relieve stress which is great when you are preparing for a move or you have just moved. Walking at a good pace gets your endorphins going so you feel great and more energetic.

When you have just moved to a new place, walking around the neighbourhood can create a feeling of familiarity and ease with your new surroundings. When walking you may see things that you may not have noticed while driving.

Walking is great exercise. Just 20 minutes a day is enough if you are unable to find time for any other exercise and the fresh air is good for your complexion.

It is fun to walk with friends; it’s a good chance to catch up while getting exercise that doesn’t seem like exercise. This is also a good way to get to know people, start a walking group with others who are new to the area. (more…)

Homesickness

A few days ago I felt homesick which I found quite odd as I no longer really have a place that I would call home so I began to think “what is homesickness?”

My experience of feeling homesick was a feeling of wanting to be somewhere other than where I am now, just for a little while. I wanted to be close to my family and have fun with some old friends. My first thought was that perhaps it is familiarity that I miss, and then I started to wonder if there was something uncomfortable in my life that I want to get away from. Why was it that I had been feeling perfectly happy and then I had felt homesick?

When life feels a bit uncomfortable even in a positive manner it is quite normal to want to resort to some comfort that we can recall from our past, and after a bit of consideration I realised that this was the case for me on this particular day. I had been making some changes in my life and this was causing some unease. I wanted to seek some familiarity in the form of being with family and I was feeling some nostalgia for my teenage days in East Africa and therefore missing some of my friends whom I have not seen for many years. I realised I was dwelling on the past and fantasizing about the future and as a result I was not enjoying where I am today. (more…)

Preparing for your Journey

Moving to a new country or state can cause emotions that we never thought would appear during such an adventurous time. We make a decision to move and our nerves and excitement take over in anticipation of what our new home will be like.

Although I personally believe that it is important to maintain this sense of adventure and discovery, I also believe it is important to look within and understand why we are making this journey. Without this self knowledge we may find that we are taken by surprise or confused by some of the emotions that can occur during a move.

In my 28+ years of experience I have yet to see someone who has not had a wave of emotions hit them at some stage within the first 3 months of a move to a new country or state.

In order to prepare for your journey and to cope with the emotions that may occur I recommend looking at the following subjects ……. (more…)

One of the most difficult aspects of moving is leaving your friends behind. I have witnessed many people who were unable to enjoy their new environment because they were missing friends, they felt alone, or they didn’t feel comfortable exploring their new surroundings on their own.

If the above sounds like you then you are not alone, missing friends is one of the main reasons why people will return home within six months.

After a permanent move it can take up to a year to really settle in your new environment. However the quicker you meet people and become involved in activities the easier and quicker it is to settle.

How to meet friends…….

1. Make the decision that you want to find friends – this may seem obvious, however without having made this conscious decision, finding friends will feel like a chore. You will want to find a state of mind which leads you to want to go out and explore your possibilities. Without having made this conscious decision you will not be inspired to start looking for new friends. (more…)