One of the challenges associated with travelling and relocating is learning how to cope and combat loneliness abroad.
While the experience is exciting and eye-opening, it can also feel isolating at times. Many expats struggle with loneliness and the feeling of missing home, family and friends. They also find it difficult to adapt to the new culture or find comfort in it.
Making new friends with other expats or even locals can really make a difference in how you are able to live the experience abroad and overcome obstacles.
They could end up being your support system, and you can bond with other expats over shared difficulties as well as learn from each other’s experiences.
Besides expanding your social circle, there are also other things you can do on your own to help you combat loneliness abroad – read all about it below.
1. Take a class
Taking classes is a fantastic way to socialise and meet other people with similar interests and goals. If you aren’t familiar with the local language of your destination country, you may want to consider enrolling in a language class. For instance, if you’ve already planned for an international relocation to Singapore, it’s a good idea to go for Cantonese language classes to learn the local dialect.
After all, it kills two birds with one stone: you’ll get to meet other foreigners or expats who are new to the country while sharpening your language skills at the same time! This will make your day-to-day life a little easier, and as time goes on, you may even feel confident enough to strike conversations with some locals! If you aren’t interested in language classes or you already speak the language of your new country, you can always sign up for another type of class that fits your interests.
2. Join a group
Allow your interests to direct you to making new friends abroad, whether they are locals or fellow expats. For some recreational and networking time, join a group, club, or team that revolve around something you enjoy. Regardless of whether it’s a football team or book club, joining a group is a regular social activity that enables you to meet new people while putting aside time to have some fun.
3. Establish a routine
Establishing a routine can create a sense of familiarity and comfort. Choose a few places near your accommodation to become more familiar with – visit a local café, restaurant or fruit stand regularly. Seeing the same people daily at these local shops will make you feel more comfortable and at home. As you build some rapport with the people working at these places, you’ll definitely start to feel less alone.
4. Make your accommodation feel like home
Although it’s likely that your accommodation will never really feel the same as your own home, you can still put together some items to make it a feel a little more home-y. Print some photos of family and friends to hang up on your wall and bring along some familiar items, like a stuffed toy or decorations from your room. These familiar items can help to make the place feel more like your own.
5. Don’t spend too much time at home alone
Living abroad on your own is a great push out of your comfort zone. Merely walking down the street or buying groceries can be extremely daunting, especially if there’s a language barrier. Nonetheless, it’s crucial that you resist the urge to coop yourself up at home and instead agree to as many outings and social activities as possible. Doing so will give you a chance to interact with others and even make some really good friends, helping to combat loneliness abroad.
On the contrary, constantly staying in will make you feel increasingly isolated and waste the opportunity that you have to fully experience life abroad.
