The United States is a completely new land, full with newer environments and newer scenarios. Often times when you look at the American azure blue sky, you’re instantly drawn back to your own home back in India, during the months of bitter-sweet winter when your mom would be churning out your favourite ‘aalu-gobi’.
Staying away from home, staying away from the cacophonous sounds, away from the delicious platters dished out by mom, staying away from all of these takes a toll on your homesickness meter. It is not that you miss everything but there are few issues, events and activities, which desperately force you to think of home, away from home. Well here are some remedies that can help you cope with homesickness.
Dealing with long sullen silences
What’s the first image that crops in your mind when you see ‘HORN OK PLEASE’? Yes, it instantly pictures that huge truck with ethnic graphics reminding you of traffic rules, with you in the taxi honking mercilessly. The splinter of mustard, the gabby tea seller, the incessant politicians and never ending loudspeakers are the hallmarks of a regular day in India. Once you land on the U.S., you see lush green campuses, tweeter birds and sullen silence. Deal with this first. Download Indian music apps and listen to latest tracks of your language, whenever you feel the silence creeping inside you. Moreover, look for theatre, music or speech workshops. The idea is to keep your ears buzz..... Read More >>
The United States is a completely new land, full with newer environments and newer scenarios. Often times when you look at the American azure blue sky, you’re instantly drawn back to your own home back in India, during the months of bitter-sweet winter when your mom would be churning out your favourite ‘aalu-gobi’.
Staying away from home, staying away from the cacophonous sounds, away from the delicious platters dished out by mom, staying away from all of these takes a toll on your homesickness meter. It is not that you miss everything but there are few issues, events and activities, which desperately force you to think of home, away from home. Well here are some remedies that can help you cope with homesickness.
Dealing with long sullen silences
What’s the first image that crops in your mind when you see ‘HORN OK PLEASE’? Yes, it instantly pictures that huge truck with ethnic graphics reminding you of traffic rules, with you in the taxi honking mercilessly. The splinter of mustard, the gabby tea seller, the incessant politicians and never ending loudspeakers are the hallmarks of a regular day in India. Once you land on the U.S., you see lush green campuses, tweeter birds and sullen silence. Deal with this first. Download Indian music apps and listen to latest tracks of your language, whenever you feel the silence creeping inside you. Moreover, look for theatre, music or speech workshops. The idea is to keep your ears buzzing.
Always have your Indian connections alive
This is a really effective way to beat the blues. Why do we feel homesick anyway? It’s mostly because you stop speaking your mother’s tongue and stop discussing Indian issues. Always make sure that at least an hour or so a day, you call your parents (mandatory), friends (super mandatory) and your relatives (if you finally have an answer to ‘when are you getting married, son?’). When you remain in contact with your Indian folks on a regular basis, homesickness would stay miles away from you.
You should revel cultural holidays
And by cultural holidays not only the 4th of July but the Durga Puja too. (Let’s not get regional and let’s say your own cultural festivals). This will be taxing on you at first. However, the hope for more fun and frolic will get you right at it. In fact, while you set up the stage for celebrating your own festivals in U.S. soil, you’ll end up spreading more cultural information with your American buddies (which also means that Wikipedia will again help you with your homework).
Become a busy-bee
An effective way to deal with homesickness is to keep your mind busy like a worker bee. Sign up for music classes, language courses or cooking lessons. This is the time to try out those talents that you have in you, which you couldn’t cultivate back home. Learn things that you love and see how you can integrate them with your lifestyle.
Home is where you make it
Always remember to brings things from home that reminds you of it. And yes, I am talking about spices, old and torn classics, your ancient pyjamas or even your school geometry box. That’s not to say that you are going to fill your dorm exactly like that of your own home. However, always have novelties back from home with which you have a vast history. Remember, homesickness hits you hard most when your surrounding reminds you nothing of home. So be smart and replace that digital-watch with that quartz-shaped ORPAT watch of your childhood.
23 August 2016
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